Excessive Workload from Overcrowding and Staff Shortages Identified as Key Factors
One in five correctional officers was assessed to be at risk for mental health issues. The main factors cited were excessive workload due to overcrowding and staff shortages.
On the 11th, the Ministry of Justice revealed these findings through the "2024 Correctional Officers' Mental Health Status Analysis." The survey, conducted over one month from the end of September last year, involved 5,653 officers working at 54 correctional institutions nationwide. Among them, 1,108 (19.6%) were classified as at risk in one or more mental health areas such as alcohol addiction, depression, suicidal thoughts, feelings of isolation, post-traumatic stress disorder, burnout, addictive tendencies, sleep problems, anxiety, and anger.
On average, sleep problems (8.61 points), burnout (7.98 points), and feelings of isolation (7.72 points) scored high, while among the mental health risk group, the rates of alcohol addiction (7.6%), depression (6.3%), and suicidal thoughts (5.9%) were notably elevated.
Compared to the general adult population, the lifetime prevalence of suicide planning among survey participants was 6.7%, which is 2.7 times higher, and the lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts was 2.8%, about 1.6 times higher. The main job stress factors identified were excessive workload due to overcrowding, staff shortages, a work atmosphere prioritizing inmates' human rights, and a closed working environment.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Justice explained that the occupancy rate of correctional facilities, which was 104% in 2022, increased to 125.3% last year, leading to a sharp rise in accidents caused by overcrowding, which significantly contributes to job stress.
The Ministry of Justice stated, "We will expand support for the mental health recovery of correctional officers and strive to improve working conditions, including increasing staff, and to resolve overcrowding."
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