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

Abstract

Job burnout and turnover among those who work for correctional agencies have increased dramatically in recent years and are of primary concern to administrators and staff alike. Recent efforts to curb the exodus have focused on recruiting individuals who are theoretically well-suited for prison work, including former or current members of the U.S. military. We evaluate this strategy by assessing the presence of a "veteran effect" for those employed by the Utah Department of Corrections while also examining its impact across other criminal justice agencies where similar strategies have been implemented, including the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office and the Salt Lake City Police Department. Our results indicate that correctional employees are especially susceptible to burnout relative to those in police work, and that veteran status might insulate staff members from reporting these feelings. Implications for theory and policy are discussed, especially as they relate to addressing the current staffing crisis and litany of other benefits that accompany hiring military veterans as corrections personnel.

Open up and let us in: An introduction to the special issue on emerging issues in correctional policy, research, and practice.

“…We are excited to present the articles in this issue, which address a wide range of topics including the impact of general working conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic on correctional staff well-being and burnout, self-harm and suicide prevention interventions, interventions for high-risk populations, and novel methods of data collection. Logan et al (2024) examined whether correctional staff with prior military service had lower levels of burnout compared to staff with no military background. Staffing shortages in correctional facilities and other criminal-legal agencies that were described by the National Institute of Justice in 2019 as a "crisis" have compounded since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to dangerous conditions in facilities and increased stress on existing staff who are tasked with picking up the slack (Thrush, 2023).…”

“…Logan et al (2024) examined whether correctional staff with prior military service had lower levels of burnout compared to staff with no military background. Staffing shortages in correctional facilities and other criminal-legal agencies that were described by the National Institute of Justice in 2019 as a “crisis” have compounded since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to dangerous conditions in facilities and increased stress on existing staff who are tasked with picking up the slack (Thrush, 2023).…”

“…Finding innovative yet feasible ways to address complex issues that have major societal impacts is difficult under the best of circumstances. However, as illustrated by the works of Logan et al (2024), Ferdik et al (2024), and Ferdik and Pica (2024), staffing crises exacerbated by the pandemic are likely placing additional constraints on researchers. In particular, staff are presenting with high rates of burnout, turnover, and clinical symptoms.…”