The Psychosocial Impact of Risky Working Conditions And Job Responsibilities in Prison Officers in Romania

This article investigates the psychosocial impact on prison officers, through risky working conditions and the multitude of responsibilities at the level of their profession. This research draws attention to the negative effects of the work environment and emphasizes the psychosocial impact of prison officers with a potential direct impact on personal relationships and quality of life. The data were collected through 8 semi-structured interviews with correctional officers who work in Romanian penitentiary system guided on thematic areas: introductory questions, the relationship between penitentiary staff and inmates, relationships with colleagues and superiors, psychosociological impact and points to forces and challenges through personal SWOT analysis. The interviews resulted in awareness of the stress factors that can generate Burnout Syndrome among employees. SWOT analysis supports the importance of strengthening psychological resources and development opportunities to prevent negative effects and improve employee efficiency. The results reveal a significant link between the precarious conditions in the prison environment and the occurrence of psychosocial disorders at the level of employees. The conclusions suggest the need for psychological support programs and organizational interventions aimed at reducing professional stress, reducing the risk of employee burnout and improving the performance of prison officers. This research brings a new perspective of analysis on the working conditions in the Romanian penitentiary system and the effects it has on employees, at the same time offering an opportunity for future research to have a wider database.


Keywords: burnout, prison officers, psychosocial impact