Exploring the Effects of Organizational Structure Variables on the Organizational Justice Perceptions of Correctional Staff

Research examining the effect of organizational justice on the correctional environment is typically limited to its consequences on various outcomes. Absent from this body of literature is how perceptions of organizational justice are formed among correctional staff. Filling this void and using data from a Midwestern correctional facility, the current study examines the impact of instrumental communication, integration, formalization, and input into decision-making on the distributive and procedural justice perceptions of correctional staff. With the exception of integration, all organizational structure variables were significantly related to both forms of organizational justice. These findings offer correctional administrators a low cost and practical solution for enhancing organizational justice through organizational structure.

Violence Against Incarcerated Women: Predicting Risk Through the Lens of Childhood Harm

Victimization is common inside prisons and much remains unknown about the predictors of violence against incarcerated women. A sample of 564 incarcerated women was used to examine the link between in-prison victimization, childhood (physical, sexual, and emotional) harm, and mental illness. Nearly half or more of women reported childhood harm and over one-quarter experienced in-prison victimization. Childhood harm fell into four latent classes and low sexual abuse and high abuse classes predicted resident-on-resident sexual victimization, as did single types of childhood harm. Current depressive symptoms and perceptions of overcrowding predicted physical and sexual victimization perpetrated by residents and correctional staff.

Initial SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Uptake in a Correctional Setting: Cross-sectional Study

Background The largest outbreaks of COVID-19 in the United States have occurred in correctional facilities, and little is known about the feasibility and acceptability of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine campaigns among incarcerated people. Objective The aim of this study was to describe a statewide vaccination program among incarcerated people and staff working in a prison setting. Methods Between December 2020 and February 2021, the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC) offered the opportunity for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination to all correctional staff and sentenced individuals. Two RIDOC public health educators provided education on the vaccine, answered questions, and obtained consent before the vaccine clinic day for the incarcerated group. All staff received information on signing up for vaccines and watched an educational video that was created by the medical director. Additional information regarding vaccine education and resources was sent via email to the entire RIDOC department. Results During this initial campaign, 76.4% (1106/1447) of sentenced individuals and 68.4% (1008/1474) of correctional staff accepted and received the vaccine. Four months after the first vaccine was offered, 77.7% (1124/1447) of the sentenced population and 69.6% (1026/1474) of staff were fully vaccinated. Conclusions This study demonstrates the feasibility and efficiency of vaccine implementation in a carceral setting. Education and communication likely played an important role in mitigating vaccine refusals.

Social stressors, personality andcoping behaviors associated withmale inmate violence

Purpose The purpose of this study was to expand available knowledge on predictors of male inmate violence by examining a large set of variables offered by the importation, deprivation and threat appraisal and coping theories. Design/methodology/approach A total of 465 male inmates from five medium-security prisons in Wisconsin completed surveys to report demographics, violence, personality, social stressors and healthy coping behaviors to help manage risk by identifying key factors. Findings Inmates reported more violence with the “imported” characteristics of younger age, less incarceration, no college experience and personality patterns of impulsiveness, hostility and internal locus of control. More violence was reported by inmates with social stressors experienced from family and correctional staff. Additionally, less violence was reported by inmates with more healthy coping behaviors of exercise and social support, especially from family and other inmates. Research limitations/implications One must remain uncertain about whether similar patterns of demographics, personality, social stressors and coping behaviors associated with inmate violence would be found in other US prisons. Future research can determine whether similar predictors of violence are found for women inmates and the consideration of ethnicity should be warranted when examining predictors of inmate violence. Practical implications Prison administrators can develop new programs to reduce social stressors and increase healthy coping behaviors found by this study to be significantly associated with reduced violence, exercise and social support from other inmates and family. Social implications This research recommends that educating and training correctional staff for a trauma-informed care approach is an integral part of lessening the effects of “pains of imprisonment” on inmate violence and healing the effects of trauma. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study provides the first direct comparison of social stressors from other inmates, correctional staff or family members outside the prison as possible predictors of male inmate violence.

The Keepers: Returning Citizens’ Experiences With Prison Staff Misconduct

Correctional staff play a major role in the incarceration experience for millions of U.S. adults each year. While much research has addressed misconduct perpetrated by incarcerated persons, less has systematically addressed rule-violating behavior by correctional staff and how such conduct is perceived by formerly incarcerated individuals. Using qualitative data gathered from 38 interviews with men and women recently released from prison, we examine their experiences with prison staff misconduct. Respondents shared observations of staff misconduct related to medical neglect, violence, and contraband, but experiences differed for men and women, raising concerns regarding conditions of confinement. We caution that such conduct has the potential to undermine the legitimacy of correctional authority in prison settings, which is troubling because heightened legitimacy is an important aspect of legal socialization that helps to reduce offending. Research and policy development on the frequency and consequences of prison staff misconduct is warranted.

Developing the Readiness of Correctional Officers to Act in Emergency Situations in the Context ofImplementation of the Competence-Based Approach in Educational Process

Introduction: the article analyzes possibilities and topical issues of developing the readiness of correctional officers to act in emergency situations in educational process in educational institutions, taking into account requirements of the competence-based approach. Aim: to identify problems and ways to address them in the framework of developing cadets’ readiness to act in emergency situations in penal institutions; the aim is achieved with the help of the following means: generalization of pedagogical experience in the application of the competence-based approach in education and the requirements of professional activity of penitentiary system staff; and analysis of the content of educational programs and programs of academic disciplines. Methods: theoretical analysis of the research problem, theoretical methods of formal and dialectical logic, analysis of documents and statistical data, survey, interpretation. Results: analysis of the content of educational programs implemented in educational institutions of the Federal Penitentiary Service, analysis of the requirements of professional and official activities dictated by the increased level of criminal danger of persons serving sentences in conditions of deprivation of liberty, analysis of the level of professional training of staff, analysis of the expectations of the heads of penitentiary institutions regarding the professional competence of graduates of educational institutions who are then employed as correctional staff – all this has shown the need to implement a comprehensive approach so as to form cognitive, behavioral, and motivational-value components of readiness for emergency situations, the need to supplement professional competencies that reflect the discussed readiness in relation to various specialties, and the need to conduct regular training in this area, especially in senior courses. Conclusions: in order to develop readiness in correctional staff efficiently, it is advisable to pay attention not only to the formation of cognitive and activity-based components, which are mainly focused on the content of educational disciplines, but also to the motivational and value-based components; circumstancthe formation of the readiness involves, along with the study of special disciplines, organization of psychological training of cadets, which contributes to the implementation of an integrated approach; it is appropriate to develop general professional competencein cadets that would reflect aspects of readiness to act in emergency situations regardless of the specialty obtained; it is important to update the knowledge and skills of how to act in the event of emergencies at the final stage of training. Keywords: Emergency situations; readiness for action; competence-based approach; competence; professional competencies; educational process; educational program; integrated approach

“He Acted as If He Owned Me”: An Exploratory Case Study Analysis of Correctional Staff Sexual Misconduct Against Women on Parole

While the Prison Rape Elimination Act focuses on sexual victimization in correctional settings, staff-perpetrated sexual misconduct against women under community-based correctional supervision has received little attention. This study explored women’s experiences of sexual victimization by correctional staff while on parole and used a case study approach to examine sexual victimization incidents experienced by ten women. Women described how staff’s misuse of power permeated the abuse tactics. Officers used their status to gain access to women, applied individualized tactics with promises and threats, and controlled when the abuse ended. Practices and policies are needed to build safety for women under community-based correctional supervision.

Effects of Work–Family Conflict on Southern Correctional Staff Burnout

Research examining correctional staff indicates that there are far-reaching negative consequences related to job burnout, including, but not limited to, diminished physical and mental health, increased risk of substance use, and decreased job performance. One area that may contribute to correctional staff job burnout is work–family conflict, which occurs when work and home domains spill into one another, causing conflict and problems. Using a sample of Southern correctional staff, this study investigates whether the four major types of work–family conflict—time-based, strain-based, behavior-based, and family-based—influence the three recognized job burnout dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and feeling ineffective at work. The findings provide partial support for the notion that work–family conflict influences job burnout. These findings are contextualized in previous research with a full discussion of their implications.