published_or_final_version / Politics and Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1983. / Title from title page screen, viewed April 28, 2005. Dissertation Committee: Dale Jackson (chair), Vivian Jackson, David Franklin, Steven Cox, John Brickell. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-131) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (MA (Public administration))-University of Pretoria, 2004. / Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 194-200). Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

No description available.

For a long time, the occupation of prison correctional officer in all-male prison facilities has been held by males due to the prevailing belief that females cannot handle the stress involved with such a position. It was only recently that females were considered for line positions (direct contact). A study conducted at an all-male maximum-security prison in rural Virginia challenges that belief. Personal characteristics and social support systems were examined as buffers against this stressful occupation. Results suggest that work-related stress, as opposed to outside job stress, contributes to physical and psychological stress in male and female Correctional Officers. Intimate support was found to be an effective buffer against this work stress and women utilized and benefitted from this social support to a higher degree than the male officers. With additional mediators of stress incorporated into the workplace, women may reduce their work stress to even lower levels, thereby making them as efficient, if not more efficient than the male officers. / M.S.

Though correctional leadership issues have been approached by some, few, if any, studies have focused exclusively on the directors of the state operated juvenile and adult correctional systems, and none have focused on the topics of vision, leadership, and rehabilitation with this group. A forty-two item mail questionnaire was used to collect data from the directors of state operated adult and juvenile correctional systems in the United States. Results from this study provided answers and insights to nine research questions: (1) What is the correctional policy model of choice for directors of state correctional systems? (2) What do directors of state correctional systems perceive as the major function of the correctional system? (3) What predictions do directors of state correctional systems have regarding the future of corrections in their states? (4) What do directors of state correctional systems perceive as the major issue in corrections? (5) Do the directors of state correctional systems believe that any treatment intervention "works" with offenders? (6) By what process are directors of state correctional systems selected for their positions? (7) What do directors of state correctional systems believe is the public opinion regarding knowledge of, and support for, the criminal justice system in their state? (8) Who do directors of state correctional systems perceive as being the most influential person(s) in their state concerning correctional issues? (9) What are the similarities and differences in perceptions and opinions of directors of state adult and juvenile correctional systems regarding correctional issues? In conclusion, the correctional management and correctional academic communities were asked to consider a list of fourteen specific recommendations for enhancing correctional leadership and research.

This thesis examines the results of a hepatitis B vaccination questionnaire study that was completed by medical officers, nurses, carers of the developmentally disabled, and correctional officers in the Greater Western Sydney area of New South Wales, Australia. The main aim of the study was to contrast these four high risk occupational groups for their acceptance of hepatitis B vaccination, seroconversion status, and behavioural, attitudinal, motivational and institutional determinants of their vaccination status. The results of the thesis revealed that medical officers and nurses were the most likely to be tested and vaccinated for seroconversion, while DD carers and correctional officers had the largest number of Not Vaccinated respondents. The findings of the questionnaire are discussed in some detail. It is also suggested that groups differ in the degree of hepatitis risk anxiety they experience as well as the degree of control felt over their health status. A number of indications for personal, institutional and governmental interventions to increase vaccination levels are discussed. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Dissertation.

This study examined job satisfaction among social workers in a correctional environment. A model was derived that defines job satisfaction as an attitude based on environmental and personal factors. The purpose of this research project was to examine what factors based on the model, lead to job satisfaction within the Ministry of Public Safety and Security using the Job Satisfaction Survey (Spector, 1997). Questionnaires and surveys were sent to all social work and psychology staff employed in a correctional institution across Ontario. Results support the model that both environmental and personal factors influence the perception and assessment of job satisfaction. Overall the majority of social workers working within the Ministry reported being satisfied (M = 115.0, SD = 27.3); however, psychology staff reported greater job satisfaction (M = 137.9, SD = 21.3). For social workers, supervision, co-workers and the work itself were the factors that related to job satisfaction. Working conditions, communication, contingent rewards and opportunities for promotions were related to dissatisfaction. The proposed model offers suggestions to human service organizations that wish to improve recruiting and retention of social workers.

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationship between quality of work life and motivation of French-speaking Correctional Services Officers (CSOs) working in the Montreal area. Three hundred and forty-seven male and female CSOs (ranging from 19 to 58 years of age) working in four different provincial correctional establishments were assessed. Each participant completed an introductory questionnaire, Pelsma, Richard, Harrington, and Burry's (1989) French-translated 8-item Quality of Work Life Survey (QWL-F) and Blais, Briere, Lachance, Riddle, and Vallerand's (1993) French-translated 8-item Work Motivation Inventory (BWMI-F). Assessment of quality of work life and motivation for CSOs were analyzed with an emphasis on differences in gender and work status. Using different correlational analyses as well as multiple regressions, the findings from this inquiry indicated that motivation and quality of work life were positively correlated. Male and female CSOs reported to be more intrinsically motivated as they started their careers and became amotivated and in need of greater extrinsic rewards as they became older with greater work experience. Hence, younger and less experienced male and female CSOs would eventually become influenced by their older workmates. Female CSOs appeared to be more stressed and reported greater levels of amotivation than their male colleagues. However, female CSOs reported a greater ease in communicating their concerns and in consulting with internal and external resources. Research implications as well as study limitations are also discussed.