NCJ Number
66918
Date Published
1980
Length
44 pages
Annotation
THE SOCIALIZATION OF PRISON GUARDS IN INTERACTION WITH INMATE AND GUARD SUBCULTURES IS DISCUSSED.
Abstract
BASED UPON A LITERATURE REVIEW, PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION IN TWO STATE MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISONS, AND EXTENSIVE FORMAL AND INFORMAL INTERVIEWS WITH GUARDS, THE SOCIALIZATION PROCESS FOR GUARDS ON THE JOB WAS INVESTIGATED. THE GUARDS INTERVIEWED GENERALLY SOUGHT OUT THEIR JOBS BECAUSE OF DEAD ENDS OR LAYOFFS FROM OTHER JOBS, MILITARY EXPERIENCE IN CORRECTIONS, FRIENDSHIP WITH CORRECTIONAL PERSONNEL, OR RESIDENCE IN PROXIMITY TO A PRISON. FORMAL TRAINING PRIMARILY CONSISTS OF INSTRUCTION IN THE SKILLS AND MECHANICS OF SECURITY PROCEDURES AND THE HANDLING OF INMATES IN THE INTEREST OF MAINTAINING ORDER AND PREVENTING TROUBLE. THE REAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE, HOWEVER, OCCURS ON THE JOB UNDER INMATE TESTING AND MANIPULATION ATTEMPTS WHILE GUARD SUBCULTURE PRESSURES FOR CONFORMITY TO ESTABLISHED CUSTODIAL ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS. THE PRIMARY MEASURE OF A GUARD'S SUCCESS ON THE JOB IS THE DEGREE TO WHICH AUTHORITY IS ESTABLISHED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF INMATES. INMATES TEST ROOKIES' REACTIONS UNDER INTIMIDATING OR EXPLOITATIVE CIRCUMSTANCES TO DETERMINE IF THE NEW GUARD CAN BE USED OR DISREGARDED FOR INMATE ENDS. THE GUARD SUBCULTURE, ON THE OTHER HAND, ENCOURAGES GUARDS TO USE INTIMIDATING BEHAVIOR TO ESTABLISH AUTHORITY OVER INMATES. INTERACTION WITH THE INMATES IN OTHER THAN A CUSTODIAL AND MANAGEMENT CAPACITY IS DISCOURAGED. THOSE WHO BECOME GUARDS AND HOLD A TREATMENT ORIENTATION ARE THUS LIKELY TO ENCOUNTER SEVERE ROLE CONFLICT. PROMOTION USUALLY OCCURS THROUGH CONFORMITY TO THE SECURITY EXPECTATIONS OF THE GUARD SUBCULTURE AND THE PRISON ADMINISTRATION. IF REFORMATION IS TO OCCUR IN THE PRISON DYNAMIC, CHANGE MUST FOCUS ON THE GUARD SUBCULTURE, WHICH HAS THE MOST DIRECT CONTACT WITH INMATES. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)