Promoting the well-being of investigators, prosecutors and judges in Latvia
, , und | 28. Mai 2024
Article Category: Research Article
Online veröffentlicht: 28. Mai 2024
Seitenbereich: 65 - 74
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25143/socr.28.2024.1.65-74
Schlüsselwörter
© 2024 Maija Zakrizevska-Belogrudova et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The well-being of judges, prosecutors and investigators is an important topic in today’s society, as it has a direct impact on the functioning of legal systems around the world.
The International Bar Association’s 2021 survey, which aimed to assess the well-being and mental health of legal professionals worldwide, found that more than a third of lawyers surveyed believe that work has a negative impact on their well-being. In addition, the survey found that 29% of the respondents had experienced suicidal thoughts or actions at some point in their career and that 45% reported experiencing stress-related health problems (International Bar Association, 2021).
Additionally, a 2021 study on job demands, resources, burnout and well-being among Dutch judges and prosecutors found that high job demands and low job resources were associated with higher levels of burnout and lower levels of well-being among judges and prosecutors in the Netherlands (Malsch et al., 2021). Similarly, a 2020 study found that high levels of job stress were associated with increased symptoms of anxiety and depression among investigators in the United States (Ruppel and Walsh, 2020). It is therefore important to study well-being in order to observe the influencing factors and to prevent them.
The aim of the present study is to investigate aspects of professional well-being and the factors influencing it, as well as the needs of employees and the possibilities of supervision in promoting professional well-being.
Two questionnaires were developed within the framework of the study: ‘Professional well-being’ and ‘Professional needs’. The following research questions (RQs) were raised: Is there a statistically significant relationship between professional well-being and the needs of the group sample?
RQs:
Are there statistically significant differences between the professional well-being attributes of judges, prosecutors and investigators? Are there statistically significant differences between the professional needs of judges, prosecutors and investigators? Are there statistically significant differences between gender on the scales of the professional well-being and needs questionnaire? What factors influence the need for psychological support among judges, prosecutors and investigators?
The research was carried out in the period 20 February 2023–11 March 2023 in Latvia.
In the research, general research methods were used, such as comparison and summarisation, causal relationship detection, analysis and synthesis.
Two questionnaires were developed and posted on
The introductory part of the survey provided information on the purpose of the survey and the confidentiality of the survey and that the data would be used in aggregate form. In total, 354 responses to the survey were received.
A Likert scale was used to systematise the survey information, where the answers were given on 5 scales, where 1 means ‘no’, 2 means ‘more no than yes’, 3 means ‘average’, 4 means ‘more yes than no’ and 5 means ‘yes’. Except for the ‘work–life balance’ scale, where 1 meant ‘never’, 2 meant ‘rarely’, 3 meant ‘sometimes’, 4 meant ‘often’ and 5 meant ‘always’.
The questionnaire ‘Professional well-being’ consisted of the following scales:
The questionnaire ‘Professional needs’ consisted of the following scales:
Data processing:
Cronbach’s alpha (IBM SPSS Statistics) was calculated to determine reliability; Kolmogorov–Smirnov Spearman correlations and ANOVA linear regression (IBM SPSS Statistics) used for statistically significant correlation and effect size calculation; Kruskal–Wallis test (IBM SPSS Statistics) was used to detect and calculate statistical differences.
There are a number of factors that can affect well-being at work: workload and job requirements, work–life balance, organisational culture and support, career development opportunities, safety and stability at work, compensation and benefits, workplace relations, and personal factors (Choi and Kim, 2020; Demir, 2020; Jain, 2021; Kim et al., 2021; Kirkham et al., 2020; Liu et al., 2021; Wang et al., 2020; Zito et al., 2021). Heavy workloads, excessive work demands and long working hours can lead to stress, burnout and a loss of professional well-being. Workload demands have increased in recent years, with employees reporting higher work demands and less job control (Zito et al., 2021). At the same time, achieving a healthy work–life balance is crucial for well-being. Work–life balance has become increasingly complex due to technology-related demands, such as combining it with remote working options (Jain, 2021).
The 2019 report of the American Bar Association on the Substance of Lawyers highlights the importance of addressing the substance of the legal profession, including judges, prosecutors and investigators. The report notes that members of the legal professions face unique stressors and work in high-pressure environments that can affect their well-being (American Bar Association, 2019). Similarly, the International Bar Association’s 2021 study highlights that lawyers in different areas of law experience higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress and lower levels of mental well-being than the general population (International Bar Association, 2021).
In Latvia, law-enforcement professionals such as prosecutors and judges put their lives at risk every day for the public good, protecting the state and society from crime and making decisions of national importance that affect their mental and emotional health on a daily basis. Hence, it is important to find out what the professional well-being and needs of professionals in these fields are and what support mechanisms are needed to improve them.
Work–life balance refers to the balance that individuals strive to achieve between their work and personal lives. This includes managing one’s time effectively so that one can prioritise both one’s professional and personal responsibilities without compromising them. Work–life balance has been increasingly studied in terms of negative impacts that unbalanced lives have on individuals’ physical and mental health, job satisfaction and overall quality of life, and this has been increasingly recognised (Dikert et al., 2020).
Work–life balance is influenced by a variety of individual, work-related and family-related factors. Individual factors such as personality traits play a crucial role in work–life balance, as individuals who are highly conscientious and emotionally stable tend to have a better work–life balance. Work-related factors, such as job demand and resources, also affect work–life balance, as high job demand and low job resources have a negative impact on work–life balance. Family-related factors such as marital status and number of children are also significant predictors of work–life balance (Dikert et al., 2020).
The author has summarised some of the most important factors affecting work–life balance, based on recent research:
Work–life conflict was significantly associated with higher levels of job stress and lower levels of job satisfaction and overall well-being. Work–life conflict was more prevalent among women, workers with children and those with longer working hours (Alghamdi et al., 2021).
Achieving a work–life balance can lead to a variety of positive outcomes, such as improved physical and mental health, higher job satisfaction and a better overall quality of life. However, an unbalanced life can have several negative consequences, such as stress, burnout and reduced job satisfaction (Demerouti et al., 2018).
Work–life balance is increasingly becoming a priority for employees, especially in the COVID-19 pandemic time, which showed the importance and need for flexibility in the workplace. Employees who felt they had more control over their work schedule and greater work–life balance reported better well-being and job satisfaction (Kossek et al., 2021). Individuals can use different strategies to achieve work–life balance, such as setting boundaries between work and personal life, prioritising self-care activities and seeking support from colleagues, friends and family. Organisations can also promote work–life balance by implementing policies and practices that support employees’ personal and professional responsibilities (Allen et al., 2015).
Work–life balance is an important factor that has a direct impact on the well-being and health of workers.
The suggestions of the reviewed authors may be possibly applied to situations in Latvia, taking into account possible differences in pay, workload and other factors affecting well-being.
The questionnaire was sent to the respondents’ official e-mail addresses. The completion of the questionnaire was voluntary; in total, 354 respondents from 3 institutions (courts, prosecutor’s office and State Police) completed the questionnaire. In all, 70.3% women and 29.7% men participated in the study, which implies that the majority of the respondents were women. The majority of the respondents represented the age group from 41 years to 50 years (37.6%), followed by the age group from 31 years to 40 years (30.2%), and then from 51 years to 60 years (22.3%). Totally, 35% of judges, 31.1% of prosecutors, 22.3% of investigators, 6.2% of senior investigators, 3.4% of senior prosecutors and 2.3% of senior judges participated in the survey. The above data show that the largest number of respondents are judges, prosecutors and investigators, which is a logical explanation, since according to the distribution of positions in the institutions, these positions represent the majority of respondents.
At the same time, the authors made a breakdown of respondents by length of service: 62.1%, the largest group by seniority have 10 years or more of service, while 10.7% of the respondents have between 7 years and 10 years of service, 10.2% have between 1 year and 3 years, 9% have between 5 years and 7 years and 7.9% have between 3 years and 5 years of service.
The results show that all scales except physical well-being have a Cronbach’s alpha greater than 0.6, indicating that the data are reliable. On the other hand, the physical well-being scale showed a lower Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (0.465), which means that the data obtained are unacceptable and not suitable for further processing. Accordingly, this scale was removed from further analysis of the study.
According to the Kolmogorov–Smirnov
Overall, according to the Kolmogorov–Smirnov Z test, out of 11 scales, only 2 scales follow a normal distribution (>0.05). Given that the empirical distribution of most scales does not follow a normal distribution (<0.05), non-parametric inferential statistics will be used in the following.
In order to determine the statistical difference between the groups in the surveys on Professional Well-Being and Needs, the Kruskal–Wallis test for three independent samples was used:
Differences between by job category; Differences between the professional needs; and Gender differences.
Data reliability was based on the interpretation of the numerical value of the two-sided significance level coefficient, where the asymptotic significance 2-tailed test value is less than 0.05, meaning that the differences are statistically significant. In addition, the distribution of the groups as per the scales according to the highest and lowest scores was assessed and the scores were interpreted accordingly.
Table 1 shows that there are statistically significant differences between the groups in the scales job <0.05).
Differences by job category in the scales of the well-being survey
| Job satisfaction | Mental health in the workplace | Workload | Work–life balance | Relations with management | Relations with colleagues | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hi square test | 65,914 | 25,327 | 9,121 | 15,332 | 5,467 | 5,193 |
| Two-sided significance level | 0000 | 0.000 | 0.104 | 0.009 | 0.362 | 0.393 |
This means that there is a significant difference between jobs in job satisfaction good mental health and work–life balance satisfaction mental health and work–life balance.
The mental health of senior judges is statistically significantly different from that of senior prosecutors. This means that senior judges have the highest mental health at work (
The workload of senior judges (
The work–life balance of senior judges (
The relationship with the management for senior judges (
Table 2 shows that there are statistically significant differences between the groups on the scales of need for support (0.017 ≤ 0.05), knowledge (0.000 ≤ 0.05) and development (0.000 ≤ 0.05). This means that there are significant differences between posts in support, knowledge and development needs. The need for support for lead investigators (
Table of differences in the needs survey scales by job category
| Support needs | Knowledge needs | Development needs | Socialisation needs | Work environment and psychological support needs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chi-squared test | 13,848 | 26,781 | 59,751 | 4,729 | 8,753 |
| Two-sided significance level | 0.017 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.450 | 0.119 |
The knowledge needs of senior judges (
The development needs of senior judges (
The need for a supportive work environment and psychological support is greater for senior prosecutors than for the rest of the sample. At the same time, it should be noted that the other positions also have a high need for a supportive work environment and psychological support. Table 3 shows that there are statistically significant gender differences on the scales of workload (0.032 ≤ 0.05), knowledge needs (0.001 ≤ 0.05), and work environment and psychological support (0.027 ≤ 0.05). This means that there is a difference between women and men in workload and support, knowledge and development needs.
Table of differences by gender in the scales of the occupational well-being and needs questionnaire
| Job satisfaction | Mental health | Workload | Work-life balance | Relationship with management | Relationship with colleagues | Need for support | Need for knowledge | Need for development | Need for socialization | Need for work. environment and psych. support | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mann–Whitney |
12,075,500 | 12,612,500 | 10,990,000 | 11,395,500 | 12,711,000 | 12,549,000 | 12,169,000 | 10,148,500 | 11,709,500 | 12,193,500 | 10,936.500 |
| Wilcoxon W | 42,703,500 | 18,072,500 | 41,618,000 | 42,023,500 | 43,339,000 | 43,177,000 | 17,629,000 | 15,608,500 | 17,169,500 | 17,653,500 | 16,396,500 |
| −0.888 | −0.267 | −2,142 | −1,672 | −0.152 | −0.342 | −0.781 | −3,264 | −1,333 | −0.755 | −2,214 | |
| Two-sided significance level | 0.374 | 0.789 | 0.032 | 0.095 | 0.878 | 0.733 | 0.435 | 0.001 | 0.182 | 0.450 | 0.027 |
Linear regression model for the dependent variable ‘Need for work environment and psychological support’ in the full sample
| Independent variables | B | Std. Error | β | R2 | Adjusted R2 | Change in F | Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Model | 13.94 | 0.990 | 0.459 | 48,778 | 0.000 | ||
| Mental health | −0.161 | 0.034 | −0.246 | 0.000 | |||
| Workload | −0.088 | 0.043 | −0.124 | 0.043 | |||
| Work–life balance | −0.101 | 0.034 | −0.179 | 0.003 | |||
| Knowledge needs | 0.342 | 0.089 | 0.170 | 0.000 | |||
| Development needs | −0.129 | 0.076 | −0.078 | 0.090 | |||
| Socialising needs | 0.380 | 0.040 | 0.390 | 0.000 |
Linear regression model for the dependent variable ‘Need for work environment and psychological support’ in the full sample
| Independent variables | B | Std. Error | β | R2 | Adjusted R2 | Change in F | Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Model | 13.94 | 0.990 | 0.459 | 48,778 | 0.000 | ||
| Mental health | −0.161 | 0.034 | −0.246 | 0.000 | |||
| Workload | −0.088 | 0.043 | −0.124 | 0.043 | |||
| Work–life balance | −0.101 | 0.034 | −0.179 | 0.003 | |||
| Knowledge needs | 0.342 | 0.089 | 0.170 | 0.000 | |||
| Development needs | −0.129 | 0.076 | −0.078 | 0.090 | |||
| Socialising needs | 0.380 | 0.040 | 0.390 | 0.000 |
The workload for men (
In order to investigate the relationship between the dependent variable and the independent variables and to find out whether there is an effect of professional well-being and needs factors on the group sample’s need for work environment and psychological support, the authors performed an ANOVA linear regression analysis on the whole group sample and divided the group sample by positions: senior judges and judges; senior prosecutors and prosecutors and senior investigators and investigators. The data indicate that there is a statistically significant effect of the independent variables on the dependent variable (Need for work environment and psychological support) for the whole group sample and separately by job category.
A look at the tables shows that the adjusted coefficient
A look at Table 6 shows that the adjusted coefficient
Linear regression model for the dependent variable ‘Need for work environment and psychological support’ for the sample group—senior judges and judges
| Independent variables | B | Std. Error | β | R2 | Adjusted R2 | F | t | Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Model | 14.59 | 1,513 | 0.519 | 31,777 | 9,646 | 0.000 | ||
| Mental health | −0.144 | 0.056 | −0.213 | −2,595 | 0.011 | |||
| Workload | −0.268 | 0.059 | −0.358 | −4,536 | 0.000 | |||
| Support needs | 0.181 | 0.057 | 0.224 | 3,185 | 0.002 | |||
| Socialising needs | 0.312 | 0.070 | 0.301 | 4,479 | 0.000 |
A look at Table 7 shows that the adjusted coefficient
Linear regression model for the dependent variable ‘Need for work environment and psychological support’ for the sample group—senior prosecutors and prosecutors
| Independent variables | B | Std. Error | β | R2 | Adjusted R2 | F | t | Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Model | 11,217 | 1,749 | 0.480 | 24,017 | 6,412 | 0.000 | ||
| Mental health | −0.140 | 0.063 | −0.193 | −2,226 | 0.028 | |||
| Workload | −0.243 | 0.063 | −0.338 | −3,851 | 0.000 | |||
| Knowledge needs | 0.660 | 0.145 | 0.329 | 4,559 | 0.000 | |||
| Socialising needs | 0.301 | 0.069 | 0.318 | 4,366 | 0.000 |
A look at Table 8 shows that the adjusted coefficient
Linear regression model for the dependent variable ‘Need for work environment and psychological support’ for the sample group—senior investigators and investigators
| Independent variables | B | Std. Error | β | Adjusted R2 | F | t | Sig. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Model | 9,253 | 1,921 | 0.481 | 16,909 | 4,816 | 0.000 | ||
| Work-life balance | −0.170 | 0.050 | −0.319 | −3,405 | 0.001 | |||
| Support needs | −0.235 | 0.083 | −0.299 | −2,836 | 0.006 | |||
| Knowledge needs | 0.353 | 0.163 | 0.195 | 2,170 | 0.033 | |||
| Socialising needs | 0.306 | 0.099 | 0.318 | 3,083 | 0.003 |
There are statistically significant differences between the groups on the job satisfaction, mental health and work–life balance scales. This means that there is a significant difference between the groups in job satisfaction, good mental health and work–life balance.
Senior judges are more satisfied with their jobs than investigators, which means that investigators are the least likely to feel that their work is adequately rewarded, the least likely to feel that their work plays a role in achieving the institution’s objective and the least likely to feel happy in the workplace.
Senior judges have the highest mental health in the workplace, while senior prosecutors and prosecutors have the lowest mental health in the workplace, which means that prosecutors often experience stress at work to the extent that it affects their health.
Senior judges are more satisfied with their workload than the senior prosecutors, who are the least satisfied with their workload, meaning that prosecutors have a heavy workload, feel that they are not adequately supported by their institution to cope with their workload and often need to take work home in order to complete it on time.
At the same time, senior prosecutors are the least satisfied with their relationships with the management, indicating that management communication is not effective, they do not feel confident to speak to their management when problems arise at work and there is a lack of support and listening from the management. On the other hand, senior judges have better relationships with the management, feel more supported by the management, have more effective communication and feel more secure.
Senior prosecutors have the lowest work–life balance, indicating that they have insufficient time for both work and private life, often take work home, often work overtime and work does not allow enough time to be spent with family, friends and non-work activities. In contrast, senior judges have the highest work–life balance.
7. There are statistically significant differences in the support, knowledge and development needs of judges, prosecutors and investigators. This means that there are significant differences in the support, knowledge and development needs between posts.
8. Senior investigators and senior judges have a higher need for support than do judges, who have the lowest need of the sample group. This means that lead investigators and lead judges need support and motivation to improve their effectiveness at work, need feedback on their work from management and need support from colleagues. In addition, senior judges and judges have a higher need for knowledge than senior investigators, who have the lowest need of the sample group. This means that it is important for senior judges and referees to acquire new skills for their professional development and they are motivated to participate in activities that will help them improve their performance and develop new skills. Senior judges and judges also have a greater need for development so that they can reach their full potential in the workplace, grow professionally and be promoted.
9. At the same time, the data show that judges, prosecutors and investigators are equally concerned about a workplace that takes better care of their physical and emotional health, that working hours are more flexible and that the workplace provides measures to promote mental health.
10. There are statistically significant differences between gender on the scales of workload, knowledge needs and work environment and psychological support. This means that there is a difference between women and men in terms of workload and in the needs for support, knowledge and development. There are also statistically significant differences between the scales of job satisfaction, workload and work–life balance. This means that there is a significant difference between a given length of service and job satisfaction, workload and work–life balance.
11. The workload of men is statistically significantly different from that of women, suggesting that men have a higher workload than women. On the other hand, knowledge needs and needs for work environment and psychological support are statistically significantly different for women than for men. This means that women have a higher need for knowledge and for work environment and psychological support in the workplace than men.
12. Judges’, prosecutors’ and investigators’ mental health, workload, work–life balance, needs for knowledge, development and socialisation are influenced by the need for a supportive working environment and psychological support, which determine the opportunities for supervision, with a 45% impact between the two. The lower the respondents’ mental health, work–life balance and need for development, the higher the need for work environment and psychological support, while the more dissatisfied the respondents are with their workload, the higher the need for work environment and psychological support. At the same time, there is a positive correlation between the need for knowledge and socialisation, which also implies that the greater the respondents’ need for knowledge and socialisation, the greater the need for work environment and psychological support. The data point to the influence of these factors on the need for psychological support.
13. The psychological support needs of senior judges and judges, senior prosecutors and prosecutors are influenced by—mental health, workload, need for support and socialisation. This means that if senior judges and judges have psychological support at work, aspects related to their mental health, workload balance and need for support and socialisation improve.
17. The mental health, workload, work–life balance, need for knowledge, development and socialisation of judges, prosecutors and investigators are influenced by the need for a supportive work environment and psychological support, which determine the availability of supervision, with a 45% influence between the two. The results of the data show that the lower the respondents’ mental health, work–life balance, and development needs, the higher the need for work environment and psychological support. Also, the more dissatisfied the respondents are with their workload, the higher the need for work environment and psychological support. At the same time, there is a positive correlation between the need for knowledge and socialisation. Thus, the greater the respondents’ need for knowledge and socialisation, the greater the need for work environment and psychological support. The data indicate how these factors are associated with the need for psychological support.
18. The need for psychological support of senior judges and magistrates is influenced by mental health, workload and the need for support and socialisation. This means that if senior judges and magistrates have psychological support at work, their mental health, workload balance, and the need for support and socialisation will improve.
19. The need for psychological support for senior prosecutors is influenced by—mental health, workload and the need for knowledge and socialisation. This means that if senior prosecutors are provided with psychological support in the workplace, their mental health, workload balance and the need for knowledge and socialisation will improve.
20. The psychological support needs of senior investigators and prosecutors are influenced by work–life balance, support needs, knowledge and socialisation. This means that if principal investigators and investigators are provided with psychological support at work, their work–life balance, support needs, knowledge and socialisation will improve.
In general, the results of the research show that the Latvian judges, prosecutors and investigators need regular psychological support, which would include regular supervision. Such supervisions, the duty to participate in them should be established in the law ‘On the Judiciary’, the law “On the Prosecutor’s Office” and the law ‘On the Police’ (similarly to social workers in the Law on Social Services and Social Assistance).