Exploring How Workplace Factors Are Associated With Role Strain Among Jail Staff: A Replication And Expansion Study

Keywords

formalization; input into decisions-making; instrumental communication; jail staff; role strain; social support

Abstract

Role strain has many negative outcomes. While the majority of role strain research has focused on its effects, this study explored possible antecedents of role strain among staff at a large, urban Southern jail in the United States. Based on regression analysis of survey data, instrumental communication, views that policy is followed, input into decision-making, formalization, and supervisory support each had significant negative effects on role strain. Administrative support and positive relations with coworkers, however, had nonsignificant effects. Jail administrators should attempt to reduce role strain by creating clear structure of job duties and expectations (formalization), providing staff with a greater organizational voice (input into decision-making), explaining the importance of organizational policies being followed and how they benefit staff, improving the flow of critical information about job and organizational matters (instrumental communication), and training supervisors about how to provide support to their subordinates and reward them for doing so (supervisory support).

Publication Date

7-1-2018

Publication Title

Criminal Justice and Behavior

Volume

45

Issue

7

Number of Pages

1008-1027

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1177/0093854818780480

Socpus ID

85048191291 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85048191291

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