“I feel like it should be but I know it’s really not”: exploring physical fitness priorities at the correctional training program in Canadian federal corrections

The correctional training program (CTP), composed of three stages, includes a 14 week in-person component that Correctional Officer Recruits (CORs) must complete prior to their employment as a federal Correctional Officer (CO) for Correctional Service Canada (CSC). The CTP prepares recruits for a pl...

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Main Authors: Zachary Towns, Rosemary Ricciardelli, Dale C. Spencer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-12-01
Series:International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2024.2375662
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author Zachary Towns
Rosemary Ricciardelli
Dale C. Spencer
author_facet Zachary Towns
Rosemary Ricciardelli
Dale C. Spencer
author_sort Zachary Towns
collection DOAJ
description The correctional training program (CTP), composed of three stages, includes a 14 week in-person component that Correctional Officer Recruits (CORs) must complete prior to their employment as a federal Correctional Officer (CO) for Correctional Service Canada (CSC). The CTP prepares recruits for a plethora of CO responsibilities, some dependent on physical fitness, such as responding to codes being called, physical altercations, or violent situations. Unlike other public safety positions (e.g. policing, border services, or coast guard) CSC does not require occupational fitness testing. In the current article, we use data from a multiyear longitudinal study of federal COs from across Canada to unpack how CORs manage physical fitness expectations at CTP; CSCs’ expectations of COR physical fitness; and outline what types of physical fitness (e.g. weightlifting, cardiovascular, self-defence) are taught, thus valued most, during CTP. We situate the voices of CORs regarding physical fitness within the broader “body” literature and discuss policy recommendations tied to physical fitness, specifically COs’ interest in reinstating pre-employment physical fitness screening.
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spelling doaj-art-a70050cf604b48a98172061d108a12da2024-12-13T15:19:02ZengTaylor & Francis GroupInternational Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being1748-26231748-26312024-12-0119110.1080/17482631.2024.23756622375662“I feel like it should be but I know it’s really not”: exploring physical fitness priorities at the correctional training program in Canadian federal correctionsZachary Towns0Rosemary Ricciardelli1Dale C. Spencer2Memorial University of NewfoundlandMemorial University of NewfoundlandCarleton UniversityThe correctional training program (CTP), composed of three stages, includes a 14 week in-person component that Correctional Officer Recruits (CORs) must complete prior to their employment as a federal Correctional Officer (CO) for Correctional Service Canada (CSC). The CTP prepares recruits for a plethora of CO responsibilities, some dependent on physical fitness, such as responding to codes being called, physical altercations, or violent situations. Unlike other public safety positions (e.g. policing, border services, or coast guard) CSC does not require occupational fitness testing. In the current article, we use data from a multiyear longitudinal study of federal COs from across Canada to unpack how CORs manage physical fitness expectations at CTP; CSCs’ expectations of COR physical fitness; and outline what types of physical fitness (e.g. weightlifting, cardiovascular, self-defence) are taught, thus valued most, during CTP. We situate the voices of CORs regarding physical fitness within the broader “body” literature and discuss policy recommendations tied to physical fitness, specifically COs’ interest in reinstating pre-employment physical fitness screening.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2024.2375662prison workcorrectional officerbody workcorrectional servicescanada
spellingShingle Zachary Towns
Rosemary Ricciardelli
Dale C. Spencer
“I feel like it should be but I know it’s really not”: exploring physical fitness priorities at the correctional training program in Canadian federal corrections
International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being
prison work
correctional officer
body work
correctional services
canada
title “I feel like it should be but I know it’s really not”: exploring physical fitness priorities at the correctional training program in Canadian federal corrections
title_full “I feel like it should be but I know it’s really not”: exploring physical fitness priorities at the correctional training program in Canadian federal corrections
title_fullStr “I feel like it should be but I know it’s really not”: exploring physical fitness priorities at the correctional training program in Canadian federal corrections
title_full_unstemmed “I feel like it should be but I know it’s really not”: exploring physical fitness priorities at the correctional training program in Canadian federal corrections
title_short “I feel like it should be but I know it’s really not”: exploring physical fitness priorities at the correctional training program in Canadian federal corrections
title_sort i feel like it should be but i know it s really not exploring physical fitness priorities at the correctional training program in canadian federal corrections
topic prison work
correctional officer
body work
correctional services
canada
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2024.2375662
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