NCJ Number
114142
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 52 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1988) Pages: 48-58
Date Published
1988
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This questionnaire survey examined perceptions of occupational stress held by 202 Federal probation and pretrial services officers and 50 of their supervisors in 11 western States.
Abstract
Officers reported being more stressed by work conditions over which they had some locus of control (those related to themselves or their local offices) than by external organizational or system-centered stressors. The most intense stressors reported were unnecessary paperwork, insufficient time, uncertainty about retirement benefits, low mileage reimbursements, family responsibilities, and financial worries. As a group, supervisors overestimated the impact of stressors on officers, this was particularly true of female supervisors. Women, both officers and supervisors, reported higher levels of perceived stress, while men generally reported more depersonalized behavior toward clients. Occupational burnout scores were lowest for officers under age 30 and highest for those age 41 to 50. However, burnout appeared to be a function of seniority rather than age. Compared to officers, supervisors showed lower levels of burnout. Perceived stress also was lower among officers who had participated in a stress management program. Stressors such as value conflicts, officer-manager conflict, and workplace support variables had little impact. Implications for officers and managers are discussed. 2 tables and 45 references.