NCJ Number
174671
Journal
American Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 21 Issue: 2 Dated: Spring 1997 Pages: 213-229
Date Published
1997
Length
17 pages
Annotation
Survey data from a random sample of Florida correctional probation officers focused on the impact of job-related stress and job satisfaction on officers' inclinations to quit their jobs.
Abstract
A packet that contained a letter of explanation, instructions, and the four-part questionnaire was delivered to a 60-percent random sample of 340 field probation officers in a 14- county area of central and southwest coastal Florida. Only 186 complete, usable questionnaires were returned. The questionnaire's first section contained nine items that addressed work experience and demographic information. The dependent variables were the two inclination-to-quit items. The questionnaire also included 24 job-related stress items, and the final component of the questionnaire contained all 36 items of Spector's (1985) job satisfaction scale. The method of analysis was ordinary least squares multiple regression. The responding probation officers indicated moderately elevated levels of job- related stress and job dissatisfaction. Job satisfaction was significantly and inversely related to probation officers' inclinations to quit, and job-related stress was indirectly related to such inclinations. The policy implications of these findings are discussed. Because of study limitations, the findings are presented as exploratory. 4 tables and 28 references