Charles A. Lindquist

Correctional Officer Job Burnout: A Path Model

A path model of job burnout among correctional officers from a southern state is examined. The analysis shows that direct contact with inmates is not distressing; however, administrative practices are bothersome to officers. The findings may be interpreted as supporting the recently advanced double-bind theory of correctional officer stress (Cheek and Miller, 1983)—which ascribes officer distress to administrative practices—and/or being consistent with street-level bureaucracy theory (Lipsky, 1980), which attributes worker distress to managerial control strategies. Implications for intervention are discussed.

Determinants of probation and parole officer professional orientation

Abstract Sources of probation and parole officer professional orientation (attitudes toward offenders and toward interaction with offenders) were analyzed using a recently developed instrument: the Klofas-Toch measure. A review of the literature suggested that certain individual-characteristic and organizational-condition variables might be considered as determinants of orientation. Although regression analysis showed that little of the variation was explained, participation in decisionmaking appeared to be an important determinant of officer orientation, and officers were high on rehabilitation orientation and low on punishment.

Job Stress and Burnout among Probation/Parole Officers: Perceptions and Causal Factors

Perceptions and causes of job stress and burnout among a representative population (N= 108) of Alabama probation/parole officers responding to a survey instrument were subject to analysis. After examining reported levels of job stress and burnout, findings were compared to those from other studies. Multiple regression procedures were then utilized to identify significant predictors. Results indicated that a number of potentially alterable, organizational factors had a significant impact on officer perceptions; accordingly, several intervention strategies are offeredfor consideration.

Correctional Officers as Parole Officers: An Examination of a Community Supervision Sanction

Developed largely in response to prison overcrowding, Alabamas Supervised Intensive Restitution (SIR) program provides for the early release of selected inmates to the community under the supervision of correctional officers. Focusing on job stress, burnout, and job satisfaction, the perceptions of these quasi-parole officers were compared to those of two samples of institutional corrections officers and to those of a sample of probation/parole officers. Results showed that this natural experiment in job enrichment had an exceptionally positive impact on the SIR officers. Even though the program was designed as a control strategy, the SIR officers reported high levels of satisfaction regarding assisting offenders; on some measures, these quasi-parole officers had significantly more positive scores than the sample of probation/parole officers. After dealing with the issue of a possible Hawthorne effect, several implications of the results for correctional policy are offered.

Graduate Education in ‘Conventional’ Criminalistics: A Proposal and Reactions

‘Conventional’ criminalistics is defined in this study as: firearms and toolmark examination, microscopic examination of glass, soil, hair and fibers, fingerprint analysis and questioned documents examination. Since pre-employment access to graduate education programs and training opportunities in these conventional areas has traditionally been quite limited, a new graduate education model for conventional criminalistics was developed and presented to the membership of ASCLD for reaction. Based on a 51.8% response rate (N = 177) to a survey instrument, it was found that laboratory directors generally supported the model and believed that it could be appropriately linked to the 100 or so new hires projected annually by the directors for the conventional areas over the next five years.

Ambiguity and conflict in sentencing research: Partial resolution through crime-specific analysis

Prior research on factors influencing sentence severity has produced ambiguous findings. To resolve some of this ambiguity, a crime-specific approach to data analysis is proposed and tested. The research sample consists of 468 convictions resulting from 619 indictments for the crimes of murder, rape, aggravated assault, and robbery. Independent variables examined include seven offender and case-processing characteristics. The dependent variable, sentence severity, is measured first as a dichotomous variable (probation or prison) and then as an interval variable (prison-sentence length). After determining that crime type explains a significant proportion of the total variance in sentence severity, the dependent variables are then regressed on the variable list. Four regressions are performed for each dependent variable; the first analysis uses all cases in the sample, while the remaining analyses focus separately on the crimes of murder, assault, and robbery. The research indicates that the aggregate and crime-specific analyses produce substantively different results, both in terms of the factors found to influence sentence severity and the total amount of variance explained. Findings demonstrate the utility of crime-specific analysis.

Research Experience and Future Criminalists

With research as its distinguishing characteristic, graduate education in the United States provides the philosophical foundation which, when properly focused, may prepare future criminalists to address significant problems in and advance successfully the practice of criminalistics. Graduate research is the source of much of the knowledge explosion responsible for many state-of-the-art forensic science techniques. In particular, the discoveries and other contributions made by forensic science researchers at universities have been abundant. Graduate research experiences exemplify one of the means proposed to accomplish goals through the encouragement of creative problem solving ability. The paper includes examples of questions confronting criminalistics with emphasis on the ways the graduate research process may contribute to piloting the profession through transition with sensitivity and understanding.

Criminalistics in the curriculum: Some views from the forensic science community

Criminalistics courses are found in the undergraduate curriculum of many criminal justice degree programs. This paper represents an assessment of these courses in terms of both their educational appropriateness and their relationship to crime laboratory employment. On the basis of responses from a national survey of crime laboratory directors, serious reservations exist about the educational appropriateness of these courses. It is clear that the completion of an array of criminalistics courses will not qualify graduates for laboratory employment. Several suggestions are offered in response to the survey findings.

Guards released from prison: A natural experiment in job enlargement

Abstract To provide a ‘relief-valve’ for prison over-crowding, the Alabama Department of Corrections instituted a program for the community supervision of selected inmates by correctional officers. Since these officers were placed in a role very similar to that of parole officers, a condition akin to a natural experiment in job enlargement took place. Accordingly, it was hypothesized that officers in this program would report more positive attitudes and/or perceptions regarding personal accomplishment, professional orientation, and job satisfaction than two representative samples of institutional officers and probation/parole officers, respectively. Analysis supported the hypothesis and indicated that officers in the program enjoyed providing human services to offenders. Since no convincing evidence of a Hawthorne effect was found during a follow-up study conducted one year later, several implications of the study for expanding the correctional officers role in providing human services within the prison environment are presented for consideration.

Factors Influencing Sentences for Violent Offenses: An Exploratory Comparison of Crime-Specific and Undifferentiated Research Strategies

To resolve some of the ambiguity and conflict found in existing research on factors influencing sentence severity, a comparative analysis of sentences (N = 468) receivedfrom afullpopulation sample offelony indictments (N = 619)forfour violent offenses was undertaken. Variable frequency distribution and correlation with several measures of severity were examinedfor all offenses (undifferentiated) and then for each specific crime category. Results indicated that undifferentiated analysis, which represents the approach most frequently used in sentencing research, obscured important correlations and yielded others that were not present within any specific crime category; correspondingly, a number of the significant correlations produced by crime-specific analysis were of greater strength.