Beyond Burnout: Understanding Moral Injury in Correctional Work

Working behind the walls of a correctional facility, you face challenges that few outside your profession can truly comprehend. While the physical dangers of your job are obvious, there’s another less visible but equally damaging risk you may be experiencing: moral injury.

What Is Moral Injury?

Moral injury occurs when you’re repeatedly placed in situations that conflict with your core values or moral code. It’s what happens when your job requires you to participate in, witness, or fail to prevent actions that deeply contradict what you believe is right.

As a correctional officer, you may experience this when:

• You’re forced to compromise security measures due to rehabilitation priorities
• Your professional judgment about safety risks is contested by non-security staff
• You must implement policies that you believe create dangerous environments
• You witness security protocols being challenged by support staff
• You’re unable to utilize your training and skills to maintain a secure environment
• You bear the responsibility for safety while others contest boundaries without consequences

Unlike standard job stress or even burnout, moral injury strikes at your sense of who you are and what you stand for. It can leave you questioning your purpose and feeling profound disillusionment.

Signs You May Be Experiencing Moral Injury

Moral injury often manifests differently than other types of occupational stress. You might be experiencing it if you notice:

• A growing sense of cynicism about the correctional system
• Persistent feelings of guilt or shame about your work
• A crisis of faith or questioning of once-firm beliefs
• Emotional numbness or detachment from colleagues and loved ones
• Intrusive thoughts about incidents where you couldn’t act according to your values
• A sense of betrayal by the institution you serve
• Difficulty finding meaning or purpose in your work

These feelings go beyond typical job frustration—they reflect a deeper wound to your sense of moral integrity.

The Unique Context of Corrections Today

Your role as a correctional officer places you in a particularly challenging position in today’s correctional environment:

• You operate in a system where rehabilitation often takes precedence over security concerns
• You’re expected to maintain safety while your security decisions are frequently contested
• You must navigate an environment where support staff regularly challenge security boundaries
• You carry the burden of responsibility when security is compromised, even when your decisions were overturned
• You’re often caught between conflicting directives from management and the realities on the ground
• Your expertise and training in security matters are frequently questioned in favour of rehabilitation approaches

This creates a perfect storm for moral injury—especially when you’re committed to both safety and supporting positive change for inmates, but find yourself unable to effectively provide either.

Moving Through Moral Injury

While moral injury can be profound, it’s not an endpoint. There are ways to address and heal from these experiences:

1. Name What You’re Experiencing

Recognizing moral injury as distinct from burnout or stress is an important first step. Understanding that your distress comes from being forced to compromise on safety and security—not personal weakness—can be validating and clarifying.

2. Reclaim Your Moral Agency

Even within the constraints of your role, look for small opportunities to act in alignment with your values:

• Document security concerns clearly and professionally
• Develop constructive ways to communicate with support staff about boundaries
• Build alliances with colleagues who share your commitment to balanced approaches
• Apply your training creatively within existing constraints

3. Connect with Like-Minded Colleagues

Seek out colleagues who share your values and concerns. Creating spaces where you can honestly discuss the challenges of balancing security and rehabilitation can reduce isolation and generate practical solutions.

4. Establish Boundaries

Be intentional about separating your work and personal life. Develop transition rituals that help you mentally “leave work at work” and protect time for relationships and activities that affirm your values and restore your sense of agency.

5. Advocate Strategically

Look for appropriate channels to share your expertise and concerns. Focus on how proper security measures actually support effective rehabilitation by creating the stable environment necessary for positive change.

How We Can Help at Centre Wellness

At our Kingston psychotherapy practice, we work with many correctional officers navigating these complex challenges. We incorporate various approaches including:

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Helping you clarify your values around safety and security while finding ways to honour them in challenging environments
• Cognitive Behavioural approaches: Developing strategies to manage the frustration and helplessness that comes from having your expertise questioned
• Mindfulness practices: Building skills to stay grounded when facing conflicting demands from management and support staff

We offer confidential individual therapy in an environment that recognizes the unique pressures of correctional work in today’s rehabilitation-focused system. Our approach acknowledges the legitimate safety concerns you face and the moral distress created when security measures are compromised.

A Final Word

The work you do is necessary and challenging, made even more difficult in an environment where rehabilitation priorities often override security concerns. Feeling morally injured doesn’t mean you’re not cut out for corrections—it often means you care deeply about creating an environment that is both safe and supportive of positive change.

By addressing moral injury directly, you can find ways to advocate effectively for appropriate security measures, maintain your professional integrity, and sustain yourself through the challenges of navigating these conflicting priorities.

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We offer confidential individual psychotherapy services at Centre Wellness in Kingston specifically designed for correctional officers. Contact us to learn more about how we can support you in navigating the moral challenges created when security needs are subordinated to rehabilitation priorities.