Blog # 18

In many prisons, there are gender-neural policies that are established, but generally these policies that are supposed to be neutral often become more masculine. For example, in our society, inmates are thought to be violent offenders who are animalistic and have no civilization. They are pretty much portrayed as monsters which that misconception of inmates can cause the guards to act out in an inappropriate manner. It becomes a masculine notion to be mean and violent with inmates even when the treatment is supposed to be gender-neutral. Along with the treatment of inmates, officers often take on a role of being a mother figure or a father figure to the inmates. They see those inmates as human, but treat them like children because they are not to be considered as equals. Another aspect that is supposed to be gender-neutral is on the job training. For example, all the material covered in training is taught to both men and women; however the material and the physical tests are based off of male officers. Also, in the unit involving sexual harassment, this is mostly for women officers.

Men’s and women’s prisons are very different in the type of treatment they receive. For example, in women prisons many inmates have more access to activities such as sewing, crochet supplies, and toiletries. These women are often allowed more time for cleanliness and bonding time than their male counterparts. In both male and female prisons, the guards often find themselves forming bonds with the inmates. Generally, correctional officers develop one of two thought process about inmates. The first is generally, that the inmates have made a mistake or mistakes, but they are still human, or the second form of thoughts about inmates is they are too privileged. This is a main argument in women’s facilities and when officers are asked if they preferred working with male inmates or female inmates, most said they preferred males because women are to emotional. Due to the high unpredictability of women’s emotions it is hard to determine what to expect, many officers in this study confirmed that women play mind games and they are often harder to control than male inmates. A main cause of the difference in treatment is the security of the facility. Women are generally in lower security facilities which allows for more flexibility.