Correctional staff wellness capstone project

Jill Borchers DESJ 2025

Six months ago, when I decided to do this project, I didn't take into account how emotionally challenging it would be. I thought, sure, I have worked in Corrections long enough to have a good understanding of the system and some of the root causes that cause harm among staff. And I even thought that it would be easier because logistically I would have easy access to information, colleagues to survey and interview. And while all of that was true, I didn't take into account the negative impact I would feel as I consistently researched, talked about, read about, listened to, and thought about the complexity of Correctional staff wellness. But sometimes the most difficult journeys are the most powerful and meaningful. And I hope that through it all, something good and positive will prevail in the end.  There is so much good work to be done behind those walls, and I take an immense amount of pride in doing it. It is a forgotten place that a majority of society lacks an understanding of, which leads to us falling victim to the negative impacts of public opinion. Having the ability to confidently hold your head high, with a sense of pride that you are doing all that you can for humanity and for the forgotten, to create better neighbors, is paramount.

It took me several weeks and numerous conversations with the administration at my facility, my instructors, classmates, and even my therapist, to narrow down what my starting point would be for this project. I considered changing the project completely at the end of the first quarter due to the emotional impact of feeling like my life was being consumed by all of the negative challenges that come with corrections. It wasn't until I started to lean more into The Washington Way and being able to see and hear the enormous positive effects it has had on the staff and offenders that I felt more motivated and settled into what I wanted to focus on. I believe that with the continuation and growth of The Washington Way programs within every facility in the state, that is where we will slowly start to see and feel the ripple effects of true "corrections". The word "corrections" holds so much meaning. We are there, as staff, with the hope and goal of correcting behaviors to create better neighbors and a better society. And I feel that we are finally on the right track to fulfilling that goal. 

Get in touch at jborchers@hotmail.com