NCJ Number
202970
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 30 Issue: 5 Dated: October 2003 Pages: 602-619
Date Published
October 2003
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the experiences and effects of harassment in correctional officers.
Abstract
This study attempted to assess the contribution of harassment to burnout, experienced stress, and organizational commitment of female correctional officers. The first hypothesis was that female correctional officers would experience more harassment than male officers. It is also hypothesized that harassment would add to the prediction of burnout, organizational commitment, and experienced stress in female officers. It was expected that work pressure and supervisory style would also add to each of these predictions and will be the main predictors of burnout, organizational commitment, and experienced stress for male officers. Correctional officers (144) and their supervisors (45) from 1 State and 3 county medium-security correctional facilities in the Pacific Northwest volunteered to complete the anonymous research measures. There were 129 males and 60 females. In general, the data supported the hypotheses. Gender differences were not present for overall level of job-related stress (hassles), ratings of supervisory style, perceived work pressure, or organizational commitment. Women were found to be lower in depersonalization. The clearest gender difference was that female correctional officers perceived more harassment than male officers. The patterns of organizational conditions related to emotional exhaustion and to depersonalization were different for men and women. Work pressure was important in most cases. The low use of the reward supervisory style was important for men but harassment and coercive supervisory style were important for women. The patterns of organizational conditions related to organizational commitment were completely different for men and women. The patterns of organizational conditions related to hassles were different for men and women. It is clear that harassment, and especially gender-based harassment, is much higher for female than for male correctional officers. Harassment is viewed as a more significant contributor to levels of perceived stress, and harassment plays a greater role in reducing organizational commitment and in increasing intentions to leave for women. 38 references