Factors contributing to occupational stress among remand prison staff: findings from qualitative research

Abstract

Background: There are studies showing that prison officers experience higher than average level of work-related stress (Johnson et al., 2005; Finney et al., 2013). They face challenging work conditions and responsibilities, additional stress caused by inmates. Little is known about stressors of remand prison staff who deal with individuals prior to court. The aim of this study was to identify particular stressors that the remand prison staff face on a daily basis. Methods: 6 focus groups were held with employees of one remand prison in Lithuania. Each focus group consisted of 8 to 10 individuals and each session lasted from 1 to 1,5 hours. The information was analysed using Content analysis. Findings: The results showed that remand prison staff face various stressors: (1) various demands and effort requirements, i.e. heavy workload, night shifts, bureaucracy, high responsibility for behaviour of prisoners, feeling the need for the permanent standby, threat of inmate violence, fear/risk of infectious diseases, high emotional strain, manipulations and provocations from prisoners, unclear demands from authorities, etc.; (2) lack of resources and control, i.e. understaffing, lack of time for duties, having fewer rights than prisoners, etc. (3) lack of rewards, such as promotion opportunities, appreciation of their effort, trust from colleagues, appropriate salary; (4) restrictions at work, i.e. cannot bring their cell phones to work, feeling like being locked from the outside word. Discussion: Analysis of frequency and severity of these stressors as well as cultural comparison would be of value in further studies.