Making Exit Interviews Useful to a Correctional Agency

Exit interviews serve as a tool to uncover departmental characteristics and areas in which departmental change should occur,1 and they are effective in gathering information from departing employees regarding impressions and experiences in their department.2 Ultimately, the goal of using exit interview questionnaires is to obtain objective information, increase efficiency of the interview process and evaluate aspects of the department through data analysis.3 The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (DCS) contracted with the Center for Applied Psychological Services (CAPS) at the University of Nebraska at Omaha to evaluate the reasons for personnel voluntarily leaving their jobs. This project entailed evaluating the current questionnaire, analyzing data available for departing personnel and continued execution of exit interviews. The primary objective of this project was to uncover important issues that influence employees’ decisions to leave the department and to identify areas of the DCS that may require changes to improve employee retention