Probation officer job burnout: A test of two theories

Abstract

Data from a sample of approximately 400 New York State probation officers were analyzed to test two leading theories of job burnout—Maslach's (1982) theory emphasizing client contact as the central cause of burnout and Cherniss' (1980a,b) theory, which highlights the relationship between organizational factors and burnout. Consistent with past descriptions of officer-offender interaction, the findings suggest that officers do not perceive such interactions to be stressful and, accordingly, report relatively low levels of burnout. Although the findings do not support Maslach's theory, the data appear to support Cherniss in that lack of organizational responsiveness seems to be related to burnout. Although the Maslach burnout paradigm may not be entirely relevant for probation officers, the findings do suggest several interventions to improve the job situation of officers, including greater attention to factors traditionally associated with enhancing job satisfaction, especially among newly hired workers.