NCJ Number
79306
Journal
Criminal Justice Review Volume: 5 Issue: 2 Dated: (Fall 1980) Pages: 57-65
Date Published
1980
Length
9 pages
Annotation
The nature and extent of the linkage between prison guards' professionalization and their cynicism, role conflict, and work alienation are assessed.
Abstract
Professionalization of custodial staff is frequently advanced as crucial to minimizing status distinctions among corrections workers; reducing social distance; and eliminating the conflict that generates cynicism, role conflict, and work alienation among prison guards. To examine the relationship between professionalization and work adjustment, data were obtained from the responses of 179 guards working in two custody-oriented correctional institutions for adult males. Self-administered questionnaires were completed and returned. To measure professionalism, the Hall (1968) professionalism scale as revised by Snizek (1972) was used. The professionalism factors involved were (1) sense of calling to the field, (2) belief in self-regulation, (3) belief in public service, and (4) belief in autonomy. Cynicism was measured by a modified form of Niederhoffer's (1967) police cynicism scale, role conflict was determined by responses to a four-item Likert scale, and work alienation was measured by responses to a four-item Likert scale designed to tap subjects' feelings of dissociation from the prison organization. Findings support the contention that commitment to a professional ideology lowers cynicism, role conflict, and work alienation among correctional officers. Sense of calling to the field emerged as the most important dimension affecting all three criterion variables. Policy implications of the findings are discussed. Instruments used in the study are appended, and tabular data and 16 references are provided.