Prison officers 'forgotten’

Press, 25 November 1982, Page 10

Prison officers 'forgotten’

A Massey University report that describes prison officers as a forgotten group of people who suffer stress because of their job, is supported by officers in Christchurch. Mr S. W, Poole, chairman of the prison officers'/ subbranch of the Public Service Association in Christchurch, has said that the officers tended to feel they were a “forgotten breed." “We often feel that our superiors at head office are not aware of us and the work we are doing, and that is one of the things that came out strongly in the report,” Mr Poole said. The report, “The perception of stress by prison officers and their wives: an occupational study,” was prepared by Professor George Shquksmith, Massey University’s head of psychology, and two lecturers, Messrs

Nigel Long and Shannon Roache. It took two years to complete and is the first big study on occupational stress in New Zealand, the authors say. “We hear a lot about other uniformed, groups, such as the police, the Army, and St John Ambulance officers, but it is not often that prison officers as a group are recognised or that anyone pays a great deal of attention to their work conditions,” Professor Shouksmith said. “Theirs is a life effectively spent in prison, and there is no doubt that their work causes, difficulties that spill over into their personal lives.” Professor Shouksmith said the researchers had found that prison officers needed to think carefully about where they went socially, because of the danger of meeting

former charges. “Or they may hear that their children are being ostracised in the playground at school,” he said. Mr Poole said that other aspects brought out in the report with which he agreed included the low status of prison officers in the community, and the lack of public information about their work. Most of the recommendations for changed conditions of prison officers were acceptable, although some might be difficult to implement, he said. For example, the report recommended that prison officers have two days off

every week and that rosters be arranged so that officers could have more time with their families. “That is all very well, but if one officer is off sick, someone has to stand in for him. We have a call-back system, and unless more prison officers are appointed, I cannot see this changing,” Mr Poole said. The Public Service Association and the Justice Department had formed a working committee to study the report and implement as many of its recommendations as possible. Its inaugural meeting would be held next month, Mr Poole said.