To Stay or Quit: A Review of the Literature on Correctional Staff Turnover

• NCJ Number: 195208
• Journal: American Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 26 Issue: 1 Dated: Fall 2001 Pages: 61-76
• Author(s): Eric G. Lambert
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 16 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Literature Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article discusses the different forms of correctional staff turnover.

Abstract

Turnover, the severing of employment ties with an organization, appears to be a significant problem in the field of corrections. The level of turnover is an important indicator of the effectiveness and efficiency of an organization. Staff turnover disrupts the social networks, contacts, and communication lines that have become established over time. Reducing staff turnover in these times of tightening budgets and growing inmate populations should be a top priority for correctional administrators. There is limited empirical research concerning the correlates of turnover among correctional staff, especially correctional officers. The antecedent variables can be grouped into the general areas of personal characteristics, work environment, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. A brief literature review revealed that there is little consistency in how turnover is measured and very little guidance and concrete direction for future inquiry. Future researchers should approach the study of correctional staff voluntary turnover in a more systematic and comprehensive manner. A comprehensive and inclusive research model is needed to help managers design grounded interventions aimed at reducing voluntary employee turnover. The six general areas include turnover intent, alternative employment opportunities, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, work environment forces, and employee characteristics. This article has attempted to provide a framework for understanding correctional staff turnover. The next step is to test the model across different correctional settings and agencies. While the proposed model concentrates on just correctional staff voluntary turnover, it may carry implications for many other staff-related problems that correctional administrators currently face. 75 references