Participative Management and Correctional Personnel: A Study of the Perceived Atmosphere for Participation in Correctional Decision Making and its Impact on Employee Stress and Thoughts About Quitting

• NCJ Number: 169148
• Journal: Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 25 Issue: 5 Dated: (1997) Pages: 397-408
• Author(s): R N Slate; R E Vogel
• Date Published: 1997
• Length: 12 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A survey of 486 employees of seven correctional institutions in the southeastern United States gathered information on the perceptions of correctional officers regarding their participation in decisionmaking and the relationship between organizational stress, physical stress, and thoughts about quitting the job.

Abstract

The participants represented a purposive sample from correctional institutions selected on the basis of their diversity of security levels. One private institution was included to ensure a diversity of management styles. A structural model was developed that included six of the 25 independent variables considered and reduced the sample size to 424 cases. Results revealed that the model explained 31 percent of the variation and that as employee participation increased, physical and occupational stress decreased. Thoughts about quitting were associated with higher levels of physical stress, occupational stress, and the perception of a negative atmosphere for participation. Findings support the use and development of participatory management programs in corrections. Figure, tables, note, and 89 references (Author abstract modified)