Correctional professionals work in high-risk settings taking care of inmates that may be hostile or have

behavior and/or mental illness, which puts in at high risk for experiencing burnout (Olson et al., 2022).
Correctional mental health professionals work on averting mental health crises, making sure that
symptomology is maintained, and providing therapy for inmates (Ricks & Ferreira, 2019). Correctional
therapists have a complicated role and providing therapy in a confining setting is challenging (Karsher,
2003; Ricks, 2015).

Correctional workers face a difficult and unique combination of challenges due to the restricted
workplace setting and day to day communication and interaction with individuals that are incarcerated.
A United States Department of Justic report outlines dangers and risks for individuals working in
correctional environment to include specific workplace, institutional, physical and mental health risks
such as infectious diseases, gangs, limited resources, burnout, stress, injuries and possibly death (Fusco
et al., 2021).

(not edited)

Mivshek and Schriver, (2022)

Correctional settings are often characterized by less autonomy, opportunities for advancement, and
professionalism as compared to other mental health work settings (Boothby & Clements, 2002), as well
as high caseloads and an emphasis on crisis management (Boothby & Clements, 2000).

Offenders have high rates of antisocial personality disorder, which is characterized by symptoms such as
manipulativeness, frequent lying, irritability, aggressiveness, and a lack of remorse (American Psychiatric
Association, 2013). Working with deceptive and manipulative clients requires greater vigilance on the
part of the therapist, which might result in higher levels of emotional exhaustion over time.

Some offender clients might be court-mandated to participate in treatment, and court-ordered clients
are often less motivated for change and more resistant to the therapy process (Brodsky, 2011).

Offenders who have comorbid substance abuse problems, which might add complexity to treatment
(Sandhu & Rose, 2012), and as a group, offenders tend to have lower levels of education, less insight
about their psychological functioning, and higher rates of criminal thinking (Gross & Morgan, 2013),
which also complicate treatment.

Although therapy with offenders is not always focused on the nature of their crimes, it can be, and this
repeated exposure to hearing about crimes against others, particularly violent or sexual crimes, might
lead to vicarious stress and a tendency to distance oneself from others. Thus, elevated levels of
depersonalization might serve as a coping mechanism or protective factor in these instances (Maslach et
al., 2001).

The correctional environment, itself, may also lead to the development of burnout. Prisons can be highly
beaurocratic and complex institutions, valuing order, control, and structure over efficiency and mental
health needs. Prisons also prioritize security, which can result in processes that make delivery of mental
health services more difficult. Balancing the ‘custody’ and ‘care’ missions of correctional institutions can
be difficult for MHPs (Magaletta & Boothby, 2003).

Bell et al., (2019)

Exploratory study , 36 mental health professionals and correctional officers were recruited from a prison
in England and completed a series of questionnaires on exposure to traumatic events, support from
managers and colleagues, and on levels of burnout, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction.
Providing care in the prison environment can be highly stressful and resource constraints and delays in
transfer to hospital mean that prisoners with acute problems often remain in prison and cannot be
optimally cared for (Forrester et al., 2010; Harty et al., 2012; Hopkin et al., 2016); Thomas et al., 2009).
Prison mental health professionals and correctional staff working in mental health units in prison are
required to manage individuals who are at high risk for self-harm and suicide, and behaviors that are
harmful to others and are exposed to range of traumatic events in their working environment. Self-harm,
suicide, and assaults on staff and other prisoners are on the rise in prisons, with events at a record high
in England.

Exposure to traumatic events within the prison environment may reduce professional quality of life for
staff working in these conditions.

It is clear that exposure to traumatic events represents a significant occupational hazard for prison
mental health nurses and correctional officers and on line with previous studies in different settings
(Malkina-Pykh, 2017; Rhineberger-Dunn et al., 2016; Sinclair et al., 2017; Sorensen et al., 2016) we found
that experiencing traumatic events may be a negative impact on burnout.