Improving Correctional Staff Perceptions of Organizational Justice

Authors

• Eric G. Lambert, University of Nevada, Reno
• Jennifer L. Lanterman, University of Nevada, Reno
• Matthew Leone, University of Nevada, Reno
• Linda D. Keena, University of Mississippi
• Stacy H. Haynes, Mississippi State University
• David C. May, Mississippi State University

ORCID

Haynes: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1408-9291; May: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8275-6773

MSU Affiliation

College of Arts and Sciences; Department of Sociology

Creation Date

2026-06-01

Abstract

The current study explored how three key work environment variables–input into decision-making, instrumental communication, and perceived quality of supervision–affected views of distributive and procedural justice among correctional staff (n= 322) at an unusual Southern prison. Results supported the premise that work environment variables influence the organizational justice perceptions of correctional staff; however, the effects of work environment on organizational justice perceptions differed, as only four of the six hypotheses were supported by the multivariate regression results. Specifically, input into decision-making and quality of supervision had positive effects on both distributive and procedural justice, while instrumental communication did not have a statistically significant relationship with either. The findings indicate that correctional administrators should focus on input into decision-making and quality of supervision in order to increase staff perceptions of organizational justice.

Publication Date

10-15-2020

Publication Title

Corrections: Policy Practice and Research

Publisher

Taylor and Francis Group; Routledge

First Page

97

Last Page

118

Recommended Citation

Lambert, E. G., Lanterman, J. L., Leone, M., Keena, L. D., Haynes, S. H., & May, D. (2023). Improving Correctional Staff Perceptions of Organizational Justice. Corrections, 8(2), 97–118. https://doi.org/10.1080/23774657.2020.1832625