Role Conflict in Correctional Supervision

• NCJ Number: 221588
• Journal: Acta Criminologica Volume: 20 Issue: 4 Dated: 2007 Pages: 85-95
• Author(s): H. S. Ntuli; V. I. Khoza; J. M. Ras; P. J. Potgieter
• Date Published: 2007
• Length: 11 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: South Africa
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Annotation

This study examined how correctional supervision officers adapted to the two different role dispositions that of law enforcer and social worker under the community-based sentences of probation and parole.

Abstract

A sample of 91 correctional supervision officers in KwaZulu-Natal convincingly supported the law enforcement style of supervision and the social worker-role. Having expressed a positive attitude towards balancing community safety with offenders’ needs and preference, some respondents were inclined towards integrating the conflicting roles of law enforcer and social worker through the adoption of a synthetic officer-role orientation. It is recommended that a broader survey be conducted to more accurately establish the true impact of role conflict in correctional supervision and that multivariate statistical techniques be applied to enhance reliability and validity. Role conflict appears to be omnipresent in probation and parole, and is brought about by perceived discrepancies between the two main functions of correctional supervision: (1) to “enforce” conformist behavior to legal or institutional requirements relating to supervision, which is referred to as the law enforcement role, and (2) to provide a social service to probationers, which is also known as the social worker role. This study focused on an empirical assessment of role conflict in community correctional supervision amongst supervision officers employed by the Department of Correctional Services at three different correctional centers in KwaZulu-Natal. The study assessed respondents’ perceptions, attitudes, and preferences with regard to various statements pertaining to supervisory roles associated with correctional supervision. Appendix, references