Motives for Becoming a Correctional Officer - CANCELLED

• In Event: Correctional Officer Roles

Abstract

The occupational profile of a correctional officer is characterized by numerous challenges, such as shiftwork, work on public holidays, dealing with often difficult and dangerous inmates, or critical incidents. In addition, little is known in the public about the factual tasks of the officers and there are often misconceptions.
The research project examines the question of what motivates young men and women to apply for the profession of a correctional officer despite these challenges. As a part of the application process for the prison system in the federal land of Baden-Wuerttemberg/Germany, since 2023 all participants in these processes were asked to fill a questionnaire and to assess the subjective relevance of given motives. About 500 completed questionnaires are available for analyses.
The results show that the needs for occupational change, a secure job perspective, and working in a team are in the foreground. Differences in terms of age, gender and previous professional experience of the applicants are found. In addition to the importance of the results for the further recruitment of correctional officers there is also a relevance for maintaining their work motivation.

Authors

• Joachim Obergfell-Fuchs, Academy for Correctional Officers Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany

• Bernadette Schaffer, Academy for Correctional Officers Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany