Overworked and Underpaid: Examining Turnover in Community Corrections

Abstract: The field of community corrections suffers from a high rate of employee turnover, which hampers its ability to address the rehabilitative needs of offenders. The aim of this study was to investigate potential factors which may contribute to employee turnover among probation and parole officers. For the purpose of this study, dissatisfaction with pay, job stress, secondary trauma, and an unsupportive organizational climate served as the independent variables, while turnover intention, the precursor to actual turnover, served as the dependent variable. Data was collected through the administration of a self-reporting survey that was sent to potential respondents via email. The subjects of this study consisted of a sample of 24 probation and parole officers within three Northern Kentucky counties (Boone, Kenton, and Campbell), collectively known as District 7 under the authority of the Kentucky Department of Corrections (DOC). Statistical analyses were conducted to determine if a significant relationship existed between any of the independent variables and the dependent variable. Results of the analyses indicated that dissatisfaction with pay had a significant, negative correlation with turnover intention