The correctional system plays a critical role in the country’s criminal justice system. It is the institution responsible for separating criminals from the rest of the society and reforming those incarcerated before they can be released back to the community. The functioning of these facilities relies a lot on the correctional officers who are in charge of the affairs therein. The role of these key personnel has evolved over the years and they are now expected to adapt their responsibilities to suit the demands of the times.
The Evolution of the Correctional Officer Role
Like any other profession, the role of the correctional officer is largely defined by the organizational goals of the prison system. Several decades ago, such individuals were only seen for their custodial functions (Stojkovic & Kalinich, 2014). At the time, these officers were only expected to maintain security and control by enforcing institutional rules. The control was based on physical coercion and discipline. It did not help matters that academic qualifications mattered little at the time and the people who came looking for work only did so just to get something to do (Stojkovic & Kalinich, 2014). The definition of the correctional officer from that time is perhaps what has shaped the way the public perceives them as people of low intelligence and who only rely on their brute strength for effectiveness.
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The Roles within the Social Roles of Inmates
The 1960s marked a significant shift in the way people perceived the role of prisons and with it, the functions of the officers. The most important dimension was the need to move the facilities from purely custodial premises to rehabilitation institutions (Stojkovic & Kalinich, 2014). Consequently, the correctional officers were expected to move from their security- custodial role and take on a more human- oriented service undertaking, working alongside other professionals in rehabilitating inmates. Therefore the role of today’s prison officer is two- fold. On one hand, the individuals are still expected to fulfill their duty of maintaining the security of the institutions by enforcing discipline (Whitehead & Edwards, 2012). On the other hand, they are also expected to act as change agents who should use their discretion to assist in the rehabilitation of inmates.
The changing role of prison officers has also coincided with the employment of more educated people for the positions, including those who have gone to college. It is worth noting that the explosion of the prison population has led to a capacity constraint where most correctional facilities are grossly understaffed (Whitehead & Edwards, 2012). Therefore, that has meant that those officers with advanced training are often utilized in the rehabilitation and counseling of inmates. Such roles are in addition to their designated routines such as scheduling work assignments.
Prison Administration Dimension
While correctional officers are now expected to play a bigger role in the rehabilitation of inmates, they still have to fulfill their more traditional functions related to administration and the maintenance of law and order (Stojkovic & Kalinich, 2014). The first role is enforcing the set rules and regulations. Here, they settle disputes between inmates, and prevent and quell any disturbances. The enforcement involves several methods including effective communication and the use of sanctions such as the loss of privileges for errant prisoners.
Correctional officers are also expected to supervise inmates. They make sure that the prisoners carry out any work that is assigned to them as expected while also ensuring that they obey the rules (Stojkovic & Kalinich, 2014). It is the work of the officers to know the whereabouts of the inmates at all times. They are also the ones who escort the prisoners wherever they go such as to the courtrooms, medical facilities, or any other place as needed. Part of the supervision that correctional officers undertake involves reporting on the conduct of inmates. They work with other law enforcement officers by reporting any crimes committed by the prisoners or any attempts to escape (Stojkovic & Kalinich, 2014). The officers are also tasked with detailing inmate behavior and anything peculiar they may note during their shifts by writing reports and filling out daily logs.
The maintenance of law and order in prisons includes ensuring that nothing gets in if it is not supposed to be there. Therefore, the officers have the task of searching for contraband items within the prison facilities. Some of the things they look out for include weapons and drugs, as well as mobile phones. The officers are also in charge of searching any visitors to the facilities to ensure that they do not sneak in any contraband for the prisoners.
Federal and state guidelines have outlined the standards for prisons. It is the work of the correctional officers to conduct routine checks and report on the conditions of their facilities (Stojkovic & Kalinich, 2014). The inspections involve the officers checking the cells and other areas for unsanitary conditions, contraband, and any tampering with window bars and doors which may be indicators of a security breach. Therefore, prison officers are in charge of ensuring that the conditions in the institutions meet the minimum requirements that have been prescribed.
References
Stojkovic, S., & Kalinich, D. (2014). Criminal Justice Organizations: Administration and Management . Boston: Cengage Learning.
Whitehead, J., & Edwards, B. (2012). Corrections: Exploring Crime, Punishment, and Justice in America . New York: Routledge.
