Beyond fairness: explaining incarcerated people’s willingness to cooperate with correctional officers

Understanding what drives incarcerated individuals’ willingness to cooperate with correctional officers is central to effective prison management and rehabilitative outcomes. Using survey data from 365 incarcerated persons across five Minnesota Department of Corrections prisons, this study examines how perceptions of procedural justice, legitimacy, well-being, and other personal and institutional factors shape willingness to cooperate with staff. Multivariate analyses indicate that perceptions of procedural justice and legitimacy are the strongest predictors of willingness to cooperate. When officers provide opportunities for voice, demonstrate neutrality, treat individuals with dignity and respect, and act with trustworthy motives, they strengthen perceptions of legitimacy, which partially mediates the relationship between procedural justice and willingness to cooperate. However, willingness to cooperate is not explained solely by procedural justice and legitimacy. Several individual and situational characteristics, including violent misconduct rates, race, physical wellness, and life outlook, exert meaningful influence after accounting for procedural justice and legitimacy. These findings demonstrate that while fair and legitimate treatment play central roles in fostering willingness to cooperate, cooperation is also shaped by individual, interpersonal, and institutional factors. A more holistic correctional approach should promote procedural justice and legitimacy while also supporting incarcerated persons’ well-being and addressing factors that may independently influence cooperation.