16: Working with Inmates: Part I

Britton’s study discusses the pathways to becoming a correctional officer. In this blog, write about how that path gendered. For instance, what is the relationship between previous work experience and becoming a correctional officer? Is it the same for men and women? What role do social networks play in job opportunities and how are they gendered? What motivates men and women to become correctional officers?

The path to becoming a correctional officer is gendered in that men dominate the field, therefore it is a non-traditional field laden with more obstacles than, say, becoming a teacher or nurse. Because men have run the system since the beginning, dominate the authority positions as well as the cells.

The relationship between previous work experience and becoming a correctional officer can either totally hinder or completely foster the position. Britton notes that while demand for correctional officers is high, it is often viewed as a last resort profession, due to the harsh environment and mediocre pay. This pay level makes the position less attractive to men, and more attractive to women and minorities. This has resulted in more women and minorities taking up the roles. This results in men still remaining in more authoritative positions, and women remain lower on the totem pole. Men who pursue prison work typically begin their careers in the military, while women mostly begin with clerical work or service jobs.

Social networks play a leading role in job opportunities, as they determine who is placed where. This attitude and function is a result of the boys' club attitude that prevails in the hierarchy of men's institutions. This is not to say that women to not experience that same type of hierarchy, however it is favored toward men because they have been integral to the system longer. To become a correctional officer the motivation of men and the motivation for women differs. Men generally pursue the field of corrections as a gateway to becoming a police officer.