My next book due out before the end of
November 2015, “Cutting the bars volume 2” will be dedicated to those Prison
Officers who have through no fault of their own, have suffered with Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD, in the past, present and those in the future,
across the world.
From my observations, all governments are
well aware of PTSD, yet only pay lip service to it. Government and Departmental
Officials make broad statements such as, “We have a number of psychologists
available to assist officers with PTSD”.
This cannot be said more clearly, it is
simply “bull shit”. Tell me how many
psychologists are employed that are completely dedicated to PTSD and have no
other assigned duties? Show me the
compulsory programs that apply when an Officer is diagnosed with PTSD? Show me the realistic budget that applies to
the staff and programs?
My unscientific research shows a complete
lack of understanding of what is required.
I believe that:
- Following all major critical incidents, “compulsory” debriefings must take place, being chaired by the team leader and a trained and qualified psychologist must be present and available for advice and observation.
- All Officers showing any signs of PTSD should be relieved from duty on full pay and placed in the care of a highly trained and dedicated psychologist, (there should be no shame attached to this).
- The Officer concerned should have full support from the Department and confidence that his/her career is safe and will not be in jeopardy.
- The Departments must give continual training to all Prison Officers at every level.
- Positions within the Prison Systems must be identified as to their likely stress levels. ie low, medium or high, in order to enable Officers with PTSD to be placed in a low level stress area on a planned return to work programme, or to relieve Officers who work in high stress areas for organised periods to help prevent PTSS in the first instance.
- Prison Officers need to be recognised for what they do and for their true worth, and I am not referring to money.
- Consideration must be given to Prison Officers concerning their daily interaction with the type of criminals and the offences they have committed on society.
- All Officers in management positions within institutions should be critically assessed for competency and re-trained where necessary. It seems to me that prison staff have a complete lack of confidence in at least some of the management team within their prison, and in some cases this has been a direct contributor to PTSD.
- The practice of retiring or pensioning off Prison Officers diagnosed with PTSD should cease. Generally speaking, these Officers are proud of their contribution to their prospective prison systems and to my mind are entitled to be secure in their employment and looked after when they succumb to PTSD.
- The Governments must supply ample funding for this to occur.
Peter Egge
