NCJ Number
132104
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 35 Issue: 1 Dated: (Spring 1991) Pages: 73-81
Date Published
1991
Length
9 pages
Annotation
Sources of occupational stress are identified for 106 line level correctional officers at Kentucky correctional institutions.
Abstract
A self-administered questionnaire included 100 items assessing stress in the workplace, coping mechanism, demographic information, and social support systems both at work and at home. Officers with more education and experience reported greater job satisfaction, and, to a lesser extent, officers with high levels of peer support were also more satisfied with their jobs. In examining the effects of coping mechanisms and social status on work stress, the data disclosed that officers with greater peer support tended to be more satisfied with their jobs, however, supervisory, family, community, and peer support had no significant influence on reducing work stress. Yet peer support was found to increase work stress. Previous research findings indicated that peer support was positively related to increases in work stress. Because this contradicted theoretical assumptions about the ability of support systems to offer coping mechanisms for stress, the methodological precision of assessing the index used to measure peer support was examined. The findings indicated that while peer support has been used as a reliable indicator, it well may be an invalid one when measuring work stress. 1 note, 2 tables, and 25 references (Author abstract modified)