Status, Longevity, and Perceptions of the Work Environment among Federal Prison Employees

Abstract

This study examines how employees who are distinguished by status and longevity experience organizational life within the institutions of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Staff perceptions of the work environment are measured on seven dimensions - authority and structure, supervision, BOP satisfaction, institution satisfaction, job satisfaction, personal efficacy, and job-related stress- using the Prison Social Climate Survey, an annually administered inventory. Psychometric analyses and properties of the inventory are discussed. In contrast to what one might expect given the negative themes generally found in the literature, this study discovered widespread satisfaction with their work environments among employees working in Federal prisons. Staff who have frequent contact with inmates, those working in custody positions, and those with longer tenure generally have lower opinions of the work environment of Federal prisons. Conversely, individuals who have supervisory responsibilities have more positive views. The implications of these findings are discussed.

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