Job control and occupational outcomes among prison workers

Abstract

Management studies have shown considerable theoretical development and empirical support for the proposition that giving workers an opportunity to influence decision making and to control operations results in desirable occupational outcomes. In contrast, the most widely recognized study of prison management, DiIulio's Governing Prisons, argues for a traditional management style that severely restricts prison employees' influence and control, and embodies a bureaucratic model of organization. This study tests whether, at an organizational level, job control influences prison workers' satisfaction and performance. Results from a study of 73 federal prisons support the model suggested by management studies over DiIulio's traditional model: Job autonomy and participation in decision making are associated with enhanced occupational outcomes including higher job satisfaction, stronger commitment to the institution, greater effectiveness in working with inmates, and less job-related stress.

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