Working conditions and Quality of work: reflections for a study of judicial professions

The interest and concern for conditions and (un)safety at work have a long tradition at European level. The theoretical-scientific debates, which expanded throughout the twentieth century, contributed to the presentation of a conception of working conditions related to the way workers perceive, experience and perform their work. In this sense, the concept of working conditions encompasses the physical and environmental dimensions and incorporates the demands imposed by the work processes, as well as the cognitive dimension of their work. In other words, it encompasses the way work is performed and framed and its repercussions in terms of worker health and safety. Judicial professionals have a recognized highly demanding working environment and belong to one of the most vulnerable to occupational stress and burnout professional category. However, studies on this subject are scarce and relatively new. This paper aims to discuss the judges and public prosecutors' working conditions evaluation instruments and dimensions by reviewing empirical research from different disciplinary areas from the last 40 years.