NCJ Number
249600
Journal
Justice Quarterly Volume: 32 Issue: 6 Dated: November 2015 Pages: 1037-1063
Date Published
November 2015
Length
27 pages
Annotation
This study examined 929 correctional officers in about 40 institutions to determine whether criteria for fairness, leadership style, and officer and institutional characteristics influenced officers' perceptions of procedural justice.
Abstract
A substantial body of prior research has demonstrated the significant positive effect of organizational procedural justice on institutional policy compliance; however, research on the antecedents of organizational procedural justice is just beginning to emerge in the criminal justice literature. Due to the potential for institutional deviance and the importance of rule adherence among individuals in positions of authority, the current study investigated correctional officers' procedural justice perceptions. Results from hierarchical linear regression indicate that the ability to have a say in decisions, a sense that institutional rules are impartial, and perceptions that management leads through motivation and encouragement significantly increased correctional officers' perceptions of procedural justice. Implications and directions for future research are discussed. (Publisher abstract modified)