NCJ Number
110254
Journal
American Jails Volume: 1 Issue: 4 Dated: (Winter 1988) Pages: 10,12,14-16
Date Published
1988
Length
5 pages
Annotation
To assist jail personnel in assessing their stress levels, this article presents the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (Holmes and Rabe), which scores various stressful events, and suggests ways that jail staff may reduce occupational stress.
Abstract
The experiences of three jail officers show that stress can produce severe physical and mental problems if not checked. The Social Readjustment Rating Scale rates the six most stressful life events as the death of a spouse, divorce, marital separation, institutional detention, the death of a close family member, and a major personal injury or illness. Workplace-related stress may be due to chronic employer-employee confrontations and high noise levels. Some suggestions for reducing stress are to build good relationships with coworkers, prioritize work, work realistically, develop realistic deadlines, take periodic walks, control noise, change environments, delegate responsibility, limit interruptions, and make time for friends and companions. Other steps are to cultivate rewarding experiences, control body weight, develop a healthy diet, protect areas of freedom, develop time alone, and terminate inordinately stressful situations. 3 footnotes.