Occupational and Environmental Hazards of Correctional Settings

Abstract

Objective: Maintaining healthful, safe, and productive work environments for workers in correctional settings is a matter of deep consequence to the workers themselves, the institutions they serve, the incarcerated individuals with whom they share space, and inevitably, to our wider community. We hypothesized that an examination of the academic literature would reveal opportunities for an improved approach to research in these settings. Methods: We performed a scoping literature review using search terms related to the occupational and environmental health of workers in correctional environments, limited to studies performed in the United States. Results: A total of 942 studies underwent title and abstract screening, 342 underwent full-text review, and 147 underwent data extraction by a single reviewer. The results revealed a body of literature that tends strongly toward analyses of stress and burnout of correctional staff, largely based on self-reported data from cross-sectional surveys. Those studies related to physical health were predominantly represented by topics of infectious disease. There were few or no studies examining exposures or outcomes related to diagnosable mental health conditions, musculoskeletal injury, environmental hazards, medical or mental health staff, immigration detention settings, or regarding incarcerated workers. There were very few studies that were experimental, longitudinal, or based on objective data. Discussion: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has promulgated a research strategy for correctional officers that should guide future research for all workers in correctional settings, but realization of these goals will rely upon multidisciplinary collaboration, specific grants to engage researchers, and an improved understanding of the barriers inherent to correctional research, all while maintaining rigorous protection for incarcerated persons as an especially vulnerable population.

The resource team: A case study of a solitary confinement reform in Oregon

“…Recently, an organization of correctional officer union representatives called for an urgent response to the growing occupational health crisis among correctional officer in the U.S. [ 48 ]. As we have tried to show, the Resource Team simultaneously improved working environments for correctional officers, and enhanced the health and well-being of all concerned.…”

Mass incarceration and the problem of prison labor

“…The rights afforded to civilian workers, such as workplace safety measures, are often not afforded to adults in custody. 2 One example is the California Conservation Camp program, where incarcerated firefighters are at higher risk of injury and death than those employed by traditional means. Furthermore, COVID-19 increased the risk borne by incarcerated workers living and working in environments where infections are likely to spread.…”

Supervisor Training

“…Impaired functioning has also been associated with stress, job burnout, depression, and other psychosocial factors in various occupations where safety is paramount. [16][17][18] Goetzel et al 19 (2004) take a detailed look at the employer costs associated with some of the most common physical and mental health conditions affecting workers and conclude that heart disease, mental illness, diabetes, hypertension, and even headaches and allergy have a significant impact on the corporate bottom line but a large portion of the monetary losses are unaccounted for by employers.…”

“…Similarly, both acute and chronic health conditions (eg, asthma, migraine headaches, diabetes, concussion, allergies) may impair workers’ ability to maintain an adequate level of productivity and safety at work due to the effect those conditions have on one’s physical and mental health status. Impaired functioning has also been associated with stress, job burnout, depression, and other psychosocial factors in various occupations where safety is paramount 16–18 . Goetzel et al 19 (2004) take a detailed look at the employer costs associated with some of the most common physical and mental health conditions affecting workers and conclude that heart disease, mental illness, diabetes, hypertension, and even headaches and allergy have a significant impact on the corporate bottom line but a large portion of the monetary losses are unaccounted for by employers.…”