Journal of Forensic Psychology

Abstract

Hard Prison Regime: Is it an Issue of Exclusively Concern to Detainees? An Exploratory Empirical Research into the Experiences of State Correction Officers

Serena G, Giuseppe M and Giuliana La F

This study stems from the interest of identifying the presence and influence of the mafia phenomenon in different spheres of everyday life, social and working environment as well. So we tried to analyze the mafia, or rather, the pressure it exerted on the daily context, observing and at the same time trying to focus on its influence over a circumscribed phenomenon of clinical interest such as the burnout found in police officers who have been into contact with prisoners condemned to “hard prison regime”. It was used an empirical research method with scientific instruments such as the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The survey of working satisfaction (“Survey of Working Satisfaction”, n.d.), and on an ad hoc semi-structured interview. According to the analysis of instruments we didn't find evidence of a direct correlation between the Police Officers job experience and the development of burnout syndromes. On the other, we noticed, on average and with an across-the-board approach, a remarkable presence of anxiety and stress as somatization medically recognized (hypertension arterial, anxious state) and Depersonalization linked to the perceived responsibility.