You may have heard about the high prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder PTSD among corrections professionals. A 2011 study found that between 23-31 percent of correctional employees met the criteria for full PTSD. 

The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) has recently released two webinars that address this issue head on and discuss how to cope with the ongoing psychological and emotional toll of corrections work.

As corrections professionals, we are well aware of the inherent dangers associated with the work.  But is often easy to ignore the impact the work can have on our family life, our health, and our relationships with friends and co-workers.

The NIC's two-part series was presented by Desert Waters Correctional Outreach whose mission is to "increase the occupational, personal and family well-being of staff of all disciplines within the corrections profession.”  In 2013, the Executive Director of Desert Waters, Caterina G. Spinaris, Ph.D., addressed a group of Teamster Shop Stewards to discuss this issue. 

You can access the webinars on the NIC website:

• Part 1: The Corrections Profession: Maintaining Safety and Sanity
• Part 2: Corrections Fatigue: Caring for Staff and Managing the Environment