Blog 16

The path for male and female correctional officers differed from each other. Starting off, this occupation is normally an occupation that an individual would choose as a career. According to the reading, At Work In The Iron Cage, the author Britton states that in a 1967 survey there were only one percent of the participants that stated they wanted to be a prison guard when they grew up. Still today, there is a low percentage of individuals that want to be a correctional officer when they grow up. Since this type of work pertains to doing the “dirty work” it still remains in high demand. However, it is more of a choice for boys. It is rare that a girl, according to Britton, would want to choose a correctional officer as a career.

Previous work experience also differed from each gender. Being a correctional officer was not necessarily the career choice nor plan for both genders. Therefore, both genders kind of drifted from their past job to correctional facility to become a guard. For instance in the reading, it stated that men were mostly involved in the military. From the military they kind of drifted into being a correctional officer. Not only the military but also those who were police officers or wanted to be police officers drifted into the correctional officer positions. Before the men were correctional officers they usually came from “male dominant, masculine gender typed jobs” (page, 83). They usually came from armed forces and military backgrounds. On the other hand women came from “female dominated, feminine occupations” (page, 83). Most jobs that women came from was more clerical such as “secretaries or clerks” (page, 85). Furthermore, women came from positions that included: “child care, cooking, cashiering, and sales services” (pg. 87). One woman connected baby sitting to the inmates. She basically was stating that working as a correctional officer is like baby sitting however, its baby sitting the inmates. Women who began to work as correctional officers first report scared in the beginning. For women there were basically no connection with their past work experiences with correctional officers.

Social network plays an important role in being a correctional officer for women. Due to media and its take on correctional facilities, women tend to become more scared of becoming a correctional officer. This masculine position is more favored by men instead of women. However, there are opportunities to improve once your in. One thing however, that motivates and attracts men and mostly women to apply is the money and benefits that this occupation offers.