Comparing Demographic Factors, Background Characteristics, and Workplace Perceptions as Predictors of Burnout Among Community Corrections Officers

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to explore the association between demographic and background characteristics, as well as workplace perceptions that may predict burnout among two connected groups of community corrections officers. Using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, we assessed whether burnout differed between probation/parole and residential officers and analyzed whether predictors of burnout varied across these two groups. Our results indicated that while probation/parole officers were more likely to report Emotional Exhaustion, they were not any more or less likely to experience Depersonalization or Personal Accomplishment. In addition, educational training had a stronger impact for residential officers, while schedule fit was more important for probation/parole officers, when predicting Personal Accomplishment. These results not only extended the existing research on burnout but also helped inform key correctional stakeholders about what policies and practices were working well, as well as indicated potential areas of change to help minimize burnout among staff.

Secondary trauma among community corrections staff: An exploratory study

“…Unlike the burnout study (Rhineberger-Dunn et al, 2015), we found that gender and educational training were not significantly related to secondary trauma. The existing literature on secondary trauma among PPOs does not address either gender or educational training.…”

“…It is noteworthy that the results in this study show both similarities and differences when compared to studies of burnout among PPOs. Prior research on burnout among PPOs found that gender, perceptions of one's health, adequacy of educational training, adequacy of job training, schedule fit, and pay dissatisfaction were significantly related to burnout (Rhineberger-Dunn et al, 2015). The current study is similar in that we found health and job training to be important predictors of secondary trauma.…”

“…These variables are age and tenure. Other variables were chosen based on the results of a study assessing predictors of burnout with this population (i.e., position, gender, perceived quality of one's overall health, education level, primary work location, and adequacy of both educational training and job training) (Rhineberger-Dunn, Mack, & Baker, 2015). Additionally, veteran status was included because of the relationship between post-traumatic stress and secondary trauma (Figley, 1999).…”

The Impact of Individual Factors, Job Characteristics, and Organizational Variables on Job Stress and Job Satisfaction Among Community Corrections Staff

“…Then in 2005, the U.S. Department of Justice released a report on the factors influencing stress, and what could be done to mitigate it, among probation and parole officers (Finn & Kuck, 2005). Since that report came out, a few more studies have looked at the impact of job stress on other job-related outcomes (Gayman & Bradley, 2013;Lee, Joo, & Johnson, 2009;Lee, Phelps, & Beto, 2009), and two additional studies were published looking at the factors predicting job stress among community corrections staff (Pitts, 2007;Wells et al, 2006).…”

Developments and challenges in probation practice: Is there a way forward for establishing effective and sustainable probation systems?

“…2. Our community corrections staff feel over extended, exhausted and unappreciated and there is evidence that the longer their tenure in the job, the worse it gets (Rhineberger-Dunn et al, 2017). Many have also become suspicious of the value of so-called evidence informed strategies, especially when those strategies are imposed rather than allowed to germinate and grow into acceptance.…”