Correction officers and sexual misconduct.
Correction officers wear a uniform similar to police
and that uniform should represent a presence of authority. Correction officers must use discretion in order to maintain control over inmates. Currently, there are
more male correctional officers than women. But I don’t think that necessarily
indicate there are only male correctional officers having sexual relations with
women inmates. Women correction officers have been found guilty of having
relations with male inmates also. I think correction officers have a subculture
of survival and codes of their occupational community.
Our text has an example of such misconduct. In Case
Study 6.8, a former correctional officer was sentenced to 3 months in jail for
having sex in the Women’s Correctional Institution in Columbia, S. C. with
Susan Smith. Susan Smith is the young mother who was found guilty of drowning
her two sons in 1994 and whom is serving a life sentence for the crime. This admission
opened the door for a much broader investigation into misconduct of the
Correctional Department. Since, more
than a dozen officers and employees were charged with prison misconduct to
include sex with inmates or smuggling drugs.
What price is paid when a correction officer’s
authority is abused for sexually favors? How do a prison pick up the pieces after a
scandal of sexual misconduct?
References
Banks, C. Criminal
Justice Ethics. 2013. 3rd edition. SAGE. Thousand Oaks, CA.
http://edition.cnn.com/2000/LAW/08/30/susan.smith.sex/
The price paid is the loss of trust and the corrosion of order at the facility. Other unseen costs of mistrust in the facilities include: no company loyalty, decreased commitment, and higher employee turnover. Distrustful employees are not as productive. Likewise, mistrusting management wastes time checking up on employees to ensure that they are doing what they are supposed to do.
ReplyDeletePeople tend to judge other correctional officers and make the assumption that they all lack integrity and share in the abuse of authority. It is believe that this the culture and they cover for each other. I don't think they pick up the pieces they just tell a different story and immediately indicate that training has taken place.
ReplyDeleteAs discussed in class, one bad apple ruins the bunch. I think the answer to your question is no different. Once these correctional officers are found guilty of sexual misconduct they've planted a seed of mistrust for all inmates towards the officers working around them. Correctional officers are in a position that demands respect and trust. Its sad that with all of the background investigations, testing, and training, these men/women are able to get away with sexual misconduct in the prisons.
ReplyDeleteKeisha: You have written a thought-provoking blog about sexual misconduct of correctional officers. Professor Taylor
ReplyDeleteIt's all about getting right with the Lord and you can have the strength to not fall under prey of seeing a woman as beautiful as Smith day after day like he undoubtedly did. If you have given your life to the Lord God Jehovah of Christianity, there are reasons not to fall under: 1. God said fornication and adultery are outlawed; we believe you'll be punished by God(this might mean you; your current or future kids; and/or any lover). 2. God outlaws murder. 3. God outlaws being vulnerable to the influence of sinners; you be a light to them and you should not look to them for light. 4. Your id may be saying she's beautiful, but your conscience should be saying, "but she murdered her two sons". 5. God outlaws marrying another until your heterosexual spouse dies. She'd been married before and her spouse is still alive. That should be the end of the matter--all you needed to know. Still, God will forgive you, but it's about what you are willing to pay for doing the wrong thing. If you are a Christian(as I am), you don't want God to be angry with you and so you try to live "right" as best you can. We fall down sometimes, but what are you willing to pay for breaking God laws? If you are a "Christian", you try very, very hard not fall and so percentages are far more against it than for a sinner. As a Christian, you want to keep God happy with you at the very least and so you are motivated to not break God's laws. Sinners are not so. If a man sees a woman more attractive than his wife, then its masturbation probably or full blown affair or thinking about that woman as you are having sex with your wife. Christianity is the only way!
ReplyDelete