I Might Be a Goody Two-Shoes, but at Least I Have a Job! An Examination of the Correlates of Following Institutional Rules Among Texas Prison Guards

Abstract

ABSTRACT For prisons and jails to run effectively and efficiently, correctional officers need to follow institutional policies and rules. Failure to follow the rules could lead to deviant acts of officer-on-inmate brutality, inappropriate staff-inmate relationships, as well as a variety of other unprofessional behaviors that could undermine the prison regime. In this exploratory study, we collected 501 questionnaires from prison officers in Texas to examine the dynamics of rule-following. Using the job demands-resources model to guide in the interpretation of our analyses, we found that older officers, as well as female officers, were significantly more likely than their peers to follow institutional rules. Officers with high levels of family and supervisor support were also likely to follow the rules; however, respondents who experienced role strain were significantly less likely to adhere to agency policies and procedures. Our findings have important implications for the contemporary management of prisons and jails.