Occupational Stress, Correctional Officers, and Training for the Job: Probing Sources of Stress During the Correctional Service of Canada's Correctional Training Program.

This article examines the sources of occupational stress experienced by correctional officer (CO) recruits during the Correctional Service of Canada's Correctional Training Program (CTP) and compares them to the stressors encountered in federal correctional work. Based on interviews with CO recruits, findings indicate that while the CTP induces stress through mechanisms such as a three-strikes performance system, firearms training, financial strain, and separation from family, these stressors do not fully align with the chronic occupational stressors faced on the job, which include harsh prison conditions, role ambiguity, threat of violence, and organizational hierarchy. The study highlights that although CTP prepares recruits to manage pressure and anxiety, it does not adequately equip them to handle the specific and ongoing stressors inherent in correctional work, nor does it sufficiently address mental health challenges that arise during employment. The authors suggest that correctional training programs should better align training stressors with workplace realities and provide recruits with tools to cope with occupational stress, while also considering the financial and familial impacts of training.