Working with offenders who self-injure : Travailler auprès de délinquants qui s'automutilent : favoriser la résilience du personnel dans des situations de stress élevé

The effective treatment, management, and prevention of SIB is a priority for many correctional organizations as it poses a threat to the safety of offenders and staff. [...] In addition to the likelihood of a decrease in the quality of work when job satisfaction is low, the financial costs are also readily apparent given the high costs of recruitment, testing, selection, and training of new staff (Gilbert, 1988; Stohr, Self, & Lovrich, 1992). [...] Given the repetitive nature of SIB and the difficulty in effectively treating the behaviour for any type of mental health professional, staff may feel a lack of personal accomplishment, or even a sense of failure, when the SIB continues despite their best efforts. [...] When working with individuals who self-injure, education on realistic goals (e.g., a decrease in the frequency or severity rather than a cessation of SIB) could contribute to a sense of accomplishment and decrease a sense of failure that may accompany the continuation of SIB. [...] Health care professionals and correctional staff should ideally have a shared understanding of the origins and etiology of SIB, as well as the best method of treating and preventing the behaviour.