Janet L. Mullings

Work-related stress and coping among correctional officers: Implications from organizational literature

Abstract Using self-report data from a sample of correctional officers at a medium security prison, this article examines two questions. First, are there similarities in the particular sources of stress for correctional officers and those described in the organizational literature as sources of stress among employees of other organizations? Second, given the particular sources of stress identified, what are the most effective coping mechanisms utilized by correctional officers? The analysis reveals that correctional officers experience many of the same organizational level stressors as those identified within the broader occupational literature, as well as those unique to their profession. Additionally, correctional officers appear to utilize personal coping mechanisms for successfully reducing overall levels of job stress. Those same coping mechanisms, however, do not appear to mediate the effects of organizational sources of stress. The findings support the inclusion of the broader occupational literature on stress and coping in correctional officer stress research. Additionally, the findings suggest the need for administrators of correctional facilities to develop resources to assist officers in dealing with stress.

In Between Adolescence and Adulthood Recidivism Outcomes of a Cohort of State Delinquents

This research examines the recidivism outcomes of 2,436 serious, violent, and chronic youth released from a juvenile correctional system. This group of state delinquents was followed for 5 years after their release to parole as they made the transition to young adulthood. Results of the analysis revealed that 85% of state delinquents were rearrested at least once in the follow-up period, and nearly 80% were rearrested for a felony. Generally, males, those younger at first contact with the juvenile justice system, those with a greater number of felony adjudications, gang members, institutional dangers, those in poverty, and those with mental health issues were significantly more likely to recidivate. The analyses indicate that the factors that would explain recidivism for male state delinquents may differ for female state delinquents. This article concludes with a discussion of policy implications specific to this highly select but disproportionately problematic group of delinquent offenders.

Exploring the Relationship Between Alcohol Use, Childhood Maltreatment, and Treatment Needs Among Female Prisoners

Objective. This study examined the relationship between child maltreatment and adult alcohol dependency among a sample of newly incarcerated female prisoners. Method. This secondary data analysis utilized information gathered through face-to-face interviews with female inmates at intake (N = 1198) within the Texas prison system from 1998 to 1999. Results. Using DSM-IV criteria we found that, among women who reported drinking at least 10 drinks in the last year, 40% scored as alcohol dependent. Bivariate findings revealed that women who were alcohol dependent were also more likely to have grown up in disorganized family situations, including parental drug and alcohol use-related problems, childhood neglect, and childhood physical and sexual abuse. As adults, these women were far more likely to have utilized mental health services and substance user treatment programs. Supportive of Widom and colleagues (), multivariate analyses revealed that childhood neglect (not physical or sexual abuse) was a significant predictor of alcohol dependency. Finally, among the alcohol dependent group, 62% indicated a willingness to participate in substance user treatment programs. Conclusions. These findings emphasize that childhood neglect is related to long-term negative consequences in the form of alcohol use related problems in adulthood. Our findings strongly point to the need for improved screening, assessment procedures, and programming for women prisoners.

Examining the effect of work-home conflict on work-related stress among correctional officers

The purpose of this study was to explore two questions: (1) What is the contribution of work-home conflict to work-related stress among correctional officers? and (2) What role does gender play in understanding the contribution of work-home conflict to work-related stress among correctional officers? The findings supported the prediction that work-home conflict is an important contributor to work-related stress for females. The analysis, though tentative, also suggested that males experience work-home conflict but experience its effect at home, rather than work.

Assessing the relationship between child sexual abuse and marginal living conditions on HIV/AIDS-related risk behavior among women prisoners

OBJECTIVE There were two aims in this research. First, to examine the relationships between childhood sexual abuse and HIV drug and sexual risk taking behaviors among female prisoners, and second, to examine the relationship between a marginal adult living context and HIV drug and sexual risk taking behavior among female prisoners. METHOD The data were collected through face-to-face interviews with a random sample of 500 women at admission to prison in 1994. Differences between women who were sexually abused while growing up (n = 130) were compared to women who reported no sexual abuse (n = 370) along various demographic, and HIV drug and sexual risk taking dimensions. RESULTS A history of sexual abuse while growing up was associated with increased sexual risk taking behaviors in adulthood. A marginal adult living situation also emerged as an important factor increasing the risk for HIV infection. Examining the co-occurrence of both childhood sexual abuse and adult marginal living context revealed a strong relationship between these two factors and HIV risk taking activities. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate that childhood sexual abuse may be a predictor for HIV sexual risk taking behaviors among incarcerated women. The marginal and chaotic adult living style of these women was also associated the extent of their HIV drug and sexual risk taking behaviors. Our research suggests that the co-occurrence of sexual victimization and marginality is a stronger predictor of HIV risk than each variable alone.

Violent Women Findings From the Texas Women Inmates Study

Prior research on violent crime by female offenders is reviewed. A Texas female prisoner sample is used to explore specific questions raised by the literature review. Violent and nonviolent offenders were compared, looking specifically at race, socioeconomic status, having been raised in single-parent homes, criminal history, gang membership, marital status, and childhood abuse. Findings indicated that women who are violent were more likely to be younger, African American, unemployed, and having extensive criminal histories. They were more likely to come from dysfunctional families with childhood abuse. Limitations of the study were noted.

Sexual Assault in Prison and Beyond Toward an Understanding of Lifetime Sexual Assault Among Incarcerated Women

Although several studies have examined consensual sexual activity in female correctional institutions, there has been little research conducted on in-prison sexual assault among incarcerated females. The present study examines 436 female inmates in a large Southern prison system and explores demographic characteristics as predictors of sexual victimization. Of the women in the sample, 68.4% reported lifetime sexual victimization, and 17.2% reported in-prison sexual victimization. Consistent with previous research, 3.0% of the entire sample reported being the victim of a completed prison rape. Significant demographic predictors were revealed for lifetime sexual victimization but not for in-prison sexual victimization. Implications for correctional policy based on research findings are discussed.

Drugs and Criminality

Abstract The imprisonment rate for women has been increasing for over fifteen years, exceeding that of men for this time period. Research indicates that women sentenced to prison are not significantly more violent or dangerous than in years past, and that a large portion of newly admitted prisoners are incarcerated for drug crimes. This is especially true for women compared to men. This study examines 1999 self-report data from 1,198 newly admitted female prisoners in Texas to assess relationships between childhood and adult characteristics and drug use, as well as the relationship between drug use and type of crime. Findings reveal that women prisoners with drug problems have extensive histories of

Exploring the Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse and Its Impact on HIV/AIDS Risk-Taking Behavior among Women Prisoners

This study examines contextual measures of childhood sexual abuse and their relationship to HIV/AIDS riskbehavior s using a sample of 1,198 newly admitted female prisoners in 1998-1999. Analyses revealed that sexually abused prisoners were more likely to have experienced childhood neglect, come from one-parent families, and had parents with drug and/or alcohol and psychiatric problems. Sexually abused women reportedly engaged in more high-riskdrug and sexual activities than nonabused counterparts. Additionally, inmates involved in risk-taking behaviors were more likely to have prior prison incarcerations. The findings suggest that prison-based programs are needed to assist women prisoners, especially those sexually abused as children.

Health risk as an emerging field within the new penology

Abstract It is persuasively argued that a new vision of penology is emerging based on offender classification techniques in which offenders are rationally distributed into groups according to the degree of control warranted by their risk profiles. This article extends the concept of risk within the new penology framework to include health risk. Data from female prisoners showed that many of the women in the sample had at one time in their lives acquired sexually transmitted diseases, had engaged in high-risk sexual activities, and drug taking behavior. Community health agents and social workers will emerge as control agents to supervise prisoners in the free community with public health risk profiles.