Prison staff's perceptions of procedural justice in English and Welsh prisons: A quantitative study

Abstract

AbstractThis study aimed to develop a measure of procedural justice (PJ) perceptions for prison staff, and used this to explore perceptions. A measure of PJ perceptions was created, which had good reliability and validity. Exploration of PJ perceptions found that male, older, more experienced and disciplinary staff held significantly less positive PJ perceptions. Positive PJ perceptions were associated with improved staff motivation and commitment, reduced stress, reduced sickness, and a more positive orientation towards prison residents. Better staff PJ was also associated with better prison residents’ PJ. The importance of ensuring staff feel that their workplace is fair is discussed.