NCJ Number
99653
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 29 Issue: 2 Dated: (1985) Pages: 109-119
Date Published
1985
Length
11 pages
Annotation
A survey of 108 Alabama probation/parole officers revealed that several potentially alterable organizational factors had a significant impact on officers' perceptions of job stress and burnout.
Abstract
The survey questionnaire consisted of previously validated measures of job stress, burnout, role conflict, resource adequacy, participation in decisionmaking, and social support. In May 1984, it was mailed to all 125 line probation/parole officers supervised by the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles and completed by 108 officers (86.4 percent). The respondents' average age was 40.1 years. The majority were white males, married, and college graduates. Survey results indicated that the average caseload consisted of 122 offenders. Forty-nine percent of the respondents considered their job to be either very or more than moderately stressful, 37 percent reported moderate stress, and 14 percent were in the slightly or more than slightly stressful categories. Ten to 20 percent of the respondents indicated frequent feelings of burnout. Respondents reported overload, inadequate resources, and problems relating to client contact as major contributors to job stress. Tables and 28 references are included.