Prison staff is the medium through which all prison activities are conducted. On a European level, it is already recognised that they can have the greatest positive impact on prisoners by modelling pro-social behaviour at their workplace. In the past, less attention has been paid to the care and welfare of staff, the relevance of this area was often underestimated in the prison sector. But in times where demands on staff are increasing, their wellbeing becomes crucial and gets more attention. 

Difficult prisoners, inmates with psychopathological issues, suicidal, high risk or radicalised offenders – the prison environment can be challenging and may have a negative impact on both prisoners and staff. Creating a supportive and preventative culture of health and wellbeing at an organisational and prison level is critical in harnessing the positive role staff can play in the care and rehabilitation of prisoners. Prison services need to meet the health and safety obligations of their employed personnel. The aim of a wellbeing strategy and culture is to support staff in accessing initiatives and support to improve their mental, emotional and physical health (including obesity, smoking, drug and alcohol addiction) and to build their resilience and capacity to deal with challenging situations in a difficult working environment.