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

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 wel...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Ferdik, Frank (Author) ; Frogge, George (Author) ; Doggett, Sierra (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2025
In: Crime & delinquency
Year: 2025, Volume: 71, Issue: 2, Pages: 469-494
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
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Keywords:
Danger
Health
Pandemic
correctional officer
Coronavirus
Covid-19
Description
Summary: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.
ISSN:1552-387X
DOI:10.1177/00111287221131038