Blog #13

The images in the media of prison guards and correctional officers are usually big built, muscular, tall, and they are men. They have weapons such as a gun, pepper spray, a baton, all weapons that will protect them against unruly prisoners if they get out of hand. They are usually mean and they do not make friends with the guilty they are there to keep them in line. They seem that they need to show the dominance and authority that they have over other people and may sometimes make sure that the prisoners know that they are inferior of them. Many people don’t believe that female guards are in male prisons because in the media they are hardly shown. When they do show women in prisons they are usually also masculine looking without make up and very tough looking. They hardly show emotion because that will make them look inferior to the prisoners and that could cause problems for the female officers.

Women in women facilities are usually not as uptight as they would be in a men’s facility because there is a much higher risk in a men’s facility. Men are much stronger than women so the women officers are not always feeling safe. Men in a women’s facility will be more generous they will be less violent and easy going unless they need to be strict. Men in a men’s facility seem to look stressed and they need to look tough. They also are more violent and they are more forceful because they need to show they are not inferior to the men. Women in a women’s society would also look less masculine and may be more polite. The women that are prisoners in a women’s facility are most likely to be more welcoming to men officers because they are seen as professionals, and look like they are experts in their job field.