Blog 16

Although the general requirements for becoming a corrections officer are the same, male and females have different experiences becoming a corrections officer. In 1982, .1% of young adults wanted to become corrections officers and 95% of these were male. Up until 1970, females were not even allowed to work as corrections officers (Britton 61). Most males come froma military background into the correctional officer positions while women come from clerical work. This is interesting because all correctional officers are required to do the same thing- control the inmates behavior, provide positive guidance, and common body work (dressing, eating, bathing). Although most women do not do the latter in men’s prisons. Some women come from the background of daycare workers and say they feel like they have experience being a corrections officer when they come from working in a day care. Men and women come from different career background but both still end up working as correctional officers.

Since White males can find jobs easier, correctional officer positions are often filed by women and minorities. Most wanted to be police officers but did not make the cut so they become correctional facility workers. Both men and women say pay and benefits are factors to working as correctional officers. Prisons are located in rural areas so there may not be a lot of jobs around. Whereas in a urban or city area there are a lot of potential work places. This job can be appealing to single mothers and divorcees, male or female, because there is job security. Men are motivated to work in prisons to protect their families and keep criminals off the street, this was quoted from a male prison worker in the book. Another reason women seem to be motivated to work in prisons because they are motherly in nature and can help inmates, which is something I inferred from the material.

Correctional work may not be for everyone but it does require a high school education. Men and women come from different backgrounds but still end up in this profession.