NCJ Number
91963
Date Published
1982
Length
66 pages
Annotation
Canadian correctional guards have a low opinion of their work, according to the 11 guards and their partners who were interviewed regarding their prison work and its impact on their lives, their families, and the immediate community.
Abstract
The 11 men had been interviewed in 1973 and were still in the correctional service, their spouses or common-law partners, were also interviewed. The men were enthusiastic about training to equip them to do the job better but felt time and incentives were lacking. The men viewed the system as chaotic and inconsistent in handling both staff and prisoners. They viewed pay and regular employment as the attractive aspects of the work and security as the unattractive side, although all called security their main concern. The men had a low opinion of the work and thought that others shared their view. However, they seemed resigned to their occupational status. When the men thought of power they thought about interactions between security personnel and prisoners, with power shifting in favor of prisoners. They resented increasing concessions to prisoners but were not unreasonably harsh or intolerant in their attitudes to prisoners. Most men reported little interest in union activities. Most were family-centered men whose domestic environment was a cushion against stressful work. Most of their friendships and those of their families were from outside the correctional service. The men's partners spoke of a need to understand the work the men did, and they were conscious of its dangers. However, none of them reported any marked effects on their relationships with other people because of the work. Women felt that the prison regimes were too 'soft' on the prisoners. Twelve references, two interview guides, and an outline of the 1973 study are included.