The independent variables used in the study were classified as either institutional or non-institutional. Institutional variables were those which were prison-specific, including an officer's custody orientation, rank, years of service, security level, and career experience. Non- institutional factors included in this study included age, education, marital status, and family size. The findings showed that institutional variables were associated with correctional officers' professional alienation; they reflected a social environment which made the officers' work difficult and stressful. The author recommends that correctional administrators recruit older and less custody-oriented correctional officers, allow officers to have input into the administration of the prison, update training methods, and expand the correctional officer's role. 5 notes and 29 references