Effects of Occupational Stressors on Jail Staff Job Satisfaction

• NCJ Number: 205912
• Journal: Journal of Crime and Justice Volume: 27 Issue: 1 Dated: 2004 Pages: 1-32
• Author(s): Eric G. Lambert; K. Michael Reynolds; Eugene A. Paoline III; R. Cory Watkins
• Date Published: 2004
• Length: 32 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the effects of work stressors and demographic characteristics on the job satisfaction of jail staff.

Abstract

Despite the fact that the United States has more than 3,300 jails and employs over 200,000 jail staff, little research has been conducted on jails and their staff. While there is a growing body of research on correctional staff in general, most studies have been conducted in adult prisons. Jails differ in many ways from prisons and thus, direct study of jail staff is needed. The current study examined the effects of role conflict, role ambiguity, dangerousness, and incentive and pay-related factors on jail staff job satisfaction. Participants were 1,062 staff members of the Orange County Corrections Department who were surveyed regarding job satisfaction, occupational stressors, role ambiguity, perceived dangerousness of the job, attitudes toward mandatory overtime requirements, and demographics. Results of statistical analyses revealed that role ambiguity had the greatest effect on job satisfaction of all the variables examined. Jail employees appeared to prefer clearly defined roles and expectations for their duties. Pay perceptions and incentive programs both exerted significant influences on job satisfaction. Results of an analysis of a subsample of non-supervisory jail officers did not find a significant relationship between pay and job satisfaction, although job ambiguity exerted the same influence over non-supervisory officers as it did for the entire sample. Mandatory overtime policies had a significant effect on job satisfaction only among non-supervisory staff, while the perceived dangerousness of the job had a significant impact on jail staff job satisfaction in general, but not among a subsample of jail officers. Finally, role conflict did not have a significant impact on job satisfaction. These findings have several policy implications, which include a well-placed focus on role ambiguity among jail staff. The findings of this study should only be generalized to other large jail systems; thus future research should focus on replicating the findings of this study in jails of different sizes. Tables, notes, references