The role of emotional dissonance and job desirability in predicting correctional officer turnover intentions

Correctional officers represent the most important component of penitentiaries, as they are required to regulate prisoner conduct and establish safety within the prison. Recent literature, however, reveals that many officers resign from their position shortly after being hired. Although extant literature has found a number of variables to significantly impact officer resignation intentions, including pay dissatisfaction and poor supervisory evaluations, no study has yet evaluated the influences of emotional dissonance and job desirability in predicting this outcome. Survey data collected from a statewide population of officers are used to examine the impact of these specific variables in predicting officer turnover intentions. While emotional dissonance did not have as influential an impact as originally hypothesized, officer evaluations of job desirability instead exhibited a positive and highly significant connection. To reduce officer turnover, prison administrators should improve officer working conditions, provide them some emotional outlets, and make this profession more attractive.