The author's opinion is that "distancing oneself from one's patients and ignoring their suffering and their needs are symptoms of burnout in public service providers” In my opinion it is also a coping mechanism to deal with the overwhelming situations which they have not much control over and yet feel responsible for someone's life. There are also the invisible suicides so called because a prisoner will attack a guard or a tougher prisoner knowing he might be killed in the attempt. Or he might try to breakout, in which case he knows the guards will shoot. Many inmates are unable to cope with the physical threats of daily life in prison, feel overwhelming shame at having been raped or forced to commit sexual acts (this is not something they
