The study was prompted by the between contrast theoretical and empirical management studies that support job control and DiIulio's Governing Prisons, the most widely recognized prison management study. DiIulio argues for a traditional management style that severely restricts employees' influence and control and embodies a bureaucratic model of organization. The current research examined organization-level effects rather than specific effects and outcomes for individuals. The data came from 73 Federal prisons in which the Federal Bureau of Prisons surveyed staff members in 1994. The survey gathered information on employees' perceptions about the workplace. Responses came from 8,115 of the 9,228 individuals who received questionnaires. Results supported the model suggested by management studies over DiIulio's traditional model. Job autonomy and participation in decisionmaking were associated with enhanced occupational outcomes, including higher job satisfaction, stronger commitment to the institution, greater effectiveness in working with inmates, and less occupational stress. Tables and 45 references (Author abstract modified)