Occupational stress: a comparison of male and female correctional officers

Abstract

For a long time, the occupation of prison correctional officer in all-male prison facilities has been held by males due to the prevailing belief that females cannot handle the stress involved with such a position. It was only recently that females were considered for line positions (direct contact). A study conducted at an all-male maximum-security prison in rural Virginia challenges that belief. Personal characteristics and social support systems were examined as buffers against this stressful occupation. Results suggest that work-related stress, as opposed to outside job stress, contributes to physical and psychological stress in male and female Correctional Officers. Intimate support was found to be an effective buffer against this work stress and women utilized and benefitted from this social support to a higher degree than the male officers. With additional mediators of stress incorporated into the workplace, women may reduce their work stress to even lower levels, thereby making them as efficient, if not more efficient than the male officers.