“It’s Like the Zombie Apocalypse Here”: Correctional Officer Perspectives on the Deleterious Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Correctional officers are shouldered with important responsibilities designed to reinforce institutional security, yet work under hazardous conditions that can jeopardize their wellbeing. Among the myriad dangers they confront, COVID-19 has now presented itself as an additional threat to officer wellness. Presently little is known about how the coronavirus pandemic has affected officers, or their respective institutions. Semi-structured interview data collected from correctional officers working in a large, urban county jail located in the southeastern United States (N = 21) revealed how COVID-19 significantly disrupted institutional operations, compounded health concerns for officers, and created a climate of confusion over procedures designed to contain spread of the virus. Policy implications are discussed.

Keywords

COVID-19 coronavirus correctional officer pandemic health danger

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