THE OFFICERS WERE ASKED THEIR VIEWS ON THE PROCESS OF BECOMING A CORRECTION OFFICER; THEIR DUTIES, WORK CONCERNS, AND ROLES; FACTORS INVOLVED IN MAKING ENFORCEMENT DECISIONS, IN HANDLING INMATE PROBLEMS, AND IN ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING AUTHORITY; SOURCES OF JOB DISSATISFACTION AND SATISFACTION; COPING MECHANISMS; AND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AMONG CORRECTION OFFICERS. THEIR RESPONSES WERE CORRELATED WITH DATA ON SALARY, ABSENTEEISM, AND FILING OF RULE VIOLATION REPORTS. THE OFFICERS ARE NOT A HOMOGENEOUS SUBCULTURE. THEY REPRESENT A WIDE VARIETY OF WORK STYLES AND PREFERENCE, EXPRESS STRONG AND DIVERGENT WORK CONCERNS, AND ARE NOT INCLINED TO REACT PASSIVELY TO ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVES OR TO 'CORRUPTING PRESSURES' FROM INMATES. HOWEVER, THE OFFICERS DO SHARE FEELINGS OF POWERLESSNESS, ISOLATION, AND ALIENATION, WHICH TEND TO REDUCE THEIR COMMITMENT TO THEIR OCCUPATIONS, IN SOME CASES INSPIRING ORGANIZATIONALLY DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR. NEW OFFICERS GENERALLY FIND THEIR JOBS LESS THREATENING THAN THEY HAD EXPECTED. WORK BEHAVIOR IS CLOSELY RELATED TO INDIVIDUAL CONCERNS (ACTIVITY, CONTROL OVER THE WORK SITUATION, GETTING AWAY FROM INMATES) RATHER THAN TO ADMINISTRATIVELY DEFINED GOALS. TRADITIONAL DESCRIPTIONS OF CUSTODIAL AND/OR 'CHANGE AGENT' ROLES DO NOT REFLECT THE CORRECTION OFFICER'S JOB AS HE EXPERIENCES IT. PROVIDING HUMAN SERVICES TO INMATES OCCUPIES A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR MANY OFFICERS AND CONDITIONS THEIR OUTLOOKS. ENFORCEMENT DECISIONMAKING AMONG CORRECTION OFFICERS IS SIMILAR TO THAT FOUND AMONG POLICE, WITH SITUATIONAL FACTORS AND PERCEPTIONS OF INMATE ATTITUDES WEIGHING HEAVILY IN THE DETERMINATION OF WHEN AND HOW TO DEAL WITH OBSERVED RULE VIOLATIONS. THE OFFICERS PERCEIVE THE LEGITIMACY OF THEIR AUTHORITY IN TERMS OF THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH INMATES RATHER THAN IN TERMS OF POWER DERIVED FROM THE STATE OR THEIR UNIFORMS. JOB DISSATISFACTION, WHICH IS RELATED TO ABSENTEEISM, DERIVES PRIMARILY FROM PERCEPTIONS OF ADMINISTRATIVE INCONSISTENCIES AND FEELING OF POWERLESSNESS. THE OFFICERS' PRIMARY CONCERN IS STRIVING FOR CONTROL OVER THEIR WORK SITUATION. IN MANY CASES, OFFICERS WHO FAIL TO DERIVE REWARDS FROM THE ORGANIZATION TURN TO THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH INMATES AS A SOURCE OF PERSONAL SATISFACTION. THE FINDINGS POINT TO THE NEED FOR JOB ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS FOR CORRECTION OFFICERS AND FOR MORE COLLABORATION BETWEEN OFFICERS AND ADMINISTRATORS. A LITERATURE REVIEW, SUPPORTING DATA, SURVEY INSTRUMENTS, AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)