NCJ Number
2007
Date Published
1965
Length
112 pages
Annotation
THE PROBLEMS SURROUNDING TENURE AND TURNOVER OF CORRECTIONS OFFICERS AND STAFFS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA ARE EXAMINED.
Abstract
THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY WAS TO SUPPLY BASIC DATA ON STAFF TURNOVER, A RECOGNIZED PROBLEM IN CORRECTIONS WORK HERETOFORE INSUFFICIENTLY DOCUMENTED. THE EXTENT AND CHARACTER OF STAFF TURNOVER WERE EXAMINED FOR WARDENS IN 69 STATE PRISONS AND REFORMATORIES AND IN 24 FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES. IN CANADA, THE TURNOVER AND TENURE OF WARDENS WERE INVESTIGATED IN 12 FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL CORRECTIONS INSTITUTIONS. CUSTODIAL OFFICER TURNOVER WAS STUDIED FOR 21,529 EMPLOYEES OF 129 STATE PRISONS AND REFORMATORIES IN THE UNITED STATES DURING 1961. THE SOURCES OF DATA WERE PRISON SERVICE RECORDS FOR WARDENS AND OFFICERS. U.S. STATE WARDENS STUDIED NUMBERED 630 BETWEEN 1905 AND 1955, AND THE CANADIAN RECORDS SUPPLIED A ROSTER OF 101 WARDENS COVERING A PERIOD RANGING FROM 25 TO 127 YEARS, DEPENDING ON THE INSTITUTION. ANALYSIS OF DATA ON WARDENS IN STATE INSTITUTIONS REVEALED THE AVERAGE TIME IN OFFICE TO BE 5.3 YEARS AND THE ANNUAL AVERAGE TURNOVER RATE TO BE 17.8 PER 100 WARDSHIPS. WARDEN TENURES IN FEDERAL REFORMATORIES RANGED FROM AN AVERAGE OF 3.7 YEARS TO 11.3 YEARS FOR A WOMEN'S REFORMATORY. INSTITUTIONS FOR YOUTH OFFENDERS DISPLAYED THE HIGHEST WARDENSHIP TURNOVER RATE, WHILE PENITENTIARIES HAD THE LOWEST. IN CANADA, THREE WARDENS IN THE SAME INSTITUTION SERVED LESS THAN 1 YEAR, WHILE FIVE WARDENS SERVED MORE THAN 20 YEARS. THE STUDY REVEALED A TURNOVER RATE OF CUSTODIAL OFFICERS AMOUNTING TO 25 PER 100 EMPLOYED. COMPARISONS BY STATE SHOWED TENNESSEE WITH THE HIGHEST AND ALABAMA WITH THE LOWEST TURNOVER RATE. REASONS FOR THE HIGH EMPLOYEE TURNOVER IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS INCLUDE UNPLEASANT WORKING CONDITIONS, INADEQUATE HOUSING FACILITIES, UNDESIRABLE PRISON LOCATIONS, INMATE DISORDERS, AND POLITICAL CHANGES. SUGGESTIONS FOR REDUCING THE TURNOVER RATE INVOLVE CAREFUL ANALYSIS OF EXISTING CONDITIONS, IMPROVED FRINGE BENEFITS, BETTER HIRING AND TRAINING APPROACHES, AND AVOIDANCE OF OUTSIDE POLITICAL INTERFERENCE. THE SALARIES OF WARDENS AND CUSTODIAL OFFICERS ARE ALSO ANALYZED. TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. A LIST OF PENITENTIARIES, PRISONS, AND REFORMATORIES AND AN INDEX OF NAMES ARE APPENDED.