Correctional Services Canada Recruits: Their Mental Health During Training at Occupational Entry and the Role of Trauma Exposures in Prevalence of Mental Disorders and Suicide Behaviors.

Correctional officers (COs) in Canada experience a high prevalence of mental disorders, suicidal behaviors, and trauma exposure. However, recruits entering the Correctional Service of Canada tend to show lower prevalence than the general population, likely influenced by mandatory pre-employment mental health screening. We report self-report survey data from 792 CO recruits between 2018 and 2024, assessing mental health, suicidal behaviors, and trauma exposure before training. Recruits appeared generally mentally healthy: 7.2% screened positive for any disorder (1.6% posttraumatic stress disorder, 1.6% major depressive disorder, 1.8% GAD), and suicidal behaviors were rare (1.0% ideation, 0.2% attempts). Although most recruits reported multiple potentially traumatic events, specific high-impact trauma types, rather than cumulative trauma, were more strongly associated with positive screens. Recruits from certain occupational backgrounds showed elevated risk. Findings suggest robust baseline mental health despite trauma exposure and highlight the need for longitudinal research to understand how trauma type and preservice experiences shape mental health over time.