“Every Day I was Crying about Something”: Lingering Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on People Working in Juvenile Prisons

Abstract

Staff working in prison settings experience high rates of job-related stress which was amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty staff members from a juvenile prison were interviewed to determine the unique mental health symptoms and stressors several years after initial shutdown procedures. Anxiety, PTSD symptoms, and sleep disturbances were reported; sometimes resulting in staff avoiding interactions with youth. Some positive aspects were noted, but overall, results indicated a continued need for mental health support and policy changes for staff. As noted by one participant, “If you don’t have the direct care staff, you don’t have a facility.”