Discover insights into how prison officers navigate their roles in practice. This briefing paper explores findings from a study in the Irish Prison Service, revealing that officers don’t fit neatly into traditional “types” but instead shift fluidly between approaches depending on context, organisational fairness, and personal adaptability.
The research highlights how these patterns shape staff–prisoner relationships, influence burnout, and point to concrete strategies for strengthening wellbeing and engagement across the workforce.
Read the full paper to dive deeper into the findings and recommendations.