“If You’re Being Forced, You’re Being Forced”: A Qualitative Examination of How Overtime Affects Correctional Officers

Canadian correctional institutions operate with insufficient staffing levels, leading to occupational stress that negatively affects prisons’ overall functioning as well as staff and incarcerated people’s wellness. The literature suggests a direct correlation between staffing levels and correctional officer (CO) wellness, but little is known about the nuances of the effects of forced overtime on COs’ well-being. Drawing on the job demand–control–support (JDCS) model, our qualitative study examines, through semi-structured interviews with federally employed COs in Canada ( n = 93), how overtime affects the health and wellness of COs in concrete and discursive ways. Findings focus on the relationship between staff shortages, overtime, mental health, and a perceived lack of agency in accordance with the JDCS model. Practical implications and potential strategies to mediate the effects of forced overtime in correctional spaces are discussed.