The Ministry of Justice said on the 31st it will introduce a "mental health screening" counseling program to protect the mental health of correctional officials who are exposed to risks such as assaults, disturbances and accidents in correctional facilities.
By joining the program, participants spend 90 minutes in counseling to check recent sleep, fatigue and tension levels, and receive guidance on recovery methods they can use in daily life based on the results. Depending on the results, if recommended by a counselor or if the individual wishes, they can receive up to 14 follow-up counseling sessions per year.
About 1,500 employees, including housing unit staff at 54 correctional institutions nationwide and Director-level managers, can receive counseling starting on the 1st of next month at 76 dedicated outside counseling centers partnered with each institution.
Each correctional officer manages an average of a little over 50 inmates. Inmates with mental illness account for nearly 10% of the total inmate population.
An analysis of the mental health status of correctional officials in 2024 found that about 20% fell into the mental health risk group. Compared with the general adult population, the rate of having made suicide plans was about 2.7 times higher, and the rate of suicide attempts was about 1.6 times higher. The biggest sources of stress were excessive workloads due to overcrowding and staff shortages.
Minister Jung Sung-ho of the Ministry of Justice said, "Caring for the mental health of correctional officials is the first step toward correctional administration that the public can trust," adding, "We will continue working to improve treatment so frontline staff can focus on the correction and rehabilitation of inmates."