The Attitudes of Navy Corrections Staff Members: What they Think About Confinees and their Jobs
Abstract
This research assessed the attitudes of staff members assigned to Navy correctional facilities prior to assuming their duties and after 3 years on the job, and investigated the effects of organizational characteristics on job satisfaction and other relevant attitudes. Prior research has shown that correctional officers who have positive attitudes toward confinees and a treatment approach to corrections are most effective in retraining confinees. A questionnaire combining items from previously published instruments with items developed for this effort was designed and administered to approximately 1,700 Navy enlisted personnel serving as staff members at correctional facilities. Newly-assigned staff members were found to express more positive attitudes toward confinees and to endorse a more treatment oriented approach to corrections after receiving training for the assignment than they expressed prior to training. However, members of a longitudinal sample who participated in a third assessment after 3 years on the job were found to express attitudes more similar to the pretraining level. The effect of organizational characteristics on job satisfaction and attitudes toward confinees was assessed in conjunction with the third administration of the questionnaire. Organizational factors which had the greatest effect on job satisfaction were the feedback received and perceived managerial effectiveness. A positive and significant relationship was found between job satisfaction and attitudes toward confinees. Staff members who responded in a positive way about their overall job satisfaction indicated greater positive regard for confinees and a greater belief in confinees' ability to change. Corrections, Retraining, Organizational climate, Job satisfaction.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA276520
Entities
People
- Amy Rudolph
- Elyse W. Kerce
- Paul Magnusson