[Aggression and mobbing among correctional officers].
BACKGROUND
The paper addresses the issue of violence among correctional officers. The aim of the study was to assess the frequency of exposure to violence in this professional group.


METHODS
The study comprised the sample of 222 correctional officers who voluntary and anonymously fulfilled the MDM questionnaire. The MDM Questionnaire allows for assessing exposure to aggression and mobbing at work.


RESULTS
Preliminary assessment of exposure to single aggressive acts and mobbing shows a quite alarming tendency--around one third of subjects under the study experienced repetitive aggressive acts from coworkers and/or superiors.


CONCLUSIONS
The problem of organizational aggression in correctional institutions should be recognized in details to develop effective preventive measures against violent behaviors occurring at work.
Merecz-Kot
Dorota
D
Zakład Psychologii Pracy, Instytut Medycyny Pracy im prof. J. Nofera, Lódź. merecz@imp.lodz.pl
Cebrzyńska
Joanna
J
D000374:Aggression; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D015279:Organizational Culture; D011044:Poland; D016495:Police / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011330:Prisons / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017132:Workplace / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data