Correctional Officers and Employees Week. Why It's Important
What is Correctional officers and Employees week?
Corrections officers are often forgotten and underappreciated for the work they do. Police, firefighters and emergency workers are respected for the service they provide and the dangers they face. Corrections Officers often do not earn the same honor from the public because their work is done behind a wall hidden from public view. While they serve the public and face danger everyday, their efforts are not seen and therefore, unfortunately, not recognized. Furthermore, corrections does not simply involve Corrections Officers. The prison system is a fully functional community with individuals holding many jobs. Also within the department of corrections are those on the outside who work with offenders reintegrating into society. All of these Corrections employees provide a valuable service to society, and Corrections week is a time to recognize them.
When is Corrections Officers and Employees week?
First implemented during the Reagan Administration, the first full week in May is designated as Corrections Officer's week. Different events and programs are held in individual states during this week in recognition of Corrections Staff.
Corrections Week Events
There is no universal system to Corrections week and different states will recognize staff in different ways. Often state and local organizations will offer discounts to Correctional staff during this week. Many Correctional agencies hold barbecues and similar events in observance of Correctional Officers and Employees Week. The issue, however, is that if you do a quick google search for correctional officers and employees week events, you will find next to nothing. This is not to say that nothing is being done, but rather that it is emblematic of the bigger problem in corrections. There is so little national recognition of Corrections Staff that even Google can't find it.
Why is Corrections Officers and Employees Week Important?
Not only is it important to recognize the work of those who serve the public, but we also must acknowledge the sacrifices Correctional staff make for their job. Corrections officers have been found to have the highest rate of PTSD in the country, have an average life expectancy of 59 (16 years less than the national average,) have extremely high rates of anxiety and depression and increased health problems along with low pay and underwhelming insurance to deal with it.
What do Corrections Officers do?
It is incredible how different the public view of a corrections officer is from the truth. Most people seem to think that "Prison Guards" (as Officers hate to be called) are either the corrupt abusive thugs you see in the movies or are simply lazy uneducated TurnKeys. The reality is that modern Corrections Officers wear many hats and work with important legal documents, perform management duties, conduct work involving transportation, rehabilitation, case management, and more. Officers provide life saving services while on the job. Officers are generally trained in CPR and first aid and hold a variety of skills which help them perform their challenging job.
What are the dangers of being a Corrections Officer?
Corrections is a very dangerous job. Again, however, reality is different than the movies. Corrections in the prison system is not generally like some assume with metal bars and constant fights and riots. Prison is a lot more quiet than most would expect, but the fact is that the environment is not a safe one. One of the reasons prison is so dangerous is because of the false sense of safety that comes with a quiet and generally calm institution. Staff often get too comfortable and get hurt.
Prison is not an everyday riot as movies might have you believe. In reality prison is an environment where things usually go pretty smoothly when everything is working right. The prison system is built on structure and routine. Most days nothing major happens. Every day there is the potential. You can work years, or even your entire career until retirement as an officer and never be assaulted or you could be stabbed on your first day. This is where a lot of the stress comes from for correctional officers. The uncertainty of each day causes underlying stress during the entire shift. working in a prison, you know that you could go home at the end of an uneventful day or you could not go home at all. Officers are the first line when something happens in the prison. Officers run into danger because that is their job. Danger is always present in the prison system and Correctional Officers run to it not away from it.
What about other Corrections Employees?
As mentioned above, Correctional facilities are much like a small community with a hospital, a store, food service, library, school, etc. While Officers are the first line for safety and security, the prisons could not run as they do without the work of no-custody staff. Just in the medical units there are contract staff that may include nurses, doctors, dentists and techs, mental health staff and specialists. Offenders seeking to better themselves while incarcerated benefit from the work of teachers, chaplains, counselors and caseworkers. Nobody gets fed, has running water or electricity without food service and maintenance. It takes a lot to run a prison, and everyone who walks into these facilities puts themselves in danger to ensure that the process works. Of course there are also those who work outside of the prison system. Corrections is not exclusively within the prison walls. Those who work in probation and parole, re-entry programs and community corrections work to increase public safety and reduce recidivism. Corrections works best when each department and division works as a team promoting the same goal.
Things to remember
Corrections staff provide a valuable service to the community.
They rarely are recognized for it.
You are safe on the outside because of those who keep the bad guys on the inside.
Next time you see a Corrections Officer, thank them for what they do.
Further Reading:
Being a Corrections Officer
Remembering Fallen Officers
Corrections officers are often forgotten and underappreciated for the work they do. Police, firefighters and emergency workers are respected for the service they provide and the dangers they face. Corrections Officers often do not earn the same honor from the public because their work is done behind a wall hidden from public view. While they serve the public and face danger everyday, their efforts are not seen and therefore, unfortunately, not recognized. Furthermore, corrections does not simply involve Corrections Officers. The prison system is a fully functional community with individuals holding many jobs. Also within the department of corrections are those on the outside who work with offenders reintegrating into society. All of these Corrections employees provide a valuable service to society, and Corrections week is a time to recognize them.
When is Corrections Officers and Employees week?
First implemented during the Reagan Administration, the first full week in May is designated as Corrections Officer's week. Different events and programs are held in individual states during this week in recognition of Corrections Staff.
Corrections Week Events
There is no universal system to Corrections week and different states will recognize staff in different ways. Often state and local organizations will offer discounts to Correctional staff during this week. Many Correctional agencies hold barbecues and similar events in observance of Correctional Officers and Employees Week. The issue, however, is that if you do a quick google search for correctional officers and employees week events, you will find next to nothing. This is not to say that nothing is being done, but rather that it is emblematic of the bigger problem in corrections. There is so little national recognition of Corrections Staff that even Google can't find it.
Why is Corrections Officers and Employees Week Important?
Not only is it important to recognize the work of those who serve the public, but we also must acknowledge the sacrifices Correctional staff make for their job. Corrections officers have been found to have the highest rate of PTSD in the country, have an average life expectancy of 59 (16 years less than the national average,) have extremely high rates of anxiety and depression and increased health problems along with low pay and underwhelming insurance to deal with it.
What do Corrections Officers do?
It is incredible how different the public view of a corrections officer is from the truth. Most people seem to think that "Prison Guards" (as Officers hate to be called) are either the corrupt abusive thugs you see in the movies or are simply lazy uneducated TurnKeys. The reality is that modern Corrections Officers wear many hats and work with important legal documents, perform management duties, conduct work involving transportation, rehabilitation, case management, and more. Officers provide life saving services while on the job. Officers are generally trained in CPR and first aid and hold a variety of skills which help them perform their challenging job.
What are the dangers of being a Corrections Officer?
Corrections is a very dangerous job. Again, however, reality is different than the movies. Corrections in the prison system is not generally like some assume with metal bars and constant fights and riots. Prison is a lot more quiet than most would expect, but the fact is that the environment is not a safe one. One of the reasons prison is so dangerous is because of the false sense of safety that comes with a quiet and generally calm institution. Staff often get too comfortable and get hurt.
Prison is not an everyday riot as movies might have you believe. In reality prison is an environment where things usually go pretty smoothly when everything is working right. The prison system is built on structure and routine. Most days nothing major happens. Every day there is the potential. You can work years, or even your entire career until retirement as an officer and never be assaulted or you could be stabbed on your first day. This is where a lot of the stress comes from for correctional officers. The uncertainty of each day causes underlying stress during the entire shift. working in a prison, you know that you could go home at the end of an uneventful day or you could not go home at all. Officers are the first line when something happens in the prison. Officers run into danger because that is their job. Danger is always present in the prison system and Correctional Officers run to it not away from it.
What about other Corrections Employees?
As mentioned above, Correctional facilities are much like a small community with a hospital, a store, food service, library, school, etc. While Officers are the first line for safety and security, the prisons could not run as they do without the work of no-custody staff. Just in the medical units there are contract staff that may include nurses, doctors, dentists and techs, mental health staff and specialists. Offenders seeking to better themselves while incarcerated benefit from the work of teachers, chaplains, counselors and caseworkers. Nobody gets fed, has running water or electricity without food service and maintenance. It takes a lot to run a prison, and everyone who walks into these facilities puts themselves in danger to ensure that the process works. Of course there are also those who work outside of the prison system. Corrections is not exclusively within the prison walls. Those who work in probation and parole, re-entry programs and community corrections work to increase public safety and reduce recidivism. Corrections works best when each department and division works as a team promoting the same goal.
Things to remember
Corrections staff provide a valuable service to the community.
They rarely are recognized for it.
You are safe on the outside because of those who keep the bad guys on the inside.
Next time you see a Corrections Officer, thank them for what they do.
Further Reading:
Being a Corrections Officer
Remembering Fallen Officers
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