The ambiguous and contradictory nature of the directives given by superiors combined with the weakening of authority over inmates have contributed to role stress among prison guards. In a recent ethnographic study of guards, it was noted that officers attempt to resolve role stress through an increased commitment to their custodial duties. This study posits that an indirect effect of role stress management via an intensified commitment to custodial functions will be to increase the rate of disciplinary responses of guards, since an increased emphasis on custody predisposes guards to be more vigilant in their surveillance of inmates. Role stress was measured by responses to a 6-item Likert scale designed to refelct the extent subjects perceived uncertainty or ambiguity about their job expectations and performance. Custody orientation was also measured by a 4-item Likert scale. Independent variables were education, correctional experience, role stress, and custody orientation. Findings showed that role stress, education, and correctional experience directly affect a commitment to custodial functions. As role stress increases, custody orientation increases, and guards attempt to minimize the ambiguity in their role by emphazing their primary tasks of security and control. As correctional experience increases, so does the emphasis on custodial functions. Lastly, increased education among guards lowers their adherence to a custodial orientation. Thus, commitment to a custody orientation controls what guards perceive as well as how they respond to that perception. Notes, a diagram, and 17 references are given.