The Impact of Correctional Officer Perceptions of Inmates on Job Stress

Research suggests that job-related stress affects correctionalofficers’ attitudes toward their work environment, coworkers, and supervisors, as wellas their physical and mental health; however, very few studies have examined therelationship between stress and attitudes toward inmates. This study examined therelationship between correctional officers’ levels of stress and their perceptions ofinmates by surveying a sample of 501 correctional officers employed by a Southern prisonsystem. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to test the principalhypothesis of this study—that more negative perceptions of inmates would result inhigher levels of stress for correctional officers. Independent variables were groupedinto four groups (demographic variables, supervisory support, job characteristics, andattitudes toward inmates) and were entered into the model in blocks. Lower supervisorysupport and perceptions of the job being dangerous were associated with higher levels ofjob stress. More importantly, correctional officers who saw inmates as intimidated (notarrogant) and nonmanipulative reported lower levels of job stress, while officers whoperceived inmates as being unfriendly, antisocial, and cold reported higher levels ofstress