Correctional Officer Strain and the Emergence of Deviant Behavior at Work

Despite a considerable body of research examining the effects of strain on crime and deviance, relatively little is known about how workplace strains experienced by correctional officers contribute to their deviance at work. In this study, we examine whether specific sources of strain are associated with deviant behavior at work in the form of deviance toward others (i.e. coworkers, incarcerated people) and acts against the prison institution itself. A sample of 474 correctional officers employed within two state correctional systems (Massachusetts and Texas) is used to assess these relationships. The results suggest that when correctional officers encounter strains specifically tied to the job (e.g. negative interactions with incarcerated individuals, a lack of support from the administration, and emotional stress at work), they engage in more types of deviant behavior while at work. Findings also highlight those strains that are more likely to result in social deviance (acts targeting incarcerated people and coworkers) versus institutional deviance (acts targeting the institution). Policy implications are discussed.