Male and Female Prison Environments: Gender's Effect on Performance and Retention Among Female Correctional Officers

• In Event: Posters I

Abstract

The environment a person performs their job in influences performance and retention. The working environments within correctional facilities are no exception. The way employee gender impacts job performance has been featured in previous studies -- from how male and female correctional officers handle their jobs, to how each respond to inmates (Hurst & Hurst, 1997; Savicki, Cooley, & Gjesvold, 2003). However, few studies have examined how male and female prison environments create employee stress and burnout. This study suggests research methods to compare the environments in male and female prisons to determine if there is a connection between the working conditions of each and the levels of stress and burnout that female correctional officers experience over time.

Author

• Samantha Epstein, Nova Southeastern University