UTAH - DIVISION OF CORRECTIONS - CORRECTIONAL OFFICER TURNOVER AT THE UTAH STATE PRISON

• NCJ Number: 58859
• Author(s): J CAMPBELL
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: Utah Dept of Corrections
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE TURNOVER RATE FOR CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AT THE UTAH STATE PRISON FROM DATA COLLECTED BETWEEN 1974 AND 1977 IS ANALYZED; RECOMMENDATIONS TO REDUCE THE RATE ARE HIGHLIGHTED.

Abstract

THE TURNOVER RATE FOR CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AT THE UTAH STATE PRISON IS NEARLY TWICE AS HIGH AS THAT FOR STATE EMPLOYEES GENERALLY. DATA COLLECTED OVER A 4-YEAR PERIOD INDICATED THAT 74 PERCENT OF THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS RESIGNED VOLUNTARILY, 11 PERCENT RETIRED NORMALLY, 6 PERCENT LEFT FOR HEALTH REASONS, 5 PERCENT RETIRED FOR MEDICAL REASONS, AND 4 PERCENT WERE DISMISSED. MORE THAN HALF OF THE EMPLOYEES WHO TERMINATED THEIR EMPLOYMENT DID SO BEFORE COMPLETING 1 YEAR. AGE WAS NOT A FACTOR IN COMPARISON OF THOSE WHO LEFT AND THOSE WHO DID NOT; MARRIED OFFICERS WERE MORE LIKELY TO LEAVE THAN SINGLE OFFICERS. A VARIETY OF REASONS WERE GIVEN FOR TERMINATING EMPLOYMENT INCLUDING WORKING CONDITIONS, LACK OF PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND THE PROBLEMS SHIFTWORK CREATED FOR THE FAMILY. TO REDUCE THE TURNOVER RATE IT IS SUGGESTED THAT CORRECTIONAL OFFICER SELECTION AND PERSONNEL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES BE REASSESSED, AND THAT PROMOTIONAL ASPECTS OF THE JOB AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE ADMINISTRATION BE CONSIDERED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)