Blog # 13

According to Britton, generally the stereotypical correctional officers that we picture are armed males. They are generally large in size, very masculine, brutal, and are capable of meeting violent encounters with violence. These men are the meanest of men, because they are the protectors of prisons and they have to be able to control criminals. This image is highly popularized in police movies and other prison movies such as ConAir (Britton, 2003). However, this image is not accurate with the statistics of corrections officers. These officers are not armed and women make up about 19% of corrections officers in federal and state prisons, 16% of officers in men’s prisons, and 56% of officers in women’s prisons (Britton, 2003).

When women are said to be corrections officers, they are generally stereotyped as being more masculine than “normal” women, and more violent than normal women. The corrections officers generally are thought to exhibit more male like traits. Women in these positions are also seen as less than their male counterparts. They do not receive the same salaries as males and they are often put up for promotions less than men. It is also thought that women corrections officers cannot handle violent situations the way men can.

Within prisons there are some differences in the images of males in female and male prisons. For example, in a female prison there is the issue of privacy and abuse. In earlier prison times, men officers were allowed to beat women, some were beaten to death and even raped. Although, this should no longer be an issue now, that could still be a concern. In male prisons, the officers are seen as those who enforce the law and there is no issue of privacy or the role the officer plays. There is also a difference in the position women hold in facilities. When a woman is present in a male facility it is possible for them to be given a hard time by inmates and they have to prove they can handle male inmates. However, in female facilities they do not have this same struggle.