NCJ Number
145142
Journal
Justice Quarterly Volume: 10 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1993) Pages: 315-337
Date Published
1993
Length
23 pages
Annotation
Results from a survey suggest that corrections officers may attain greater job satisfaction through human services- related duties and responsibilities.
Abstract
Data were obtained through questionnaires returned by 428 correctional program officers (CPO's) and 118 correctional service officers (CSO's) in Arizona. The CPO's, whose jobs are more human services-oriented and less custody-oriented than are those of the CSO's, showed a significantly greater sense of authority over prisoners, lower levels of role strain, and greater overall job satisfaction. Perceived authority over prisoners had a positive effect on job satisfaction among CPO's but not among CSO's. Role strain had a negative effect among CSO's. Intrinsic rewards were important to both groups but had a greater effect on CPO's. Since all officers start out as CSO's and may become CPO's upon request and if qualified, it may be said that CPO work attracts types of corrections officers who are already well-suited to performing human services-duties. 2 tables, 6 footnotes, and 41 references