A Comparison of Line and Supervisory Officers and the Impact of Support on Commitment to the Prison Organization

Abstract

With the increasing number of studies examining work outcomes among prison staff, it is surprising that little attention has been paid to corrections officers who hold supervisory positions. Using multivariate analysis of survey results from 2,302 corrections line officers and 369 supervisors employed in one Western prison system, this study examined the conditioning effect of supervisory status on an officer’s reported commitment to the organization. The results suggest that compared with line officers, supervisory officers experience significantly higher levels of commitment to the prison organization. Less variation was found in the manner and magnitude of the effects of individual-level variables (gender, race, age) and work environment variables (organizational support, hostile work environment, quality of supervision, coworker support) on organizational commitment for both groups. The findings provide insight into the importance of officers’ perceived sources of support and the need to encourage organizational commitment within an arguably difficult work environment.

Examining the Influence of Work–Family Conflict on Job Stress, Job Satisfaction, and Organizational Commitment Among Correctional Officers

“…Similar to previous research, the current study explores the relationship of time-based and strain-based WFC on job stress, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment while controlling for key control variables. This study adds to the WFC literature by including the control variables quality of supervision, perceived dangerousness, role strain, job autonomy, and organizational support, which research suggests are significant predictors of job stress, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment (see Dowden & Tellier, 2004; Griffin & Hepburn, 2005; Hogan et al, 2006; Lambert, 2004; Lambert et al, 2002b; Schaufeli & Peeters, 2000; Vickovic & Griffin, 2014). Additionally, job stress is used as a control variable in the model predicting job satisfaction, and both job stress and satisfaction are included in the model predicting organizational commitment.…”

Attitudes Toward Punishment, Organizational Commitment, and Cynicism: A Multilevel Analysis of Staff Responses in a Juvenile Justice Agency

“…Organizational commitment refers to the strength of an individual’s bond or identification with an organization (Mowday, Porter, & Steers, 1982). Committed employees experience less role conflict/ambiguity, and demonstrate a greater acceptance of the goals and values of the organization (Stazyk et al, 2011; Vickovic & Griffin, 2014). Moreover, commitment to an organization influences an employee’s job performance, absenteeism, and tenure/longevity with the organization (Vickovic & Griffin, 2014).…”

“…Committed employees experience less role conflict/ambiguity, and demonstrate a greater acceptance of the goals and values of the organization (Stazyk et al, 2011; Vickovic & Griffin, 2014). Moreover, commitment to an organization influences an employee’s job performance, absenteeism, and tenure/longevity with the organization (Vickovic & Griffin, 2014). For instance, in Matz, Wells, Minor, and Angel’s (2013) study of juvenile detention workers, staff with greater commitment and job satisfaction were less likely to express intent to leave their jobs.…”

Examining Correctional Officers’ Fear of Victimization by Inmates: The Influence of Fear Facilitators and Fear Inhibitors

“…Administrators should develop means to promote and enhance relationships among officers and staff to develop a stronger culture of community and a sense of organizational commitment. This is not only important for creating stronger perceptions of safety and security but also because perceptions of officer safety influence aspects of culture and climate including perceptions of fairness, compliance, job stress, job satisfaction, and correctional philosophy (Baker et al, 2014; Camp, 1994; Dowden & Tellier, 2004; Lambert et al, 2002; Stichman & Gordon, 2014; Taxman & Gordon, 2009; Vickovic & Griffin, 2014). The development of direct and indirect approaches to increase relationships between various correctional personnel is critical to maintaining a committed workforce and meeting organizational goals.…”