NCJ Number
105368
Journal
Justice Professional Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: (Spring 1987) Pages: 74-88
Date Published
1987
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Although aggression and violence have been studied, anger as an emotional response to provocation has seldom been investigated.
Abstract
The construct of anger is particularly relevant to correctional officers, who are expected to handle disturbances calmly, yet who must not show signs of vulnerability. The present study assessed anger among a sample of correctional officers on a self-report instrument, the Anger Inventory, as well as a measure of occupational stress, the Job-Related Tension Index, and a measure of anxiety, The State Trait Anxiety Inventory. The results indicated that correctional officers scored higher than other comparable norm groups on the Anger Inventory, suggesting that correctional officers admit to more feelings of anger when presented with provocative situations than most groups. Factor analysis of the items indicated that the officers were more angered by situations involving overt aggression, verbal aggression, and exploitation than other types of situations. Scores on the Job-Related Tension Index were high and significantly correlated with anger scores; anxiety scores, however, were not high. None of the demographic variables nor security level of the institutions could account for the variance in anger scale scores. The implications of the findings for training and professional development are discussed. (Author abstract)