Personal Security of the Officers of The Polish Prison Service

Abstract

Objective and problem: The aim is to know the opinions of the Polish prison officers (security department) about personal security while on duty. The main question is: How do prison officers perceive their security while on duty? Methodology: The authors use literature analysis as well as the analysis of statistical data and of phenomena occurring in society. A diagnostic survey using the interview technique played an important role in the empirical part. The survey was conducted in 2020, in a group of 320 prison officers from various prison units, using the author’s questionnaire. Conclusions: The personal security of prison officers is about their perception of dangerous situations (threats) in the workplace. The issue is mainly concerned with emergency situations: physical hazards (e.g. damage to health), mental hazards (e.g. after a suicidal act is revealed) and legal protection (e.g. in case of slander). Results: Direct contact with prisoners makes the work of an officer of the Prison Service dangerous and stressful, but the officer has adequate professional preparation and technical means to repel the attack. The authors identified significant threats and dangerous places, as well as assessed the effectiveness of the measures aimed at boosting a prison guard’s safety.