A Test of Job Demands-Resources Theory: Organizational Citizenship Behavior in a Carceral Setting

Abstract

Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), or behavior that goes above and beyond the call of duty, is believed to lead to a better functioning organization. The goal of this article was to examine workplace factors that may be associated with OCB among correctional officers using existing scholarship and the job demands-resources theory as a framework. Understanding how to foster OCB in correctional officers, in an era of high levels of dissatisfaction and turnover, is critical for creating a well-functioning prison agency. A sample of correctional officers from Texas and Massachusetts were surveyed for the current study ( n = 442). Initial findings indicate some support for the applicability of job demands-resources theory to OCB. Specifically, both leadership support (β = .28, p < .001) and coworker support (β = .12, p < .01) were significantly and positively associated with OCB.