Shannon M. Barton

THE IMPACT OF JOB SATISFACTION ON TURNOVER INTENT: A TEST OF A STRUCTURAL MEASUREMENT MODEL USING A NATIONAL SAMPLE OF WORKERS

Abstract For the past century, worker turnover has been of keen interest for both managers and researchers. Based upon the literature, a structural measurement model incorporating four core antecedents of turnover (i.e., demographic characteristics, work environment, job satisfaction, and turnover intent) was developed and tested using a national sample of American workers. The results indicate that the work environment is more important in shaping worker job satisfaction than are demographic characteristics, and that job satisfaction is a highly salient antecedent of turnover intent. Finally, job satisfaction is a key mediating variable between the work environment and turnover intent.

The missing link between job satisfaction and correctional staff behavior: The issue of organizational commitment

Over the past twenty years, several empirical studies have examined the consequences of job satisfaction among correctional staff. When looking at worker behavior in other disciplines, though, it is commonplace to include both job satisfaction and organizational commitment. However, very few studies about correctional staff behavior include both concepts. This paper discusses job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and addresses the link between these concepts as it relates to correctional staff attitudes and behaviors. Further, a discussion of measurement issues and recommendations for future research is presented.

The impact of work-family conflict on correctional staff job satisfaction: An exploratory study

Correctional staff job stress has grown dramatically as a result of the increase in inmate populations, legal interventions, and competing ideologies. A wealth of literature has been published on correctional staff job stress. This literature, however, has failed to address the impact of work-family conflict on correctional staff job satisfaction. A survey, administered to correctional staff at a midwestern prison, reveals that role ambiguity and work-on-family conflict have a significant negative effect on correctional staff job satisfaction, while family-on-work conflict does not. Implications are discussed.

The Nature of Work-Family Conflict among Correctional Staff: An Exploratory Examination:

Work in corrections is generally seen as a stressful occupation. There has been a fair amount of research to date on the possible causes of stress among correctional staff. Nevertheless, the issue of work-family conflict has not received much attention in the correctional literature. For the present article, a survey of correctional staff at a Midwestern prison was conducted in order to determine the effects of measures for educational level, gender, work position, race, and supervisory status. Four different forms of work-family conflict were extracted (time-based, strain-based, harm caused by, and family-on-work), and time-based and strain-based were found to be significantly related to personal characteristics. Specifically, correctional officers were impacted by work-family conflict more than other staff, as were staff who had less tenure and those without a college degree.

A test of Lundman’s organizational product thesis with data on citizen complaints

Applying Lundman’s organizational product thesis in explaining citizen complaints against police use of excessive physical force, the current study tests several hypotheses with a national data set. Tobit regression analyses of the data show that Lundman’s thesis is partially supported. Both organizational behavior and organizational characteristics are important covariates of the complaint rate against police use of excessive physical force. Although generalization is limited, police departments need to actively recruit more mature persons into the police force, reinforce field training officer programs, and continually provide more in‐service training programs for its members if they are serious in reducing citizens’ complaints.

Public Support for Drunk-Driving Countermeasures: Social Policy for Saving Lives

In recent years, calls have gone out for increased certainty and severity of criminal punishment as a means to reduce or control drunk driving. A number of scholars, however, have suggested that alternative policies, which address drunk driving as a public health issue rooted in social institutions, would be more effective in reducing the prevalence of and damage done by drinking drivers. The question remains as to what approaches the public will support. Based on a community survey, this study found that the public endorsed reducing drunk driving through legal deterrence and rehabilitation, but that citizens also were willing to support several socially based interventions.

The impact of job stress, job involvement, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment on correctional staff support for rehabilitation and punishment

Past studies that have examined correctional staff support for rehabilitation and punishment policies have produced conflicting results. Most studies have focused on personal characteristics including age, gender, job position, tenure, education, marital status, prior military service, and race. To expand the area of inquiry and assess the potential antecedents of the work environment regarding correctional staff support for inmate rehabilitation or punishment, this study examined the impact of job stress, job involvement, and organizational commitment on staff attitudes toward the rehabilitation or punishment of inmates. Our findings indicated that job involvement and organizational commitment positively influenced correctional staff support for rehabilitation policies; however, job stress and job satisfaction did not have a significant effect on correctional staff attitudes towards either punishment or rehabilitation.

The forensic science needs of law enforcement applicants and recruits: A survey of Michigan law enforcement agencies

Many colleges and universities offer forensic science courses ranging from a single introductory class to majors. Previous research has not addressed how valuable these courses are to undergraduate criminal justice students who aspire to enter the law enforcement field. A random sample of law enforcement agencies in Michigan were surveyed. Seventy-eight percent of respondents agreed that knowledge of forensic science was important and 46% preferred that applicants have a forensic science background prior to hiring. The knowledge areas deemed most important were interviewing techniques, crime scene documentation, evidence collection, and latent fingerprint analysis.

Willingness to shoot: Public attitudes toward defensive gun use

A survey of 539 residents of Cincinnati is used to examine the willingness to use guns in self-defense against crime. Support for using deadly force against lawbreakers is largely contingent upon the threat of physical harm. In contrast to previous research, firearm owners and non-owners do not differ in their willingness to shoot offenders or in their support for using violence for defensive purposes. Such findings question the distinctiveness of these two groups. Support for firing at criminals, however, did have a cultural component. Willingness to shoot is positively related to childhood socialization into a gun culture and to holding violent attitudes. It also is positively related to the belief that crime is rising, perceived risk of victimization, being nonwhite, and being male.

Differences in Forensic Science Views and Needs of Law Enforcement: A Survey of Michigan Law Enforcement Agencies

A survey of Michigan law enforcement agencies was undertaken in order to determine their forensic science views and needs, and if they differed by size, type of law enforcement agency, and location. Most ranked forensic science as very important in criminal cases, and about half had specific officers or units dedicated to the collection of evidence. Most sent the evidence to a state crime lab. For applicants and new recruits, the knowledge areas deemed most important were interviewing techniques, crime scene documentation, evidence collection, and latent fingerprint analysis. Latent evidence, evidence collection, crime scene documentation, and interviewing techniques were ranked the most important areas to be covered in training seminars.