Burnout among Professionals Working in Corrections: A Two Stage Review

Abstract

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion often caused by excessive and prolonged stress. Given the emotionally and often physically demanding nature of the work of correctional professionals, they are at substantial risk of suffering the adverse consequences of burnout. We systematically reviewed (Stage 1) the influence of burnout amongst forensic psychologists, psychiatrists, case workers, nurses, and correction officers. Interventions were then reviewed (Stage 2) at the individual and collective level to examine the effectiveness or efficacy of treatments for burnout among professionals working in corrections.

The protective effects of prior military service on burnout in criminal justice professions: A multiagency comparison.

“…Compared to employees at a municipal police department, working for a sheriff’s office did not affect any outcome, while working for a corrections agency was consistently associated with increased overall burnout ( b = 0.418, p < .001), emotional exhaustion ( b = 0.437, p < .001), and depersonalization ( b = 0.400, p < .001). This confirms prior research that the corrections environment, even compared to peer police and sheriff’s agencies, is one prone to inflict heavy personal costs on officers (Adams & Mastracci, 2020; Crawley, 2004; Forman-Dolan et al, 2022; E. G. Lambert et al, 2015).…”

Predicting Burnout, Well-Being, and Posttraumatic Growth in Correctional Officers

“…Burnout develops after prolonged exposure to stress and is characterized by high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and low levels of perceived personal accomplishment (Maslach & Jackson, 1981). It is often experienced by caring professionals like psychologists and social workers and is being recognized in correctional staff (Forman-Dolan et al, 2022). If left untreated, burnout can develop into symptoms of depression and anxiety (koutsimani & Montgomery, 2023).…”

Child and adolescent forensic evaluations: Challenges amid scientific and technological advancements.

“…When conducting teleassessment, a practitioner should consider whether the measure has adapted psychometric equivalence from article to virtual form (Krach et al, 2020), as most publishers have no well-established methods for virtual assessments. Since teleassessments are frequently conducted from home, maintaining a work/life balance is critical for preventing burnout and psychological distress (Forman-Dolan et al, 2022; Posluns & Gall, 2020). In a survey of forensic psychiatrists and psychologists working from home during the pandemic, concerns were raised regarding clients in crisis, work-life balance, and lack of peer and supervisory support (Daffern et al, 2022).…”