Occupational Stress and Health Implications Amongst Correctional Officials: A Cross Sectional Study of Lafia and Keffi Custodial Centres, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.

• In Event: Professional performance and other institutional components of policy implementation

Abstract

This study was conducted in two custodial centres cutting across Nasarawa State, Nigeria which include, Lafia and keffi custodial centres respectively. Since it was a cross sectional study and comparative in nature, both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed to collate reliable data. The study was able to empirically examine occupational stress and health implications amongst correctional officials and their individual experiences. However,both male and female correctional officials which formed part of the study. A well constructed questionnaires as well as an interview guide were administered and used to obtain both quantitative and qualitative data from correctional officials. Some selected findings of the study revealed that a majority of respondents (65%) stated they were stressed due to prolonged hours at work. This study recommends additional recruitment of staff which could reduce the number of hours correctional officials spend at work and there is also a need for every custodial centre to be equipped with medical gadgets like blood pressure machine which could help correctional officials to monitor their blood pressure before and after resumption at work.

Author

• Sadiq Ewaoda Amali, University of South Africa