A comparative perspective on officer wellness: american reflections from norwegian prisons. Issue 4 (2nd October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Horowitz, Veronica L.; Greberman, Emily R.; Nolan, Patrick E.; Hyatt, Jordan M.; Uggen, Chris; Andersen, Synøve N.; Chanenson, Steven L.
• Is Part Of: Criminal justice studies. Volume 34:Issue 4(2021)
• Page Start: 477
• Page End: 497
• Publication Date: 2021-10-02
• Subjects: Correctional officers -- correctional officer wellness -- dynamic security -- Norway -- stress -- morale; Justice, Administration of -- United States -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 364.05
• DOI: 10.1080/1478601X.2021.2001231
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1478-601X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Correctional officers in the United States experience severe work-related stressors and are generally physically unwell compared to similar public employees. An innovative and new approach to improving American corrections that is starting to gain momentum stems from looking at the workplace dynamic in alternative international models, such as in Scandinavian prison systems, for models of workplace reform. This study examines the perspectives of staff and leaders from the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections who traveled to Scandinavia as part of a correctional exchange. Each day of the trip, correctional staff recorded their qualitative reflections and completed a basic survey about their observations and experiences. This article examines both forms of data to explore correctional officer wellness from the perspective of American correctional officers. Five key themes are discussed: morale, stress, danger, dynamic security, and communication. Survey results corroborate this pattern, as US correctional officers reported somewhat lower stress and more positive interactions during their time in Norway. Key takeaways and implications for policy are discussed.