NCJ Number
74454
Date Published
1980
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Results are reported from a survey designed to determine the extent of female integration into the correctional officer work force.
Abstract
In 1978, a one-page survey was sent to all State Departments of Corrections, the District of Columbia, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Canadian Solicitor General, and three large local corrections agencies. With all systems surveyed responding except Mississippi, only four State systems (Alaska, Utah, Pennsylvania, and Texas) and one of the three local systems (Philadelphia) reported that they did not hire women as correctional officers in male facilities. Data were received that acounted for about 50,000 correctional officers in both male and female State facilities. Of that number, women composed about 6 percent of the officer force in male institutions. Nine State agencies reported that slightly over 10 percent of the officer force in male facilities were women. On the average, women corrections officers composed 4 percent of the staff in maximum security facilities, 5 percent in medium security, and 9 percent in minimum security. Respondents indicated that Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action programs have influenced the increase in females hired as correctional officers. Currently, corrections officials are concerned with the issue of inmate privacy where women are employed. The American Correctional Association and responsible corrections officials should move immediately to develop strategies for balancing needs for inmate privacy and the rights of women to equal employment. If this issue is not resolved by corrections systems the courts may finally resolve it to the detriment of the entire system. One table and a map showing the percentage of women correctional officers by geographic region are supplied.