Over time, people tend to become acclimated to their environment, which means getting used to what's there all the time -- even if what's there is seriously dangerous. Just like drivers don't think about the possibility of having an accident every time they get behind the wheel, and lumberjacks aren't constantly worried about a tree crushing them to death, corrections officers don't spend 24 hours a day, 7 days a week thinking about the dangerous criminals they work with. Yes, they're aware, but it's not a constant fear. That means that there are times corrections officers are lulled into a false sense of security. These are the most dangerous times for those workers. Corrections officers also face:

• Drug addicts coming off a high
• The risk of being injured during a body or cell search
• The risk of being blindsided by an angry inmate
• The risks associated with transporting inmates
• Attacks with handmade prison weapons
• Attacks with the bare hands of inmates
• Officers are unarmed
• Some inmates suffer from mental illnesses
• Officers are susceptible to the same slip and fall accidents and injuries that all workers face

So why are Corrections Officers at such a high risk? Aside from becoming accustomed to, and even bored by the routine of the job, officers are exposed to several illnesses often carried by inmates. Inmates have a higher-than-average rate of deadly diseases like Hepatitis C, the HIV virus that causes AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB), MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) and the Flu. Additionally, Correction Officers face all these challenges while unarmed. Since it would be too dangerous to risk an inmate getting access to a weapon, officers in direct contact with inmates typically are not allowed to carry firearms while inside the facilities.