With the goal of know the work in the prison system gaucho and the implications of this on the mental health of penitentiary security officers, was performed one study qualitative with the goal was to identify the aspects in the work organization that produce pleasure and the ones that produce suffering in the penitentiary security officers and to describe the defensive strategies used by these workers in their daily labor routine. For such, a semi-structured interview has been used to gather the data that joined eight participants. The reports were treated using content analysis. Among the results, the findings indicate that comply with the obligations have bonus salary and job stability as experiences of pleasure experience, and the poor labor conditions as the element causing the suffering. The defensive strategies that were most apparent were the negation and rationalization. It is concluded that the professional who participated in this study tried to find ways to maintain their health, by using mechanisms that support the confrontation against the suffering and the pursuit of pleasure.
occupational health; psychodynamics of work; defensive strategies; penitentiary officers
