Correctional officers face some of the most severe occupational health risks of any public safety profession, yet their well-being remains under-recognized and under-researched. Correctional work is marked by high rates of nonfatal injury-445.6 per 10,000 full-time workers, nearly four times the national average-with violence and assaults as leading causes. The mental health toll is equally alarming: 27–34% of correctional officers meet criteria for PTSD, rates comparable to military combat veterans, and over 25% experience depression, both significantly higher than the general population. Suicide rates are 39–40% higher than other working-age adults, and the average life expectancy for correctional officers-just 59 years-lags the U.S. average by over 15 years.
Despite these risks, most research relies on self-reported surveys focused on stress and burnout, with little attention to diagnosable mental health conditions, musculoskeletal injuries, or environmental exposures. Studies are rarely experimental or longitudinal, and critical outcomes like absenteeism and turnover are understudied. Correctional staff also face unique environmental hazards, including infectious diseases, poor ventilation, and exposure to toxic substances, all exacerbated by chronic understaffing and institutional barriers to research.
To address this crisis, multidisciplinary collaboration, standardized data collection, and evidence-based interventions are urgently needed. Improving correctional officer health is an ethical imperative and essential for the safety, stability, and effectiveness of correctional institutions. Future research and policy must prioritize comprehensive approaches to protect and support this vital, yet often invisible, workforce.
Moderated by Wendy Hoey, Co-Chair, Healthcare Network, ICPA, Australia
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Dr. Brent Gibson
General Partner, Avocet Health Partners, United States
A board-certified physician executive with decades of experience, Dr. Gibson has optimized healthcare delivery in correctional settings across the country. He has consulted for state departments of corrections, local detention operations, and private health systems, bringing unparalleled expertise to each engagement.
Dr. Gibson completed his AB with distinction from Cornell University and earned a graduate degree in Public Health from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences and Walter Reed Army Medical Center. With over a decade of experience in clinical care and quality improvement for incarcerated populations, he has served as Clinical Director for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a Certified Association Executive for the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, and Chief Population Health Officer for a major correctional services corporation.
As a Certified Correctional Health Professional, Dr. Gibson founded Avocet Health Partners, a Chicago-based firm providing expert technical consulting to clients nationwide. His deep commitment to advancing correctional healthcare has made him a trusted leader and advisor in the field.
