Corrections Officer Turnover at Marquette Branch Prison During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors

  • Amanda Bonesteel Northern Michigan University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47611/jsr.v11i4.1750

Keywords:

Corrections, Marquette Branch Prison, COVID-19, Turnover, corrections officers

Abstract

During the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses and organizations saw significant turnover rates, and in the field of corrections, the situation was no different. This case study will review and interpret the work environment factors that led to the resignation of corrections officers at the Marquette Branch Prison between April 1, 2020, and April 1, 2022, as there was a significant increase in resignations as well as violent assaults on employees during this time. The objective of this study is to explore the perspectives and experiences of resigned corrections officers to identify the reasoning behind their resignations and to suggest possible strategies to reduce turnover rates, improve employee working conditions, and improve the well- being of corrections officers at Marquette Branch Prison. This project is significant because it gives corrections officers who left their jobs a chance to talk about their experience, identify factors that lead to poor working conditions and decreased employee well-being, and it allows for suggestions of ways to improve work environment conditions, job satisfaction, and employee wellness. There are few similar studies available, and this will be the first research that looks at turnover at a specific prison facility during the COVID-19 pandemic. Marquette Branch Prison is a large employer in its community, and understanding the effect that its work environment has on employeeswho are community membersand their families is essential.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References or Bibliography

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022, April 18). Correctional officers and bailiffs: Occupational outlook handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor

Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective- service/correctional-officers.htm

Cornelius, Gary. (2022, April 20). Fallout: The stress of “working short” in corrections. Lexipol.

https://www.lexipol.com/resources/blog/fallout-the-stress-of-working-short-in- corrections/

Denhof, M. D., & Spinaris, C. G. (n.d.). Prevalence of trauma-related health conditions in correctional officers: A profile of Michigan

corrections organization members. 37.

Desmet, P., & Fokkinga, S. (2020). Beyond Maslow’s pyramid: Introducing a typology of thirteen fundamental needs for human-centered

design. Multimodal Technologies and Interaction, 4(3), 38. https://doi.org/10.3390/mti4030038

Fritz, C., Hammer, L. B., Guros, F., Shepherd, B. R., & Meier, D. (2018). On guard: The costs of work-related hypervigilance in the

correctional setting. Occupational Health Science, 2(1), 67–82. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41542-018-0010-z

Hughes-Taylor, K. (2021). Correctional officers’ response to stress: An exploration of the associations between violence and trauma

exposure, coping mechanisms, and PTSD. [University of Louisville]. https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/3618

Indeed Editorial Team. (2020, September 25). Herzberg’s motivation two-factor theory: How to use it to motivate employees. Indeed

Career Guide. Retrieved June 28, 2022, from https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/herzberg-theory

Jackson, A. (2020, October 26). COVID-19 sickens hundreds of prisoners, staff in northern Michigan. Detroit Free Press. Retrieved March

, 2022, from https://eu.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/10/26/marquette-branch-prison- coronavirus-

outbreak/5990001002/

Kurt, S. (2021, March 31). Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory: Two-factor. Education Library. https://educationlibrary.org/herzbergs-

motivation-hygiene-theory-two-factor/

Lambert, E., & Paoline, III, E. A. (2005, July). The impact of medical issues on the job stress and job satisfaction of jail staff.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258180899_The_impact_of_medical_issues_on

_the_job_stress_and_job_satisfaction_of_jail_staff

Luke Barr, Pierre Thomas. (2019, October 17). Correctional officer suicides in 2019 tied for most in a single year: Union president [News].

ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/correctional-officer-suicides-2019-tied-single-year- union/story?id=65828169

Marquette Branch Prison. (n.d.). Michigan.Gov. Retrieved June 3, 2022, from https://www.michigan.gov/corrections/prisons/marquette-

branch-prison

MasterClass Staff. (2020, November 8). A guide to the 5 levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

MasterClass.Com. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-the-5-levels-of- maslows-hierarchy-of-needs#quiz-0

National Institute of Corrections Information Center. (2019, December 6). Correctional officer suicide annotated bibliography. National

Institute of Corrections. https://nicic.gov/correctional-officer-suicide-annotated-bibliography

Nickerson, C. (2021, November 16). Herzberg’s motivation theory (Two-Factor Theory). Simply Psychology.

https://www.simplypsychology.org/herzbergs-two-factor-theory.html

Post-Traumatic Stress. (n.d.). Cohen Veterans Bioscience. Retrieved May 18, 2022, from https://www.cohenveteransbioscience.org/post-

traumatic-stress/

Public Radio 90. (n.d.). Marquette branch prison. WNMU-FM. Retrieved May 30, 2022, from https://www.wnmufm.org/tags/marquette-

branch-prison

Vickovic, S. G., & Morrow, W. J. (2020). Examining the influence of work-family conflict on job stress, job satisfaction, and organizational

commitment among correctional officers. Criminal Justice Review, 45(1), 5–25. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734016819863099

Published

03-09-2023

How to Cite

Bonesteel, A. (2023). Corrections Officer Turnover at Marquette Branch Prison During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Student Research, 11(4). https://doi.org/10.47611/jsr.v11i4.1750

Issue

Section

Research Projects