The First Year Behind Bars: Trauma and Shifts in Correctional Officer Orientation

This study explores how correctional officer (CO) orientations evolve during the first year of employment and the role of trauma in shaping these shifts. Drawing on interviews with 47 Canadian federal recruits from the Correctional Workers Well-Being, Organizations, Roles, and Knowledge (CCWORK) project, we thematically coded narratives and analyzed orientation trajectories with descriptive statistics, Sankey diagrams, and chi-square tests. Results showed sharp declines in rehabilitative views, modest decreases in punitive views, and rising custodial perspectives. Trauma exposure (68%) significantly predicted erosion of rehabilitative orientations. Findings underscore trauma as a key driver of ideological change and the need for trauma-informed support.