Tras las rejas y más allá de los límites: la tensión psicológica del personal penitenciario profesional en la República Checa František Vlach 1 , Jarmila Klugerová 2 , Alois Daněk 3 1 Ph.D. AMBIS vysoká škola, a.s./ AMBIS University. Katedra pedagogiky/Department of Pedagogy. Lindnerova 575/1, 180 00 Praha 8 – Libeň. Czech Republic. E-mail: frantisek.vlach@ambis.cz; ORCID ID: https://0000-0002-7598-8370 2 Ph.D. AMBIS vysoká škola, a.s./ AMBIS University. Katedra pedagogiky/ Department of Pedagogy. Lindnerova 575/1, 180 00 Praha 8 – Libeň. Czech Republic. E-mail: jarmila.klugerova@ambis.cz; ORCID ID: https://0000-0002-7174-3704 3 Ph.D. AMBIS vysoká škola, a.s./ AMBIS University. Katedra pedagogiky/ Department of Pedagogy. Lindnerova 575/1, 180 00 Praha 8 – Libeň. Czech Republic. E-mail: alois.danek@ambis.cz; ORCID ID: https://0000-0003-0239-7358 Resumen. Este estudio explora la carga psicológica que experimenta el personal profesional que trabaja en el sistema penitenciario checo, incluyendo educadores, edu- cadores especiales, psicólogos, trabajadores sociales y profesiones aﬁnes. El objetivo es identiﬁcar los principales factores de estrés psicosocial, evaluar el apoyo institucional percibido y proponer medidas sistémicas para apoyar la salud mental en entornos penitenciarios. Se realizó una encuesta cuantitativa a 34 profesionales que trabajan en dos centros penitenciarios de la República Checa. La encuesta consistió en preguntas cerradas y abiertas sobre la tensión psicológica, los síntomas de estrés, las estrategias de afrontamiento, el apoyo organizacional percibido y las motivaciones del personal. La gran mayoría de los encuestados (94%) reportó experimentar síntomas de estrés labo- ral, siendo la exposición crónica a un entorno altamente controlado y emocionalmente exigente un factor importante. El análisis temático destacó como principales factores de estrés la comunicación deﬁciente con el liderazgo, el comportamiento manipulador de los reclusos, la sobrecarga administrativa y la falta de reconocimiento institucional. Solo una minoría de los encuestados consideró efectivos los sistemas de apoyo a la salud mental existentes. El apoyo entre iguales, las rutinas estructuradas y las técnicas informales de autorregulación fueron las estrategias de afrontamiento más utilizadas. La motivación para permanecer en la profesión se basó principalmente en la percep- ción de la importancia del trabajo y la estabilidad ﬁnanciera. Los hallazgos enfatizan la Recibido: 30/07/2025 ~ Aceptado: 01/11/2025 INTERACCIÓN Y PERSPECTIVA Revista de Trabajo Social ISSN 2244-808X ~ Dep. Legal pp 201002Z43506 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17643075 Vol. 16 (1): 294 - 316 pp, 2026

Tras las rejas y más allá de los límites: la tensión psicológica del personal penitenciario profesional en la República Checa 295 Vol. 16(1) enero - abril 2026/ 294 - 316 Behind bars and beyond limits: psychological strain on professional prison staﬀ in the Czech Republic Abstract. is study explores the psychological burden experienced by profes- sional staﬀ working within the Czech prison system, including educators, special edu- cators, psychologists, social workers, and related professions. e aim is to identify key psychosocial stressors, assess perceived institutional support, and propose systemic measures to support mental health in correctional environments. A quantitative ques- tionnaire survey was conducted among 34 professional staﬀ members working in two correctional facilities in the Czech Republic. e survey consisted of both closed and open-ended questions targeting psychological strain, stress symptoms, coping strate- gies, perceived organizational support, and staﬀ motivations. e vast majority of re- spondents (94%) reported experiencing symptoms of work-related stress, with chronic exposure to a highly controlled and emotionally demanding environment identiﬁed as a major factor. ematic analysis highlighted primary stressors including poor lead- ership communication, manipulative inmate behavior, administrative overload, and lack of institutional recognition. Only a minority of respondents considered existing mental health support systems to be eﬀective. Peer support, structured routines, and informal self-regulation techniques were the most commonly used coping strategies. Motivation to remain in the profession was primarily rooted in the perceived meaning- fulness of the work and ﬁnancial stability. e ﬁndings emphasize the urgent need for systemic mental health support in the Czech prison service, including regular supervi- sion, stress resilience training, participatory management, and anonymous psychologi- cal counselling. Promoting a supportive organizational culture and strengthening the professional identity of staﬀ is essential for sustaining well-being and reducing turn- over in this high-risk occupation. Keywords: Burnout Syndrome, helping professions, mental health, prison staﬀ, prison system. INTRODUCTION Prison settings are very speciﬁc environments that are closed, strictly hierarchical and highly regulated. is environment determines not only the living conditions of persons in prison, but also signiﬁcantly inﬂuences the daily practices and psychological experiences of the staﬀ involved in the running of these institutions. In this context, it is essential to see the prison system not only as an instrument of control or punishment, but as a complex psychosocial system in which there urgente necesidad de apoyo sistémico en salud mental en el servicio penitenciario che- co, incluyendo supervisión regular, capacitación en resiliencia al estrés, gestión partici- pativa y terapia psicológica anónima. Promover una cultura organizacional de apoyo y fortalecer la identidad profesional del personal es esencial para mantener el bienestar y reducir la rotación en esta profesión de alto riesgo. Palabras clave: Síndrome de Burnout, profesiones de ayuda, salud mental, personal penitenciario, sistema penitenciario.

296 Vlach, Klugerová, Daněk Interacción y Perspectiva. Revista de Trabajo Social Vol. 16(1): 2026 is an interaction between repressive mechanisms, security procedures and eﬀorts to resocialise and restore the social integrity of prisoners. In recent years, the attention of the professional community has been growing towards the working conditions and mental health of prison staﬀ, especially prison oﬃcers, but also professional staﬀ such as educators, special educators, psychologists, social workers who are in direct contact with the prison population. e available research shows that these employees are exposed to an extraordinary level of psychosocial stress, stemming not only from the risks arising from working with conﬂicted and traumatised prisoners, but also from the nature of the institution itself, which is rigid, organisationally bound by ﬁxed rules and, by the very nature of its existence, repressive. e prison service occupies a unique position within the security forces, as it performs not only a security and repressive function, but also an educational, therapeutic and socially supportive one. Its aim is not only to ensure the execution of prison sentences and the protection of society from perpetrators of serious crime, but also to provide convicted persons with treatment pro- grammes that increase their chances of resocialisation into society and reduce the likelihood of recidivism. is dual role, i.e. punitive and social, places high demands on staﬀ not only in terms of professional competence but also emotional resilience, ethical integrity and the ability to maintain a professional identity within a challenging institutional framework. At the same time, the Czech prison system faces a number of other external and internal challenges. ese include, in particular, the long-term overcrowding of prisons, the high costs of their operation and the still unsatisfactory results in the ﬁeld of resocialisation and reduction of penological recidivism. In this context, the importance of qualiﬁed and stable staﬀ as the main factor inﬂuencing the quality of educational and security work in prison establishments is increasingly discussed. In fact, the performance of the prison system is largely dependent on the ability of staﬀ to maintain a professional attitude, mental balance and the ability to adapt in an environment that is characterized by high levels of control, security risks and psychological ten- sion (Vlach, Stárek, 2025). e European context in which the broader debate on the transformation of prison popula- tions is taking place cannot be ignored either. In addition to the traditionally male-dominated prison population, there has been an increase in the number of women prisoners in recent years, which poses new challenges not only in terms of capacity and costs, but also in terms of adequate access to their speciﬁc needs. is trend is evident both in the Czech Republic and in countries such as Germany, Spain and France, whose penitentiary systems are characterised by diﬀerent legal frameworks, socio-economic contexts and prison population structures (Vlach, Červenka, Kolouchová, 2024). A speciﬁc challenge in the penal system is the maintenance of a human rights dimension in re- lation to incarcerated persons. Despite the seriousness of the crimes for which prisoners have been convicted, it is necessary to constantly remind oneself that they are human beings with the right to preserve their human dignity and protect their fundamental rights and freedoms. is approach should not only be a fundamental value orientation, but also the starting point for the daily work of staﬀ, who are responsible not only for security but also for humane treatment and for creating an environment conducive to change and reintegration.

Tras las rejas y más allá de los límites: la tensión psicológica del personal penitenciario profesional en la República Checa 297 Vol. 16(1) enero - abril 2026/ 294 - 316 e nature of the prison environment and its psychological burden e prison environment is a speciﬁc social and institutional system that diﬀers signiﬁcantly from most ordinary working and living environments. is system is characterised above all by a high degree of security measures, a strict management hierarchy, restrictions on individual au- tonomy and constant surveillance. Interactions between people, whether between staﬀ or between staﬀ and prisoners, are heavily regulated, both by formal (legal) rules and by unwritten norms (the process of prionisation is at work here) that are naturally generated in this environment. is ‘world behind the wall’ is closed, strictly structured and not very ﬂexible to any changes. It is this closedness and high degree of control that aﬀects the daily reality not only of prisoners but also of Prison Service staﬀ. For this reason, staﬀ are under constant pressure to meet demanding security requirements while managing emotionally tense situations and maintaining professional distance, often with little room for self-reﬂection or emotional release. Prolonged exposure to these stressors can lead to signiﬁcant psychological exhaustion, loss of motivation and, in extreme cases, burnout. Given the nature of the prison environment, this is not just an issue of work discomfort, but a serious psychosocial problem that requires targeted attention from employers, mental health professionals and society itself (Kolář, 2024). In order to further understand these phenomena, Goﬀman’s (1961) theory of total institutions can be used, which emphasizes the depersonalization of interpersonal relationships, the repression of individuality, and the institutionalization of behavior. In this context, employees are placed in a situation where they are expected to continuously exercise authority and simultaneously repress their own authentic emotional expressions. is condition leads to so-called emotional dissonance, i.e. a mismatch between inner experience and desired behaviour, which, according to Maslache et al. (2001), has a major impact on the psychological distress and professional integrity of employees. Prison staﬀ are thus exposed to chronic psychosocial stress, which stems from three main areas: 1) e prison environment itself (enclosure, routine, control, latent risk), 2) the speciﬁc behaviour of prisoners (frequent frustration, aggression, manipulative beha- viour patterns and stigmatisation) 3) institutional culture (command management style, low staﬀ participation, lack of support from management). is combination of factors creates an environment with high levels of stress that can lead to emotional exhaustion, burnout syndrome and overall psychological destabilisation (Jůzl, Vlach, 2022). An important complement to this issue is the perspective of Stárek and Vlach (2025), who highlight the existence of informal power structures within prisons. ese structures, often diﬃcult to identify, distort the institutional balance and put psychological pressure on staﬀ who ﬁnd them- selves in a dilemma between loyalty to the system and ethical treatment of prisoners. e above factors must be understood in the context of the legal requirements imposed on the administration of punishment. Act No. 169/1999 Coll., on the execution of prison sentences, sets out the main objectives of punishment, such as the protection of society, the prevention of recidi- vism and the education of the convicted person for a proper life in society after serving his or her sentence. is triple function requires prison service staﬀ not only to ensure security but also to be

298 Vlach, Klugerová, Daněk Interacción y Perspectiva. Revista de Trabajo Social Vol. 16(1): 2026 actively involved in the process of re-socialisation. e process begins at the time of the prisoner’s admission to the prison establishment and continues with the systematic work of the professional staﬀ in preparing the prisoner for life at liberty. is task is particularly challenging in view of the fact that a signiﬁcant number of convicts suﬀer from personality disorders, addictions or repeated failures in social functioning. us, the treatment programmes implemented in the context of imprisonment serve as a key tool for targeted intervention, the purpose of which is to strengthen the skills necessary for successful reintegration, such as work and social skills, emotional management, conﬂict resolution skills and acceptance of responsibility for one‘s own actions (Vlach, Červenka, Kolouchová, 2024). Structure, staﬃng and educational system of the Prison Service of the Czech Republic From an organisational point of view, the Prison Service of the Czech Republic is part of the Ministry of Justice and cooperates closely with the Probation and Mediation Service of the Czech Republic. It currently operates 34 prisons and detention facilities, which house approximately 20 000 prisoners. e staﬀ is divided into two main groups, namely uniformed oﬃcers (such as war- dens, and guards, etc.) and civilian staﬀ (e.g. psychologists, social workers, educators, health work- ers, administrative staﬀ). e total number of staﬀ is approximately 11 000, with approximately two thirds uniformed staﬀ and one third civilian staﬀ. TABLE 1. Overview of the number of employees of the Prison Service of the Czech Republic and prisoners. Year Members Civilian employees Total VS CR Number persons imprisoned Men Women Men Women 2014 5986 766 2081 1840 10673 18687 2015 6099 797 2125 1887 10908 20866 2016 6067 809 2128 1881 10885 22481 2017 6023 895 2137 1996 11051 22159 2018 6122 959 2123 2127 11331 21577 2019 6014 971 2170 2157 11312 21048 2020 6016 977 2181 2144 11318 19286 2021 5954 1010 2159 2097 11220 18748 2022 5547 1010 2128 2152 10837 19052 2023 5580 1083 2094 2116 10873 19569 2024 5359 1119 1990 1968 10436 19430 Source: Statistical Yearbooks of the Prison Service of the Czech Republic (2025). e development of the number of prisoners in the Czech Republic over the last decade has shown some ﬂuctuations. In 2012, the prison population was more than 23,000 persons, which led to an overcrowding of prison capacity (approximately 110%). After the presidential amnesty in 2013, there was a signiﬁcant decrease, but since 2014 there has been an increase again, culminat- ing in 2017. As of 2018, there has been a stabilization around the 20,000 prisoners threshold (see

Tras las rejas y más allá de los límites: la tensión psicológica del personal penitenciario profesional en la República Checa 299 Vol. 16(1) enero - abril 2026/ 294 - 316 Table 1). is trend is the result of the wider use of alternative sentences and the streamlining of post-penitentiary care (Statistical Yearbooks of the Prison Service of the Czech Republic). Treatment programmes, professional training and the role of professional staﬀ Imprisonment has a clearly deﬁned purpose, namely to protect society from oﬀenders and to prepare them for their resocialisation into society after release. In this context, treatment pro- grammes, which are a set of targeted activities prepared by prison staﬀ, play a central role. ese activities take into account the nature of the oﬀence and the length of the sentence imposed and aim to prepare convicted persons for life at liberty so that they are able to participate in normal social life and respect its norms. e success of these programmes, however, depends not only on the convicted person himself and his intrinsic motivation to change, but above all on the professional and personal qualities of the professional staﬀ of the Prison Service of the Czech Republic (see Table 2). ey must not only be professionally proﬁcient, but also able to resist various forms of manipulation by prisoners who often try to gain undue advantages or disrupt the prison security system (Jůzl, Vlach, 2022). TABLE 2. Overview of the educational structure of the employees of the Prison Service of the Czech Republic. Year Basic Secondary Bachelor‘s Master‘s Total Secondary (+apprenticeship) Graduation Higher Vocational Secondary Total 2014 16 349 7207 197 7753 1127 1777 10673 2015 12 331 7245 218 7794 1209 1893 10908 2016 14 287 7194 218 7696 1310 1865 10885 2017 14 343 7177 244 7764 1325 1948 11051 2018 11 372 7340 254 7966 1382 1972 11331 2019 13 396 7240 262 7878 1407 1994 11312 2020 11 414 7201 265 7626 1430 1997 11318 2021 8 369 7164 244 7777 1400 2035 11220 2022 7 393 6816 260 7469 1401 1960 10837 2023 6 415 6878 280 7579 1381 1913 10873 2024 3 409 6597 271 7197 1334 1822 10436 Source: Statistical Yearbooks of the Prison Service of the Czech Republic (2025). e Prison Service of the Czech Republic therefore emphasises systematic education and train- ing of its staﬀ. e Academy of the Prison Service of the Czech Republic in Stráž pod Ralskem is the only educational institution that provides basic training and subsequent specialisation courses as part of lifelong learning. As part of its activities, the Academy cooperates with experts from other security forces and academic institutions and also participates in scientiﬁc research activities in the ﬁeld of penology and penitentiary science.

300 Vlach, Klugerová, Daněk Interacción y Perspectiva. Revista de Trabajo Social Vol. 16(1): 2026 Jůzl and Vlach (2022) present the structure of education of the employees of the Prison Ser- vice of the Czech Republic, where the system is diﬀerentiated according to function and profes- sional classiﬁcation. ere are diﬀerent types of basic vocational training (VET): • ZOP/A for oﬃcers without distinction of rank (15 weeks) • ZOP/B1 for staﬀ in contact with prisoners but without direct implementation of programmes (1 week) • ZOP/B2 for professional staﬀ involved in treatment programmes (8 weeks) • ZOP/B3 for medical staﬀ (1 week) • ZOP/B4 for part-time staﬀ in direct contact with prisoners • Type I for administrative staﬀ not in contact with prisoners (individual training) Professional staﬀ, which includes special educators, psychologists, social workers, health pro- fessionals and others, play an indispensable role in the resocialisation process. e task of special educators is to systematically inﬂuence convicted persons through treatment programmes. Educa- tors, under the expert guidance of special educators, conduct educational and recreational activi- ties and their contribution is particularly signiﬁcant when working with juvenile prisoners. Social workers ensure contact between prisoners and their families and facilitate their return to normal life. Psychologists focus on diagnosis, psychological support and crisis intervention, with the aim of preventing risky behaviour and promoting successful resocialisation. Addiction psychologists pro- vide interventions to individuals with addictive behaviors and participate in specialized treatment and prevention programs (Drápal et al., 2021). Although the educational system of the Prison Service has a high level of expertise and in- stitutional support, challenges remain signiﬁcant. According to the statistics of the Prison Service of the Czech Republic, the penological recidivism rate is approximately 66%, which indicates the diﬃculty of working with personally complicated individuals who often suﬀer from addictions or personality disorders. is fact underlines the importance of setting up a systemic treatment, well- trained professional staﬀ (see Figure 1). Professional staﬀ in direct contact with prisoners e execution of a prison sentence is understood in the modern concept not only as a re- pressive instrument, but mainly as a space for social intervention aimed at supporting the reinte- gration of the prisoner into society. A crucial role in this process is played by the professional staﬀ of the prison service, who are in direct contact with prisoners on a daily basis. ese staﬀ form a multidisciplinary team, including in particular educators, special educators, psychologists, so- cial workers, addictionologists and other specialists. eir activities are professionally anchored, methodically guided and subordinated to the legislative and ethical standards of penitentiary practice. – Educators Educators are the most important link in the system of treatment of convicted persons. eir main responsibility is to work directly with prisoners on a day-to-day basis within the individual correctional units, and their activities are focused on the controlled adaptation of the prisoner, promoting his or her intrinsic motivation to change and coordinating the implementation of the

Tras las rejas y más allá de los límites: la tensión psicológica del personal penitenciario profesional en la República Checa 301 Vol. 16(1) enero - abril 2026/ 294 - 316 individual treatment programme. At the same time, educators ensure communication with fam- ily members of convicts, participate in the evaluation of prisoners‘ behaviour and organise leisure, cultural and educational activities (Vlach, Stárek, 2025). – Special educators Special educators working in prison institutions form an important part of the professional staﬀ, as their task is to conceive and conduct long-term treatment programmes adapted to the individual needs of convicts. ese staﬀ members focus on promoting social and communication skills, relapse prevention and the treatment of pathological behaviour patterns. In practice, they work mainly with people with personality disorders, deﬁcits in social adaptation or low literacy levels. eir work with juvenile delinquents is signiﬁcant, where educational, self-development and interest programmes (e.g. music or art clubs) play not only an educational but also a therapeutic role (Drápal et al., 2021). – Psychologists Psychologists in the prison system provide expert personality diagnosis, early recognition of psychopathological symptoms, individual or group therapeutic interventions and the provision of crisis intervention for psychological or adaptive diﬃculties. ey are actively involved in the devel- opment and evaluation of treatment programmes, and provide recommendations for the reassign- ment of convicts, especially in cases of deterioration of the psychological state or the occurrence of suicidal tendencies. eir work is also indispensable in the context of preventing traumatisation of prison service staﬀ (Drápal et al., 2021). – Other professional staﬀ Other important members of the multidisciplinary team are social workers, addictionolo- gists and other professionals whose presence contributes signiﬁcantly to the comprehensive care of prisoners. Social workers ensure contact between prisoners and their family background, provide FIGURE 1. e age structure of the staﬀ of the SSR. Source: statistical yearbooks of the Prison Service of the Czech Republic (2025).

302 Vlach, Klugerová, Daněk Interacción y Perspectiva. Revista de Trabajo Social Vol. 16(1): 2026 socio-legal counselling, assist with parole preparation and coordinate the preparation for release. eir role is particularly important in the case of persons without a stable background, juveniles or women with children (Stárek, Víšek, 2022). Addiction specialists focus on clients with addictions, most often to alcohol, substance abuse or gambling behaviour. ey provide specialist screening, individual and group therapy, collaborate with external specialist treatment facilities and participate in the development of the prison‘s drug strategy. e specialist team also includes clergymen (prison chaplains) who provide spiritual support to prisoners regardless of their religion, contribute to stabilising their value system and play an im- portant role in working with prisoners in diﬃcult life situations. Psychological impact of the profession and possibilities for intervention e profession of a prison service employee has long been considered high-risk, especially in terms of psychological stress and the accumulation of stress factors. As reported by Schultz and Ricciardelli (2025), prison staﬀ face a combination of acute and chronic stressors that are associ- ated with the daily presence of violence, permanent control, high levels of responsibility and the absence of adequate support. is context contributes signiﬁcantly to the development of burnout, which typically manifests itself in emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and a decline in job satisfaction. Ricciardelli et al. (2024) further note that high administrative workload and lack of supervisory support are also signiﬁcant triggers of burnout. Similar to special educators working with children with support needs, prison service workers are in a ‘helping profession’ where they are constantly exposed to intense emotional interaction. Re- search by Stark and Kluger (2024) shows that special educators develop burnout syndrome precise- ly in situations where their eﬀorts are not suﬃciently appreciated (e.g., unavailability of feedback from clients). Figuratively, in the prison setting, this means that here too, unclear or unquantiﬁable beneﬁts from entering programmes or lack of social support can lead to feelings of wasted eﬀort. Moreover, the study highlights that for those working in demanding ‘helping’ roles, burnout occurs less in professional competence and more in personal appreciation of work, i.e. perceived meaning and recognition from those around them. In prison service practice, this means that professional- ism alone is not enough: it is equally important that staﬀ feel that their work has value - whether through peer support, supervisory conversations, from management and supervisors themselves, or reﬂection on the progress made by prisoners. In addition to the burnout syndrome, the phenomenon of Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) is often diagnosed in prison staﬀ. is phenomenon, as reported by Whitworth and Jacquin (2025), arises as a result of repeated contact with traumatised clientele, such as prisoners with sui- cidal tendencies, self-injurious tendencies or psychopathology. STS manifests itself in a wide range of diﬃculties: from anxiety and depressive states to insomnia, psychosomatic symptoms or loss of professional identity. Evidence from the prison environment identiﬁes an increasing number of cases of incapacity for work caused by psychological problems. e most common symptoms include sleep distur- bances, chronic fatigue, somatic diﬃculties without an organic cause and persistent anxiety. ese diﬃculties are often related to prolonged exposure to stressful conditions without suﬃcient defence mechanisms (Vlach, Stárek, 2025).

Tras las rejas y más allá de los límites: la tensión psicológica del personal penitenciario profesional en la República Checa 303 Vol. 16(1) enero - abril 2026/ 294 - 316 e prison service profession has long been identiﬁed as one of the most psychologically de- manding jobs in the security sector. Prison staﬀ, whether serving oﬃcers or professional civilian workers, are exposed to a combination of acute and chronic stressors. ese factors include daily contact with conﬂicted or traumatized individuals, the presence of violence, constant control of movement and behavior, high responsibility for the safety of individuals and facilities, and often a lack of organizational or emotional support from supervisors. In their study, Danek et al. (2023) highlight that prison service staﬀ, similar to educational and social service workers, represent a particularly vulnerable group in terms of mental health. ey base this conclusion on the fact that they are exposed to prolonged and repeated intensive contact with individuals who are experiencing severe frustration, stress or trauma. As the authors state, a particularly at-risk group is staﬀ who are in intensive contact with persons experiencing severe frustration, stress or traumatisation, which has been repeatedly conﬁrmed for prison of- ﬁcers, social workers and educational staﬀ in educational establishments. is contact is often asymmetrical, as staﬀ do not have full control over the dynamics of the relationship or the out- come of their intervention, which further exacerbates psychological exhaustion and feelings of ineﬀectiveness. Prolonged exposure to these stressors can lead not only to burnout, but also to internal alien- ation from the profession, a distorted self-perception and a loss of a sense of meaningfulness at work. It is the combination of emotional exposure and lack of support that is one of the main triggers of negative mental health impacts on employees in the helping professions, which un- doubtedly includes prison service. ese ﬁndings clearly show that preventive measures in the ﬁeld of mental health should not only be an additional tool, but an integral part of the institutional culture. e performance of work in the prison environment requires not only professional pre- paredness and psychological resilience, but also the presence of systematic support, whether in the form of supervision, crisis intervention, or opportunities to share experiences within a safe working climate (Daněk et al., 2023). One of the signiﬁcant risks associated with chronic occupational stress in the helping and security professions, including prison service staﬀ, is the increase in maladaptive coping strategies. ese may include, for example, the use of alcohol as a means of relief from psychological strain or as a means of temporary ‘escape’ from emotionally challenging environments. As Daněk et al. (2024) state, alcohol dependence signiﬁcantly disrupts an individual’s value system, weakens the ability to self-regulate, and destroys relationships both personally and pro- fessionally. is ﬁnding is also of fundamental relevance to the prison service environment where trust, the ability to work as a team and accountability for the performance of a delegated agenda are key professional pillars. Due to prolonged exposure to stress, emotional numbing and the absence of systematic support, prison service staﬀ may be more vulnerable to addictive behav- iour than the general population. Alcohol can become not only a means of temporary calming, but also a factor that gradually impairs social functioning, work performance and the ability to regulate aﬀect. is process is often latent, i.e. outside formal supervision and beyond the pos- sibility of early intervention. Incorporating knowledge about the relationship between addictive behaviour and the destruction of relational values into the professional context of the prison service therefore allows for a better understanding of the mechanisms behind the decline in work motivation, reduced loyalty and psychological exhaustion of staﬀ. It also strengthens the case for

304 Vlach, Klugerová, Daněk Interacción y Perspectiva. Revista de Trabajo Social Vol. 16(1): 2026 introducing programmes aimed not only at stress management and resilience building, but also at preventing addictive behaviour and strengthening staﬀ values embeddedness. An analysis by Ansah et al. (2025) summarises the ﬁndings of seven studies in the area of men- tal health care for prison service staﬀ. Research has shown that targeted interventions aimed at man- aging stress and building psychological resilience can make a signiﬁcant contribution to improving staﬀ psychological wellbeing. e most commonly used methods include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based interventions (MBI), Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM), regular physical activity and peer support programmes. Cognitive-behavioural therapy was found to be eﬀective in reducing anxiety symptoms, depressive states and PTSD symptoms in the analysis, with positive eﬀects reported in four of the six studies evaluated. Mindfulness-based interventions contribute to improved emotional regulation, enhanced psychological resilience and reduced burnout symptoms. CISM as a form of crisis intervention system helps staﬀ to process extremely challenging events (e.g. prisoner suicide attempts, assaults, etc.), thereby reducing the likelihood of long-term consequences. In the European context, the so-called trauma-informed TRiM (Trauma Risk Management) approach, which combines elements of early detection of mental distress, peer support and institu- tional accountability, is seen as very eﬀective. TRiM helps to destigmatise help-seeking, fosters pro- fessional cohesion and enables staﬀ to share diﬃcult experiences in a safe environment (Greenberg et al., 2010). However, a crucial element of eﬀective implementation of these approaches is their integration into the systemic framework of the prison service. Based on these ﬁndings, it can be recommended that there should be a coherent model of institutional mental health care for staﬀ within the prison service. Such a model should include regular monitoring of psychological distress, training of supervisors and team leaders, availability of crisis intervention, participatory forms of management and adaptation programmes for new arrivals. In this way, a signiﬁcant contribution can be made to preventing burnout, reducing staﬀ turnover and enhancing the overall sustainability of this demanding profession. Research design for a study on the mental health of prison professionals e research investigation carried out focused on mapping the level of psychological distress among professional staﬀ working in the penitentiary system and their personal reﬂection on working conditions and demands. Particular attention was paid to those aspects that may contribute to long- term stress, emotional wear and tear or loss of professional satisfaction. us, the research did not only look at the harshness of the environment itself, but above all at the experience of professionals who are in daily contact with prisoners and whose work requires a high level of psychological resilience. For the purposes of the research, a quantitative data collection strategy was adopted through an anonymous questionnaire survey to gain a basic understanding of the frequency of stressful symptoms, ways of coping with psychological distress and the level of support available within the organisation. is method was chosen to be time-eﬃcient, to reach a larger number of respondents and to preserve their anonymity. e self-constructed questionnaire contained 17 questions, 3 of which were identiﬁcation questions (age, position, length of experience), 10 closed questions (e.g., level of perceived psycho- logical strain, prevalence of stress symptoms, level of institutional support), and 4 open questions (e.g., subjectively most stressful aspects, suggestions for improving the work environment, motiva-

Tras las rejas y más allá de los límites: la tensión psicológica del personal penitenciario profesional en la República Checa 305 Vol. 16(1) enero - abril 2026/ 294 - 316 tion to pursue the profession). Emphasis was placed on clarity and simplicity of wording so that respondents could answer authentically and without fear of misuse of information. e research survey was carried out with 34 respondents who work in various professional positions in two prison establishments (one detention prison and one prison with security) in the Czech Republic. For ethical reasons and to ensure anonymity, these facilities were not speciﬁcally identiﬁed. e selection of respondents was purposive, focused on those professional staﬀ who have daily contact with prisoners and are involved in their resocialisation process, diagnosis or therapeutic-counselling care. e main aim of the research was to analyse the inﬂuence of the prison environment on the psychological health of the employees, to identify the main stressors and to map the coping strategies. In this paper, only the most relevant questions were deliberately selected from the question- naire survey to best capture the main aspects of the issue under investigation. e selection focused on the areas of psychological strain, major stressors and availability of support in the prison work environment. ese questions provide suﬃcient evidence for the formulation of relevant conclu- sions and suggestions for systemic measures in the area of staﬀ mental health. Question 1 - "Have you recently experienced any symptoms of stress, anxiety or tension as a result of work?" e results of the questionnaire survey indicate that the vast majority of professional staﬀ in the Prison Service (32 out of 34 respondents, or 94%) have recently experienced some symptoms of stress, anxiety or tension as a result of their workload. Respondents were most likely to report ex- periencing these conditions ‘sometimes’ (44%), followed by ‘very often’ (29%) and ‘rarely’ (21%). Only 2 respondents (6%) reported experiencing no such symptoms, which may be a result of great- er psychological resilience, shorter length of time within the prison environment (see Figure 2). FIGURE 2. Frequency of work-related stress symptoms. Source: own survey. ese ﬁndings conﬁrm that psychological distress is a common and serious phenomenon in the prison environment, and the occurrence of stress, tension or anxiety is not an exception, but rather a regular part of the working reality of most employees. e high level of perceived stress points to the need for institutionally anchored mental health support, which should be systemati- cally integrated into the organisational culture of prison establishments.

306 Vlach, Klugerová, Daněk Interacción y Perspectiva. Revista de Trabajo Social Vol. 16(1): 2026 e survey also asked a follow-up question focusing on the speciﬁc frequency of stress. Re- spondents were given the opportunity to indicate whether they experienced stress ‘daily’, ‘several times a week’, ‘several times a month’ or ‘rarely’. e results showed that more than half of the re- spondents experience stress on a daily or at least several times a week basis, indicating the presence of chronic stress and long-term psychological strain associated with the profession. Repeated exposure to stressful stimuli in an environment with limited autonomy, rigid hier- archies and high security demands is a signiﬁcant risk factor for the development of psychosomatic problems, including burnout syndrome. ese ﬁndings are consistent with the ﬁndings of Finney et al. (2013) who note that cumulative work stress in prison service staﬀ signiﬁcantly increases the risk of anxiety disorders, sleep disturbances, general emotional instability and burnout syn- drome. is context conﬁrms the urgent need for systematic prevention, supervision support and implementation of strategies to promote resilience and mental balance of professional staﬀ in the demanding prison environment. Question 2 - Which speciﬁc aspects of your work do you ﬁnd most stressful or mentally taxing? e open-ended question allowed respondents to freely describe the aspects of their work that they subjectively perceived as most stressful. is type of question is particularly valuable because it reveals individually perceived stressors that would otherwise remain hidden in a standardized questionnaire. Respondents often combined several diﬀerent stressors in their answers, which re- sulted in each relevant mention being recorded separately, and the results were then processed using thematic analysis. e individual statements were grouped into content categories according to the main themes that recurred in the statements. is approach enabled the identiﬁcation of major themes across the entire sample, as well as quantifying their frequency. e percentage representation of each category then reﬂects the frequency of a particular theme across all responses, rather than the number of unique respondents. TABLE 3. Frequency of occurrence of psychologically stressful aspects of work. Categories Number of mentions Percentage representation Leadership problems/lack of understanding 9 26,50% Communication with prisoners and their manipulative behaviour 8 23,50% Lack of teamwork/relationships with colleagues 7 20,60% Administrative burden and inﬂexible system 6 17,60% Cynicism, burnout and negative atmosphere 6 17,60% Feelings of powerlessness / low recognition of work 5 14,70% High security demands / working with risk 4 11,80% Unpredictable situations / crisis moments 3 8,80% Emotional demands of work 3 8,80% Imperfect organisational structure 2 5,90% Source: Statistical Yearbooks of the Prison Service of the Czech Republic (2025).

Tras las rejas y más allá de los límites: la tensión psicológica del personal penitenciario profesional en la República Checa 307 Vol. 16(1) enero - abril 2026/ 294 - 316 e results obtained (see Table 3) show that the most frequently cited stressors are problems with management or lack of understanding (26.5%), manipulative behaviour of prisoners and dif- ﬁculty in communicating with them (23.5%) and lack of teamwork among colleagues (20.6%). is was closely followed by administrative burden and inﬂexible system (17.6%), cynicism and negative working atmosphere (17.6%) and feelings of powerlessness or low recognition of work (14.7%). Other frequently mentioned factors were high security demands and risks (11.8%), unpredictable crisis situations (8.8%), emotional demands of work (8.8%) and imperfect organisational structure (5.9%). is shows that professional staﬀ face not only acute stressful situations but also long-term structural and organisational problems that put a strain on their psychological well-being. e importance of this type of question lies in the fact that it allows the capture of so-called latent stressors, i.e. factors that are not routinely mapped by standardised instruments but have a major impact on job wellbeing. As reported by Ricciardelli et al. (2024), it is these latent aspects, such as ethical pressure, cognitive overload, low levels of autonomy or moral dilemmas, that can be the trigger of secondary traumatization and long-term occupational dissatisfaction. Question 3 - “How do you rate the support your organisation provides you in case of stressful situations at work (e.g. supervision, professional help, management support)?” e question focused on the extent of perceived organisational support in challenging work situations and yielded fairly balanced but contradictory results, indicating a certain polarisation of opinion among employees. A total of 13 respondents (38%) described the support provided as rather good, which may point to the existence of certain support structures, for example in the form of informal collegial collaboration, availability of supervisors or basic interventions. However, only 2 staﬀ members (6%) rated the support as excellent, indicating that only a small proportion of respondents perceived institutional support as fully functional and reliable (see Figure 3). On the other hand, almost the same number of respondents, namely 12 persons (35%), de- scribed the level of organizational support as rather inadequate and another 7 respondents (21%) even described it as completely inadequate. ese ﬁndings show that a critical view of the avail- ability of help in crisis or stress situations prevails among more than half of the participants. e most frequent responses mentioned the absence of professional supervision, lack of feedback from management, but also the lack of opportunities to participate in decision-making processes. FIGURE 3. Perceptions of institutional support in challenging workplace situations. Source: own survey.

308 Vlach, Klugerová, Daněk Interacción y Perspectiva. Revista de Trabajo Social Vol. 16(1): 2026 In terms of psychosocial aspects of the work environment, organisational support represents one of the most important stabilising factors for mental well-being. In the literature, the emphasis on institutional support has long been perceived as a crucial aspect of preventing burnout syndrome and ensuring long-term professional sustainability. For example, Armstrong and Griﬃn (2004) point out in their study that subjectively perceived support from an organization signiﬁcantly in- creases work engagement, sense of belonging, and willingness to stay in a demanding job. Lack of such support, on the other hand, leads to loss of motivation, disruption of working relationships and ultimately higher turnover rates. Based on these results, it can be concluded that providing a stable and eﬀective support infra- structure should be a priority for any institution working with highly exposed staﬀ. e introduc- tion of regular supervision sessions, crisis interventions, and specialized stress management training could contribute signiﬁcantly to improving perceived organizational support. Ideally, this should be a systemic change that is ﬁrmly anchored in the institutional culture and supported both meth- odologically and staﬀ-wise. Question 4 - "What strategies or techniques do you use to manage stress during working hours?" Respondents’ answers revealed that professional staﬀ in the prison service use a wide range of strategies to manage stress, reﬂecting organisational conditions as well as individual preferences and personality settings. ese strategies include a combination of formal and informal practices, and their choice is largely related to the availability of support tools, the quality of the team climate and the level of their own psychological resilience. FIGURE 4. Ways of coping with workplace stress. Source: own survey. e most frequently mentioned means of coping with stress was support from colleagues, with 32% of respondents choosing this option. is ﬁgure conﬁrms the importance of a functional work team as a primary protective factor in an environment characterised by high levels of psy- chological stress. Sharing diﬃcult experiences, the opportunity to vent emotions informally and the feeling that the employee is not alone in challenging situations are the main aspects of team resilience to stress (see Figure 4).

Tras las rejas y más allá de los límites: la tensión psicológica del personal penitenciario profesional en la República Checa 309 Vol. 16(1) enero - abril 2026/ 294 - 316 In second place was the preference for a structured work schedule, reported by 28% of respon- dents. Clearly deﬁned job descriptions, repetitiveness of tasks and predictability of daily routines have a stabilising eﬀect and provide some form of control over chaotic or crisis environments. In the context of a prison facility, where the degree of autonomy is severely limited by security rules, structure can act as a psychological anchor and help to alleviate the internal tension of unpredict- ability. Approximately one in three respondents (20%) reported using short breaks and breathing techniques. ese forms of self-regulation help manage acute stress reactions during service and promote psychophysiological balance. eir popularity suggests that at least a proportion of em- ployees have basic tools for crisis self-regulation. Internal supervision and professional consultations were relatively less represented (15%). ese ﬁgures may indicate either their limited implementation in individual prison establishments or a certain lack of trust in institutional support mechanisms. However, supervision practice is recommended in the literature as one of the most eﬀective tools for preventing secondary trauma- tisation and professional burnout. e “other” category (5%) also yielded interesting answers, where employees spontaneously mentioned their own coping strategies, ranging from a sense of humour, to sports activities, to ritu- als of calm, meditation or drinking tea. ese individually shaped mechanisms conﬁrm that coping with stress is a highly subjective process and often takes place outside of institutional structures. From an analytical point of view, it can be concluded that the choice of coping strategies speaks volumes about the degree of personal psychological resilience of individual workers. As reported by Landenberger and Lipsey (2005), active coping strategies, based on solution-ﬁnding, support-seeking and reﬂective skills, are associated with lower rates of psychosomatic diﬃculties, higher job satisfaction and overall better adaptation to challenging occupational conditions over the long term. In contrast, passive or avoidance strategies such as denial of the problem, withdrawal or internal resignation increase the risk of chronic stress, emotional exhaustion and reduced profes- sional performance. It is clear from the above that promoting individual and group psychological resilience among professional staﬀ in the prison system should be an integral part of institutional mental health care strategies. Implementing programmes aimed at raising mental health awareness, developing stress management skills and fostering teamwork are important steps towards increasing the professional sustainability of this demanding workforce. Question 5 - "What speciﬁc recommendations or suggestions would you have for prison management to improve the mental wellbeing of professional staﬀ?" e open-ended responses from respondents revealed several recurring suggestions that prison service staﬀ consider important to improve psychological wellbeing and prevent psychological ex- haustion in their demanding profession. As this was an open-ended question, it was possible to cap- ture a wide range of suggestions that are not commonly included in standardised questionnaires. Subsequent thematic analysis enabled the systematisation of each suggestion, with the frequency of occurrence captured in the table above (see Table 4).

310 Vlach, Klugerová, Daněk Interacción y Perspectiva. Revista de Trabajo Social Vol. 16(1): 2026 TABLE 4. Staﬀ priorities for support and prevention. Recommendations/suggestions Number of mentions Percentage representation Ensuring regular training in psychological hygiene 9 17,30% Improving communication and accessibility of management 8 15,40% Establishment of relaxation zones and opportunities for rest 7 13,50% Promotion of teamwork and interpersonal relationships 8 15,40% Possibility of anonymous psychological support 6 11,50% Reduction of administrative burden 7 13,50% Increase in wages and ﬁnancial compensation 7 13,50% Source: own processing. e most frequent request was for regular training in psychological hygiene, which was men- tioned by 17.3% of respondents. According to employees, such training should serve as a tool to prevent burnout syndrome, improve coping with stressful situations and generally strengthen psy- chological resilience. For example, a study by McKim, Shoemaker and Holland (2020) found that targeted mental resilience training signiﬁcantly improved stress management in prison oﬃcers and contributed to an overall increase in job satisfaction. Improved communication and accessibility to management was mentioned by 15.4% of re- spondents. Many staﬀ referred to the diﬃculty in accessing supervisors, lack of feedback or low par- ticipation in decision-making. Good internal communication and transparent management have a major impact on the perception of the working climate and can alleviate feelings of insecurity or loneliness in decision-making processes. e need to foster teamwork and interpersonal relationships was also expressed as signiﬁcantly (15.4%), reﬂecting the importance of collective psychological resilience under challenging profes- sional conditions. A collaborative team can not only share the workload but also serve as a source of psychological support, stress ventilation and compensation for lack of institutional support. Establishing relaxation zones and short-term rest opportunities was suggested by 13.5% of respondents as a practical measure to alleviate acute tension during shifts. is gives employees a space where they can safely ‘switch oﬀ’ and regain their mental balance, even if only for a short pe- riod of time. In similar professions, such as healthcare or social work, similar measures have proven to be eﬀective in preventing exhaustion. For example, a study by Tosone, McTighe, and Bauwens (2015) examining social service workers after Hurricane Katrina found that an approach involving short breaks, reﬂective meetings, and peer-support led to a reduction in symptoms of secondary traumatization and enhanced psychological resilience. Equally important was the possibility of anonymous psychological support (11.5%), which could remove barriers associated with shame, stigma and fear of loss of professional reputation. Access to conﬁdential consultation with a professional is, according to respondents, particularly crucial in situations where traditional forms of support fail or are not available. Respondents also repeatedly mentioned the need to reduce the administrative burden (13.5%), which is perceived as excessive, ineﬃcient and often limiting direct work with convicted persons.

Tras las rejas y más allá de los límites: la tensión psicológica del personal penitenciario profesional en la República Checa 311 Vol. 16(1) enero - abril 2026/ 294 - 316 is element has long been criticized in the literature, as it overburdens staﬀ, reduces the meaning- fulness of their work, and increases frustration levels (Schaufeli, Taris, et al., 2001). Considerable emphasis has also been placed on wage increases and adequate ﬁnancial com- pensation (13.5%), which workers believe should reﬂect the diﬃculty, riskiness and social respon- sibility of their profession. In this context, ﬁnancial reward is not only a motivating factor but also an important symbol of recognition and respect for the work performed. Overall, these ﬁndings show that prison service staﬀ perceive mental well-being as the result of a combination of systemic changes (e.g. organisational culture, working conditions) and concrete, actionable measures. eir suggestions can therefore be an important starting point for institu- tional interventions aimed not only at eliminating stressors but also at fostering a positive work climate and professional sustainability. As stated by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA, 2023), em- ployee participation in shaping the work environment, i.e. active involvement in the design and implementation of changes, contributes to reducing sickness absence, increasing job satisfaction and strengthening organisational loyalty. Question 6 - “What motivates you to stay in the profession despite the psychological demands?” All respondents answered the open-ended question focusing on the motivation for remain- ing in the profession as a professional member of the prison service, with many giving more than one reason. A total of 45 individual mentions were recorded, which were then grouped into seven thematic categories, as shown in the table above. is approach allowed for a deeper understanding of not only what motivates employees to pursue a profession, but also how various factors enter into their decision-making process in the context of a challenging work environment (see Table 5). TABLE 5. Main motivational factors of employees. Motivation categories Number of mentions Percentage representation Meaningfulness of work and helping others 12 26,70% Financial reasons (income security, beneﬁts) 9 20,00% Commitment to profession/habit 7 15,60% Career growth/professional self-fulﬁlment 6 13,30% Workplace location 5 11,10% Vision of change (moving elsewhere, retirement) 3 6,70% Varied and diverse workload 3 6,70% Source: own elaboration. e most frequent theme among the responses was that of meaningful work and helping others, which was mentioned in 26.7% of all mentions. In this context, respondents expressed inner satisfaction at the possibility of positively inﬂuencing the lives of prisoners, contributing to changing or at least stabilising their behaviour, and at the same time pursuing a profession that

312 Vlach, Klugerová, Daněk Interacción y Perspectiva. Revista de Trabajo Social Vol. 16(1): 2026 they considered to have a deeper social impact. is type of motivation corresponds to the concept of intrinsic motivation (Ryan, Deci, 2000), where autonomy, competence and meaningfulness of action are considered to be the main factors of engagement. Financial reasons represented the second most frequent category (20% of mentions). Re- spondents mainly mentioned the security of a regular income, job stability and associated beneﬁts. is type of motivation can be described as extrinsic, and its importance increases in periods of economic uncertainty or in the case of limited employment opportunities in other ﬁelds. e third signiﬁcant category was commitment to the profession or long-term habit (15.6%). Many staﬀ identify professionally with their role in the prison system and, despite perceived dif- ﬁculties, ﬁnd it diﬃcult or unthinkable to leave the system. is factor may reﬂect professional loyalty but also inertia or fear of change, which is supported by the ﬁnding that staying longer in a profession can lead to cognitive rigidity. Other responses also mentioned the possibility of career growth (13.3%), the location of the workplace (11.1%) and the variety of work (6.7%). ese motivations suggest that respondents also reﬂect practical aspects of work, such as job availability, variety of activities or opportunities for professional development, which enable them to maintain their interest in the profession. e category identiﬁed as seeing a change (6.7%) was quite speciﬁc, with responses such as ‘waiting for retirement’ or ‘planning to move elsewhere’. ese statements show that some employees are more likely to remain passively engaged in the profession rather than actively engaged, which may be due to psychological fatigue, loss of motivation or a perception of the professional closed system. e responses show that employees’ motivation to stay in the profession is multifaceted and ranges from intrinsic meaningfulness to pragmatic decisions. For most respondents, a combination of multiple motivators is evident, and the proportion of these may vary depending on the current work climate, personal life situation or institutional support. ese ﬁndings are not only consistent with the theory of intrinsic motivation (Ryan and Deci, 2000), which points out that prolonged exposure to a challenging environment without suﬃcient feedback, recognition and support can lead to a weakening of original value motives and an in- creased risk of burnout. is also conﬁrms the need to maintain and reinforce the positive aspects of professional identity that drive resilience and long-term career satisfaction. Recommendations for penitentiary practice and the promotion of staﬀ mental health On the basis of the questionnaire survey and in relation to published studies, several speciﬁc recommendations can be formulated that can contribute to improving the working conditions and overall psychosocial stability of prison service employees. e ﬁrst essential measure is the introduction of systematic supervision and stable support teams within the individual organisational units of the prison service. Supervision should be regu- lar, methodically guided and focused not only on professional performance but also on reﬂecting on the emotional aspects of working with prisoners. It was the absence of the possibility to safely share one’s own psychological burden and reﬂect on challenging situations that was repeatedly identiﬁed by respondents as one of the main stressors. Research conﬁrms that professionally con- ducted supervision contributes to reducing the incidence of burnout syndrome, strengthens team cohesion and reduces staﬀ turnover in high-risk occupations.

Tras las rejas y más allá de los límites: la tensión psicológica del personal penitenciario profesional en la República Checa 313 Vol. 16(1) enero - abril 2026/ 294 - 316 Related to this is the second recommendation, namely an emphasis on systematic educa- tion in stress management and building psychological resilience. Intervention programmes aimed at developing coping skills, working with emotions and psychological hygiene should be a solid part of the prison service’s education system. Methods such as cognitive-behavioural therapy, mindfulness-based interventions, crisis intervention techniques or the trauma-informed TRiM approach, which have been identiﬁed in international studies as eﬀective tools for reduc- ing the risk of mental illness and increasing the willingness of staﬀ to actively seek help when needed, play an important role. A third important measure is the introduction of sophisticated adaptation programmes for newly recruited employees. e transition to the environment of a security institution, character- ised by a tightly structured regime and high demands on emotional self-control, places a signiﬁ- cant burden on new recruits. Adaptation programmes should include not only training but also elements of peer support, mentoring and psychological accompaniment during the ﬁrst months of service. ese measures contribute to gradual stabilisation, reducing feelings of insecurity and building professional identity. e fourth measure is the introduction of regular screening of the psychosocial stress of staﬀ. Early recognition of mental distress is a prerequisite for the successful prevention of more serious problems such as burnout syndrome or the development of anxiety-depressive symptoms. It is recommended that anonymous internal surveys be carried out on job satisfaction, stress levels, motivation and general well-being. e results should be analysed at the level of individual estab- lishments and serve as a basis for targeted interventions. Another area that deserves attention is the strengthening of participative management and teamwork. Prison environments are traditionally characterised by a vertical management structure, which can lead to alienation of staﬀ from decision-making processes and a sense of low autonomy. Involving staﬀ in decisions about organisational changes, service schedules or the content of train- ing activities increases their commitment, promotes trust in management and strengthens organ- isational loyalty. A participatory approach also helps to identify speciﬁc problem areas and enables the implementation of meaningful changes based on practice. Systematically breaking down preconceptions of mental health problems and creating trusted mechanisms for seeking help are also essential steps in comprehensive mental health pro- motion. Employees often declare their fear of negative evaluation or career consequences if they admit to mental health problems. It is therefore important to build a safe environment in which seeking professional help is seen as a sign of maturity and responsibility. Suitable tools may include anonymous consultations with psychologists, crisis lines, mental health information campaigns or the introduction of internal mental wellbeing ambassadors. In terms of organisational conditions, the creation of rest and relaxation zones in the work- place, which employees can use to take a short break during a busy shift, is also recommended. Even short breaks from the workload and the opportunity to regenerate have proven to be an ef- fective tool for preventing emotional exhaustion in other helping professions. Similarly, reducing administrative burdens that take away from the time and energy staﬀ devote to working directly with clients can contribute signiﬁcantly to improving the working climate and sense of professional meaningfulness.

314 Vlach, Klugerová, Daněk Interacción y Perspectiva. Revista de Trabajo Social Vol. 16(1): 2026 CONCLUSION e psychological burden of professional staﬀ in prison settings is a long-underestimated phenomenon that has a major impact on the quality of care provided, the stability of professional identity and the sustainability of the helping professions in the penitentiary setting. e results of the empirical investigation conﬁrm that most professional staﬀ are exposed to chronic stress, face high levels of emotional wear and tear and perceive a signiﬁcant deﬁcit of institutional support. is state of aﬀairs can be interpreted not only as a consequence of the speciﬁcities of the prison environment, but also as a failure of systemic human resources care, which often remains primarily oriented towards performance and control within the security forces, rather than towards prevent- ing psychological stress and strengthening the resilience capacities of employees. Analysis of the main stressors identiﬁed through thematic analysis of open-ended responses points to a combination of structural, interpersonal and individual factors that create an environ- ment at high risk of developing burnout syndrome, secondary traumatisation and psychosocial destabilisation. e most frequently cited determinants were ineﬀective intra-organisational com- munication, lack of supervisory support, manipulative behaviour of inmates, high administrative burden and lack of adequate recognition of professional activities. ese identiﬁed determinants are not unique - they repeatedly appear in the literature on the psychological burden of workers in the security and helping professions, which conﬁrms their structural nature. A fundamental ﬁnding that emerges from this study is that the psychological resilience of pro- fessional employees is not determined solely by individual predispositions, but is largely shaped by the organizational climate, management style and the degree of employee participation in decision- making processes. It is the institutional framework that can signiﬁcantly inﬂuence the ability of em- ployees to cope with emotionally challenging situations, to deal with moral dilemmas and to main- tain professional integrity in an environment that is inherently repressive and highly formalised. e research results also show that motivation to stay in the profession stems mainly from internal beliefs about the meaningfulness of work, professional loyalty and the need for continu- ity, less from a sense of institutional support or the possibility of professional development. is ﬁnding has major implications for the prison service‘s personnel policy - it points to the need to reinforce the value anchoring of the profession through reﬂective, supportive and educational inter- ventions that contribute to maintaining professional identity and reducing turnover rates. In the context of the ﬁndings presented, the introduction of a systematically managed mod- el of mental health care for employees that includes regular supervision, a structured adaptation programme for new employees, the availability of crisis intervention, participative management models and the development of a team culture based on trust, sharing and mutual support can be recommended. e key is to see psychological resilience not as an individual ‘trait’ but as a variable that is inﬂuenced by the environment, organisational processes and the degree of systemic support. In conclusion, it can be stated that professional employees in the prison system represent a highly exposed professional group, whose mental health is a fundamental prerequisite for the fulﬁl- ment of the humanisation and resocialisation goals of modern prisons. Investing in the promotion of their mental well-being should not be seen as an optional beneﬁt, but as an essential strategic tool that contributes to the quality of the public service, the protection of the human rights of prisoners and the overall stability and credibility of the prison system.

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