Dissertation
SEEKING HUMANITY AND FREEDOM: AN EXAMINATION OF PRISON WORK ENVIRONMENTS & MATURE COPING IN INCARCERATED WORKERS
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
01/2020
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/111104
Abstract
Work has taken place in prison environments throughout the history corrections in the United States. Literature on work in prisons usually frames it as a positive means to keep incarcerated individuals busy, teach vocational skills, and maintain prison operations. While research has examined prison environments for incarcerated individuals, no studies have directly examined incarcerated worker perceptions of their work environments. Additionally, research on positive environments or niches (Toch, 1977) within prison have not been linked to measures of intermediate positive change. One concept for measuring intermediate change is mature coping (Johnson, 2002; Johnson, Rocheleau, & Martin, 2016). However, a comprehensive operationalized and validated measure of mature coping has not yet been established.
This research addresses the gap in the literature on incarcerated worker perceptions of their work environments and experiences and analyzes the relationship between those perceptions of the work environment and individual levels of mature coping. A mixed method approach was utilized to examine these questions. Surveys of incarcerated workers (n=607) were conducted containing scale measures of work environment, organizational culture, work social
support, work satisfaction, and mature coping. These survey results were analyzed using regression models to examine the connections between perceptions of work, work satisfaction, and mature coping. Interviews with incarcerated workers (n=127) were also conducted and analyzed for themes to further examine incarcerated worker perceptions of work, work environments, and the connection to mature coping.
This study found that prison work environments can function as positive niches within the larger prison setting when they possess the characteristics of a positive work environment, organizational culture social support, and positive levels of incarcerated worker satisfaction. Additionally, the study found a positive relationship between these positive environments and individual levels of mature coping in incarcerated workers. Implications from these findings as well as policy recommendations and recommendations for future research are discussed.
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Details
- Title
- SEEKING HUMANITY AND FREEDOM
- Creators
- Courtney Grace Bagdon-Cox
- Contributors
- Faith E Lutze (Advisor)Zachary K Hamilton (Committee Member)Amelie Pedneaut (Committee Member)Robert Johnson (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Criminal Justice and Criminology, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 175
- Identifiers
- 99900581611001842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation