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“Every Day I was Crying about Something”: Lingering Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on People Working in Juvenile Prisons

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Staff working in prison settings experience high rates of job-related stress which was amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty staff members from a juvenile prison were interviewed to determine the unique mental health symptoms and stressors several years after initial shutdown procedures. Anxiety, PTSD symptoms, and sleep disturbances were reported; sometimes resulting in staff avoiding interactions with youth. Some positive aspects were noted, but overall, results indicated a continued need for mental health support and policy changes for staff. As noted by one participant, “If you don’t have the direct care staff, you don’t have a facility.”

Source: The Prison Journal

DOI: 10.1177/00328855241292778

Authors: Kelli R. Thompson, Rebecca L. Fix, Brandon K. Doan

Institutions: Texas A&M University – Kingsville, Johns Hopkins University, University of Nevada, Reno

Language: English

Topic: COVID-19 and Mental Health

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: Johns Hopkins University