PARTICIPANTSʼPAPERS
STRESS MANAGEMENT OF CORRECTIONAL PERSONNEL ―THE HONG KONG EXPERIENCE
Alex Kee-hang Ng

I. INTRODUCTION
Stress is commonplace in everyday life. On top of family, environment and other changes in life,
work is one of the major sources of stress. Chronic stress can affect the immunity system and lead toserious illness. (Stranks Jeremy, 2005).
Correctional work is a challenging job which requires high consumption of energy and mental
resources. Excessive strain impairs work performance and the body and also increases the risk ofvarious health problems. Persistent exhaustion induces irritability and low mood, which affects
correctional officersʼsocial and familyrelationships. In severe cases,symptoms ofmood disorders may
also arise. It is important for the staff members to unwind from work stress and give themselves aboost from time to time. By doing so, they can cope with job challenges in their fittest state.

II. SOURCES OF WORK STRESS FOR CORRECTIONAL STAFF
As a member of a disciplined force, discipline, conduct and integrity are of vital importance.
However,repression of emotions will cause mental stress and many emotional,mental and behaviouralproblems. There are some common stress-inducing problems faced by correctional officers in Hong
Kong:
A. Remote Workplace and Shift Work Pattern
Some staff working in remote areas may spend more time travelling. They have to adjust their life
pattern to compensate for the travelling time. Besides,working shifts will upset the biological clock,and adaptation is required. Change of shift also requires frequent physical and mental adjustment.
Rotating shifts may also reduce the ability of staff to perform their work conscientiously because offatigue and irritability.
On the other hand, since days off usually fall on weekdays, which is different from those of theirfamily members and friends,special arrangements are required for making a gathering possible. In thelong run,frequent absence from family and social gatherings will result in a distant relationship withother family members and friends.
B. Threats Created from Inmates and the Public Expectation
The threat of inmate violence against staff is definitely a source of stress for correctional officers.
Actual violence,including assaults,hostage taking,riots,inmates attacking each other and suicides ofinmates can be some other sources of stress for staff not only during the happening of the incidents but
also afterwards. Staff are required to stay extremely alert during the working hours and take prompt
and accurate reaction to emergencies.
Also, some staff also find continuous unreasonable demands and attempts of manipulation byinmates to be stressful. The increase of transparency of correctional services to the public and theever-upgrading of public expectations towards the quality of correctional services also gives extra
stress to staff. Some staff members are afraid of being complained about by the inmates or the public
and, therefore, facing disciplinary action or even legal prosecution.

Principal Officer (Rehabilitation Unit 1), Hei Ling Chau Addiction Treatment Centre, Hong Kong.

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C. Poor Working Relationships with Supervisors and Colleagues
Some staff feel stress while working with their supervisors and colleagues within the correctional
regime. They find it difficult to get support from supervisors and colleagues during challenging
situations like confrontations with inmates. Some of them mayhave the perception that colleagues andsupervisors do not appreciate their work performance and therefore are worried about their chances
for being promoted.
D. Financial Management StressSome staff may fall into the trap of overspending;they always come up with a lot of excuses tojustify their over-spending behaviour. As a result, their incomes often fail to meet the expenses.
Buying on credit habitually, they may end up in a world of debt and fail in their responsibility as abreadwinner. Family members also suffer when they have to settle the debt of staff. Being indebted
for a long period of time can result in divorce or loss of job. It definitely impairs emotional andphysical health.
Gambling is another source of poor financial management. Countless cases reveal that gambling
would eventually cost oneʼs valuable assets such as friendships, family, money, career or, ultimately,life. When staff are obsessed with gambling,they will feel unease when not gambling. Their work andfamily will come second to gambling and most importantly, they will do anything for gambling orpaying debts, including illegal acts.

III. MEASURES FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT
A. Promotion of Healthy and Balanced Lifestyles
Peopleʼs lives can be broadly divided into two parts:firstly,their responsibilities /pressure,such as
the responsibilities towards their family, work, studies or friends and, secondly, their enjoyment /contentment,such as the joy of being with their familyand friends,their achievements,the physical andmental well-being maintained as well as spiritual fulfillment. Failing to strike a balance between thesetwo, that is the responsibilities outweigh the enjoyment or vice versa, will easily trigger a series ofphysical and mental problems. In view of the above,the Hong Kong Correctional Services Department
encourages its staff to enjoy a healthy and balanced lifestyle with the following means:
1. Sports and Recreation Activities
The Correctional Services Department Sports Association arranges sports and recreation activities
for staff members of the Department. The Associationʼ
s work is an essential part of our drive topromote a healthy and balanced lifestyle among staff and cultivate their esprit de corps. During 2012,
among the many events organized were the Annual Sports Meet, Swimming Gala, 10K Distance Run,Family Outing on Hei Ling and other inter-institutional competitions.
2. Charity and Fund-raising Events
The Department always encourages its staff to participate actively in charity and fund-raising
events including the Community Chest of Hong Kongʼ
s Corporate and Employee Contribution Programme and Walk for Millions. In recognition of our participation, we have been presented by theCommunity Chest of Hong Kong since 2008 the Highest Donation of Civil Service Category, HighestParticipation Rate of Civil Service Category,Outstanding Award and Silver Award in 2010/2011. TheDepartment also won the Outstanding Walking Team Award in the 2010/2011 Walks for Millions.
3. Volunteer Services
The Oi Kwan Volunteer Group Limited seeks to extend our spirit of care to the community throughbenevolent activities. During 2011,over 14,000 service hours of voluntary work were provided by our
1,900 volunteers in various social services including HSBC Pok Oi Cycle for Millions and Oxfam
Trailwalker. In 2011, our volunteer group was awarded the Fourth Hong Kong Volunteer Award bythe Agency for Volunteer Service in recognition of our volunteersʼcontribution for the benefit ofothersin the community.
B. Enhancement of Staff Relations and Welfare
The Staff Relations and Welfare Unit coordinates all matters relating to staff welfare and offers

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immediate assistance to staff and their families in times of need. Loans and grants for certain serving
and retired personnel and family members are issued through the Correctional Services Department
Welfare Fund. The Unit also administers the Correctional Services Department Central Fund toprovide insurance coverage to staff on a voluntary basis.
The Correctional Services Childrenʼs Education Trust provides financial assistance to children ofAssistant Officers and equivalent grades in the Department to help them pursue higher education.
Disabled children undertaking full-time education or training also received financial assistance fromthe Trust. In 2011, a total of HK$702,227 was granted to 141 recipients.
With the continual, sustainable and total commitment in caring for the well-being of the staff andtheir families as well as the community, the Department has been awarded the “
5 Years Plus Caring
Organisation Logo”under the Caring Company Scheme organized by the Hong Kong Council of SocialService.
C. Comprehensive Staff Psychological Services
Psychological well-being is crucial in helping staff members to lead a happy life and get contentment in work. Research shows that accumulated pressure can lead to emotional problems andaddictive behaviours which will affect a staff memberʼs family life, work or social life. The Staff
Psychological Services was set up to provide services for those colleagues in need,and colleagues arewelcome to call them for an appointment.
Currently,the Staff Psychological Services have two offices at Stanley and Lai Chi Kok staffed by
two Clinical Psychologists (Staff Services) with the support of an Officer, Assistant Officer II and aProject Assistant. The objectives of their services are to strengthen the ability of colleagues to face
adversity and work pressure so as to maintain the provision of highly efficient custodial services andto enhance the psychological well-being of colleagues so as to create a harmonious and inclusive
working environment and help them develop balanced and healthy lifestyles.
Apart from providing staff and their families with psychotherapy,the Staff Psychological Servicesalso introduces psycho-education materials as well as relaxation facilities. Videos and leaflets on
related topics were produced to help staff in making work adjustment as well as understanding andmaintaining psychological well-being. A website on psychological services for healthy and balanced
lifestyles was launched in May 2011 where staff members have access to updated psycho-educational
messages, columns on specific issues and interactive games. Talks and seminars on healthy andbalanced lifestyles are given to new recruits,serving staff and their families at various venues. Ad hocintervention and debriefing work for staff and their families who are actively facing critical events arealso provided.
D. Building an Ethical Culture
Since its establishment in 2007, the Departmental Ethics Committee has made an all-out effort tomaintain a high level of staff integrity and to promote an ethical culture within the Department. InJune 2011,the Department launched a brand new Integrity Ambassadors Programme by appointing 73
Integrity Ambassadors to assist in the promotion of integrity management and good citizenship at theinstitutional level. Meanwhile, seminars on corruption prevention were continuously organized forOfficers and Assistant Officers as a sustained effort to enhance integrity and ethical culture. InSeptember 2011,a comprehensive model on integrity management,namely the Total Ethics Assurance
M anagement (TEAM )― SPIRIT Model was promulgated which helps to promote integrity management within the Department through a more comprehensive and structured manner.

IV. CONCLUSION
M ost staff members need a certain level of stress to perform well in their work. Unfortunately,thismotivation can turn to negative stress due to work overload,threats and workplace conflicts. In orderto maintain healthy lives, staff members need to be more aware of stress, their personal stressresponses and measures for handling stress.

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Stress among correctional personnel is widespread according to research studies. Different kindsof stress sources can impair the health of staff,cause them to burn out and even ruin their family lives.
Developing effective means to prevent and handle stress of staff has become a top concern forcorrectional administrators around the world. However, it is not easy to develop and maintain asuccessful stress management programme. It requires the wholehearted participation from top
management to frontline staff. Supervisors and colleagues are also required to be trained for spottingand referring staff who may be experiencing stress. As a whole,the organizational culture also needs
to be changed to enhance stress management within correctional institutions.
Reference
Stranks, Jeremy (2005) Stress at Work ― Management and Prevention 41-42. Elsevier ButterworthHeinemann.

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