Think the justice system only affects the incarcerated? Think again. In this episode of the How It Really Works series of the Independent Voter Podcast, Chad Peace sits down with corrections expert Michael Cantrell to unpack the hidden mental health crisis facing correctional officers across the country.

Cantrell, a former officer and host of the Prison Officer Podcast, reveals how burnout, PTSD, and emotional isolation have become normalized in a profession that rarely makes the headlines. From training culture to administrative neglect, this conversation peels back the layers on a system that’s breaking the very people we expect to hold it together.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone serious about justice reform—and it’s just one chapter in a much bigger story.

Don’t forget to follow or subscribe at OlasMedia.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

Some key moments of this episode:

00:00 – Welcome to How It Really Works
01:12 – The Forgotten Side of Justice Reform
03:40 – What Correctional Officers Are Really Trained For
08:25 – The Mental Health Toll of the Job
13:05 – Why Officers Don’t Ask for Help
18:44 – Breaking the Silence Around Trauma
24:31 – Culture Shift vs. Policy Change
30:12 – Wrapping Up: What Real Reform Requires

Think the justice system only affects the incarcerated? Think again. In this episode of the <a href="https://independentvoterproject.org/">How It Really Works series</a> of the Independent Voter Podcast, Chad Peace sits down with corrections expert <a href="https://theprisonofficer.com/">Michael Cantrell</a> to unpack the hidden mental health crisis facing correctional officers across the country.
Cantrell, a former officer and host of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@theprisonofficerpodcast">Prison Officer Podcast</a>, reveals how burnout, PTSD, and emotional isolation have become normalized in a profession that rarely makes the headlines. From training culture to administrative neglect, this conversation peels back the layers on a system that&rsquo;s breaking the very people we expect to hold it together.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone serious about justice reform&mdash;and it&rsquo;s just one chapter in a much bigger story.
Don&rsquo;t forget to follow or subscribe at <a href="olasmedia.com">OlasMedia.com</a> or wherever you get your podcasts.
Some key moments of this episode:
00:00 &ndash; Welcome to How It Really Works 01:12 &ndash; The Forgotten Side of Justice Reform 03:40 &ndash; What Correctional Officers Are Really Trained For 08:25 &ndash; The Mental Health Toll of the Job 13:05 &ndash; Why Officers Don&rsquo;t Ask for Help 18:44 &ndash; Breaking the Silence Around Trauma 24:31 &ndash; Culture Shift vs. Policy Change 30:12 &ndash; Wrapping Up: What Real Reform Requires

Tired of being told what to think by partisan gatekeepers? So are we.
The Independent Voter Podcast brings you conversations that challenge the two-party echo chamber and reject the false binaries dominating today’s political narratives. We focus on two things:
 (1) Election reforms that increase real competition and voter choice, and
 (2) Policy issues that defy the black-and-white frameworks set by national party agendas.

We’ve been called everything: liberals, undercover Republicans, progressives, socialists, libertarians—even anarchists. And depending on the article, they’re all true.
We are open to any voice that follows our simple etiquette. If you believe political independence is a mindset, not a middle ground, you’re in the right place.
This the Independent Voter Podcast..

Tired of being told what to think by partisan gatekeepers? So are we. The Independent Voter Podcast brings you conversations that challenge the two-party echo chamber and reject the false binaries dominating today&rsquo;s political narratives. We focus on two things: &nbsp;(1)&nbsp;Election reforms that increase real competition and voter choice, and &nbsp;(2)&nbsp;Policy issues that defy the black-and-white frameworks set by national party agendas.
We&rsquo;ve been called everything: liberals, undercover Republicans, progressives, socialists, libertarians&mdash;even anarchists. And depending on the article, they&rsquo;re all true. We are open to any voice that follows our simple etiquette. If you believe political independence is a mindset, not a middle ground, you&rsquo;re in the right place. This the Independent Voter Podcast..

Independent Voter Podcast

Tired of being told what to think by partisan gatekeepers? So are we.
The Independent Voter Podcast brings you conversations that challenge the two-party echo chamber and reject the false binaries dominating today’s political narratives. We focus on two things:
 (1) Election reforms that increase real competition and voter choice, and
 (2) Policy issues that defy the black-and-white frameworks set by national party agendas.

We’ve been called everything: liberals, undercover Republicans, progressives, socialists, libertarians—even anarchists. And depending on the article, they’re all true.
We are open to any voice that follows our simple etiquette. If you believe political independence is a mindset, not a middle ground, you’re in the right place.
This the Independent Voter Podcast.

Tired of being told what to think by partisan gatekeepers? So are we. The Independent Voter Podcast brings you conversations that challenge the two-party echo chamber and reject the false binaries dominating today&rsquo;s political narratives. We focus on two things: &nbsp;(1)&nbsp;Election reforms that increase real competition and voter choice, and &nbsp;(2)&nbsp;Policy issues that defy the black-and-white frameworks set by national party agendas.
We&rsquo;ve been called everything: liberals, undercover Republicans, progressives, socialists, libertarians&mdash;even anarchists. And depending on the article, they&rsquo;re all true. We are open to any voice that follows our simple etiquette. If you believe political independence is a mindset, not a middle ground, you&rsquo;re in the right place. This the Independent Voter Podcast.