NCJ Number
189002
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 26 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2001 Pages: 1-3,22,23
Date Published
May 2001
Length
5 pages
Annotation
As a factor in correctional staff stress, this article examines work-family conflict, which occurs when these two areas of a correctional employee's life are not compatible; this imbalance causes conflict that can spill over into both the work and familial environments, leading to stress.
Abstract
There are two aspects of work-family conflict: work-on-family conflict and family-on-work conflict. Work-on-family conflict occurs when the employee brings problems and stress home from work that affect the quality of social and family life; for example, correctional officers who have been insulted by inmates may go home and take out their frustrations on family members. Family-on-work conflict occurs when family conflict and crises impact job performance and behavior; for example, correctional officers who are going through divorces may take out their emotions and frustrations on inmates, and staff members who are having problems with their children may be more argumentative and harsher with juvenile offenders. Providing a supportive work environment that recognizes the importance of employees' family and social lives could help reduce work-on-family conflict. Correctional facilities, for example, should allow for more flexible use of annual leave to help staff meet important family and social events. Training and counseling are important means of addressing behavior based work-on-family conflict. Interventions for family-on-work conflict must be developed. These interventions, such as employee assistance programs, would provide assistance for dealing with family conflict and crises. Also, correctional agencies should allow employees time off to address family problems and conflict. 27 references