Causes of employee turnover in sheriff operated jails

County jails have faced a high employee turnover problem for some time. For this study, five county jails were surveyed to determine the predominant predictors for turnover. This county government environment includes management problems not often found in a typical corporate scenario. Certain predictors for turnover are under the control of the sheriff, the government, and the economy. It was concluded that the most important variables a managing sheriff can actually control include communication of genuine interest, realistic promotion opportunities and the full use of employee skills.