Conversations about justice reform often center on incarcerated individuals. But there's another group living behind bars whose well-being is rarely discussed: correctional officers.

In this installment of the How It Really Works series, the Independent Voter Podcast features Michael Cantrell—host of the Prison Officer Podcast and longtime advocate for those working in corrections. Cantrell opens up about the emotional isolation, burnout, and trauma correctional officers face every day. He emphasizes that these challenges are not just individual hardships, but part of a larger cultural crisis within the prison system.

“We talk about reforming the system, but we never look at the people who are asked to enforce it,” Cantrell says. “Officers are trained to suppress emotion, which leads to depression, PTSD, and suicide. It’s a cultural crisis, and it starts with the job itself”

This episode invites listeners to consider what real reform would look like if it included those tasked with maintaining order in the system. Recognizing the humanity of correctional officers is a crucial, yet often missing, piece of the public policy conversation.

Listen to the full episode at olasmedia.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
To explore the full How It Really Works series, visit independentvoterproject.org

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