1. CHAPTER NINE:
Prison Staffing
Learning Objectives
1. Be familiar with the different groups of personnel in U.S. prisons.
2. Explain how the correctional officer’s role has changed over time.
3. Discuss the different job assignments that correctional officers are given.
4. Understand the negative consequences of boundary violations and job stress among
prison staff.
5. Discuss how the law affects correctional personnel.
Brief Chapter Outline
I. Prison Staff – Overview
a. Institutional Managers
b. Correctional Officers – Custody
c. Program Personnel
d. Agricultural and Industrial Supervisors
II. The Correctional Officer’s Role
a. Role Characteristics
b. Who Becomes a Correctional Officer?
c. Recruitment
d. Training
III. Job Assignments of Correctional Officers
a. Block Officers
b. Work Detail Supervisors
c. Yard Officers
d. Perimeter Security Officers
IV. Correctional Staff Issues
a. Female Officers in Male Institutions
b. Job Stress and Burnout
c. Boundary Violations
d. Use of Force
e. Collective Bargaining
V. Law and Correctional Personnel
a. Civil Service Laws
b. Liability of Correctional Personnel

2. Chapter Summary
The institutional managers, consisting of the warden and her or his deputy wardens, are
responsible for managing the prison. The warden maintains contact with the world beyond the
prison walls (parole board, legislature), and the deputy wardens oversee a variety of bureaucratic
functions (custody, buying supplies, providing food, maintaining records). Officers who make up
the custodial force have different ranks (captain, lieutenant, officer). Their performance on the
job is judged by how well they manage inmates. Program personnel are responsible for running
the educational, vocational, and treatment programs at the prison. Industrial and agricultural
activities at the prison are overseen by supervisors.
In years past, correctional officers were primarily responsible for guarding inmates.
Today’s officers perform a variety of tasks. They counsel, supervise, and protect the inmates
under their care. Some observers view the job of correctional officer as helping prisoners cope
with prison life in a mature way. The modern role of the correctional officer is supported by pre-
service training programs that are required to be completed before officers begin their job
assignments.
Officers are assigned different jobs. For example, block officers work in housing units.
They do not carry weapons, and they are greatly outnumbered by inmates. They answer inmates’
questions, enforce rules, and look for potential security breaches, among other things. Work
detail supervisors are officers who oversee small groups of inmates who feed their fellow
prisoners, clean the cellblocks, and maintain the facility. Yard officers are not only expected to
maintain a visible presence, but also to preserve order and address security threats. Finally, the
perimeter security officer has little contact with inmates. These officers are assigned to the tower
or are responsible for patrolling the wall (or fence).
Boundary violations occur when the social distance between prison staff and inmates
breaks down and interpersonal relationships form in violation of departmental policy. These
relationships can result in higher levels of prison disorder, can jeopardize officer safety, and can
result in costly lawsuits. The negative consequences of job stress among prison staff are twofold.
First, job stress contributes to turnover. When staff members resign their positions, new
employees have to be recruited and trained, which drains resources from correctional budgets.
Second, the physical effects of job stress on prison employees are quite serious and include heart
disease, eating disorders, and substance abuse. Correctional officers who experience job stress
also possess more negative attitudes toward their work and report higher levels of emotional
exhaustion.
Law and regulations define the relationships between prison administrators and their
staff. All correctional employees working in public prisons are governed by civil service rules
and regulations. Civil service laws set the procedures for hiring, promoting, assigning,
disciplining, and firing public employees. Such laws protect public employees from arbitrary
actions by their supervisors. Workplace rules also develop through collective- bargaining
agreements between unions and the government. A second way that the law affects correctional
personnel relates to the ability of convicted offenders to sue correctional officials under Section
1983 of the United States Code. Section 1983 provides a means not only for prisoners but also
probationers and parolees to bring lawsuits against correctional officials. The statute says that
“any person” who deprives others of their constitutional rights while acting under the authority
of law may be liable in a lawsuit. Few of these cases come to trial, and very few correctional
employees must personally pay financial awards to plaintiffs.

3. Key Terms
Boundary violations: Behavior that blurs, minimizes, or disrupts the social distance between
prison staff and inmates, resulting in violations of departmental policy. (p. 235)
Job burnout: A condition where an employee is either emotionally and/or physically worn out,
often a result of long- term stress. (p. 234)
Job stress: A condition where an employee is either emotionally and/or physically worn out,
often a result of long- term stress. (p. 234)
Media Tools
http://thecrimereport.org/2010/06/24/sex-and-the-prison-guard/
This article discusses how more women are entering the correctional workforce and how this
affects correctional administration.
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos156.htm
This website links students to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and specifically the occupational
outlook for correctional officers. It includes information on the nature of the work, earnings,
projections of employment, and other important information.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWxpQ87C4t4
This is an excellent documentary discussing the use of force in American prisons. Students can
discuss whether or not they believe the use of force is excessive and possibly border on torture.
Many correctional officer issues are discussed in addition to various work assignments.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=6hqhh1edo9M&feature=PlayList&p=FD1539D390836439&playnext_from=PL&index=0
&playnext=1
This clip discusses the issues of working in a Supermax facility. It discusses issues from the
officer and inmate perspective.
The Farm: Angola, USA
This documentary depicts the day to day life in Angola Prison, a prison farm in Louisiana. The
documentary offers the perspective of many inmates in addition to the warden and other
correctional employees.