Correctional officer attitudes toward inmates and discretionary rule enforcement: A study of professional orientation

Discretionary decision making plays an important role in the criminal justice system. This study addresses the issue of discretionary rule enforcement by correctional officers. The Klofas-Toch Measure of Professional Orientation was used to measure the attitudes toward inmates held by 74 correctional officers at the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women. Factor analysis with varimax rotation suggests the existence of three attitude scales. Human Service Orientation is a preference for rehabilitation activities beyond the traditional custody role. Social Distance is a preference for low social distance between officer and inmate. Attitude toward Rule Enforcement is a preference for strict rule enforcement. Only the Social Distance attitude scale predicted the filing of charges. Officers who prefer a close, trusting relationship with inmates file a smaller total number of charges and a smaller number of minor charges than officers who do not want a close, trusting relationship. Trusting officers also file a lower total number of guilty charges and a lower number of guilty minor charges. Officer education and total years of correctional service predicted Social Distance. The higher the level of education, the more an officer distrusts inmates and wants to maintain a high level of social distance between officer and inmate. The result is less discretionary rule enforcement and the filing of charges as a method of maintaining control. The more years of service an officer has, the greater the preference for a close, trusting relationship with inmates and more of a reliance on discretionary rule enforcement with filing of fewer charges. Officer race had no effect on charge categories. Race of the inmate had a direct effect on one charge category. White inmates were less likely to be found guilty of charges. Major charges were not predicted by any variable. Discretionary rule enforcement only effects the total number of charges filed and the number of minor charges filed. The rule of law appears to govern the filing of major charges. Limitations of the study are discussed.