Correctional Officer Stress and Prison Management: Does Stress Alter Rule Enforcement Modus Operandi?

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ABSTRACT Although many studies have examined the consequences of prisoner stress for prison social order, few studies examine the implications of officer stress for prison order. Theory and logic suggest that officer stress may have consequences analogous to prisoner stress by way of undermining practices for maintaining social order in prisons. Results from survey data of 471 correctional officers in Texas and Massachusetts suggest that officer stress is associated with decreased rule enforcement of minor infractions – a potential process through which stress leads to institutional apathy. Secondary analyses suggest that this apathy effect does not vary across officer types when we group them by baseline strictness. This kind of research is critical for understanding how, in an era of high rates of incarceration paired with high levels of dissatisfaction and turnover, prison conditions and the experiences of officers influence their interactions with prison residents.