Correctional officers are responsible for ensuring inmates are well confined. They enforce rules that have been set forth for inmates as well as providing that their rights are not deprived of. They, however, in their line of duties face a lot of challenges which undermine their abilities to perform to their maximum. One of the problems they face is assaults (Heibutzki, 2018). Dealing with inmates becomes a challenge since they are often using objects to turn against the officers with sharp objects such as broken glasses and toothbrushes. Officers are injured most of the times. This becomes a threat to them which instill some fear in them (Bush, 2017).
Another problem is the issue of psychological stress. Inmates can be assaultive, hostile, and dangerous. When they attack correctional officers, they end up being traumatized which causes mental problems. These problems are further transferred to homes of the officers causing more issues such as domestic violence, alcohol abuse, and sexual harassments as a way of dealing with their inner stress. A weak working environment is another major problem (Bush, 2017). Prisons are mostly overcrowded, poorly ventilated, and loud. With these hostile conditions, officers tend to be challenged as they have to persevere all this.
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Mortality rates among correctional officers have also been reported to increase over the years rapidly. This is due to the pressure surrounding them both physically and psychologically. Their working shifts are also very demanding since inmates are people who are to be under surveillance the whole day and night. This makes it difficult for officers to have their free time and go on holidays. Moreover, correctional officers are always facing the issue of having to be isolated most of the times with inmates. This boredom has led to them having problems with how they deal with ordinary people. The compassion they had is slowly reduced (Heibutzki, 2018). With this kind of problems facing correctional officers, they experience difficulties within their selves and with how they deal with other people other than inmates.
References
Bush, C. (2017). The pros & cons of being a correctional officer| Career Trend . Retrieved from https://careertrend.com/info-8353723-pros-cons-being-correctional-officer.html
Heibutzki, R. (2018). The disadvantages of being a correctional officer| Chron.com . Retrieved from http://work.chron.com/disadvantages-being-correctional-officer-10287.html
