IMPROVING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS IN CHIANGMAI PROVINCE

Abstract

Correctional officers play a pivotal role in the final stage of the criminal justice process, bearing responsibility for both rehabilitating inmates and maintaining institutional order under persistent resource constraints. This research aimed to 1) Examine the levels of operational efficiency, work-related factors, and the working environment; 2) Investigate the factors influencing operational efficiency; and 3) Propose strategies for enhancing the operational efficiency of correctional officers in Chiang Mai Province. A mixed-methods research design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from 206 operating correctional officers across four correctional units through proportional stratified random sampling, while qualitative data were obtained through in-depth interviews with 8 purposively selected key informants (two per unit) who held a senior professional-level position or higher with at least five years of service. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, multiple regression analysis, and thematic content analysis. The results revealed that 1) Operational efficiency ( = 4.19) and work-related factors ( = 3.80), including all individual dimensions, were rated at a high level, whereas the overall working environment ( = 3.45) was rated at a moderate level, particularly regarding physical conditions and working time; 2) Work-related factors and the working environment jointly predicted operational efficiency at 44 percent with statistical significance at the .01 level, with recognition (β = .458) and organizational policies, regulations, and administrative management (β = .274) exerting significant positive effects; and 3) Strategies for enhancing operational efficiency include strengthening teamwork and welfare, supporting career advancement, decentralizing decision-making authority, implementing One Stop Service coordination, adopting modern technologies and equipment, and ensuring the safety of buildings and facilities. The findings suggest that improving correctional officers’ operational efficiency in Chiang Mai Province requires cultivating an organizational culture of recognition alongside the systematic and transparent development of modern administrative policies and governance mechanisms.