In criminology theory relation, the correctional officers have a significant role in ensuring safety and the general welfare of the prisoners. The correctional officers have a significant role in maintaining law and order within the prisons. The primary role of the correctional officers include supervision and control of the prisoners and ensure that they receive proper care as they await their trials. To capitalize on the provision of proper care and protection, the correctional officers undergo specialized training programs that equip them with adequate knowledge and skills to deal with a wide range of people in the correctional facilities. Considering that the officers handle different kinds of people in police custody, it is important to have the relevant skills that enable them to approach situations differently. Additionally, the officers should have the relevant gears that may facilitate self-defense when dealing with offenders and other victims.
Rational Choice Theory
Rational choice theory is a criminology theory that is based on the belief that human beings can reason and make informed choices based on different aspects such as the means and benefit of undertaking their actions. In criminology, the rational choice theory has a significant role in analyzing criminal behavior by investigating key aspects such as the factors that contributed to the decision to engage in any form of crime (Gordon & Baker, 2017). When analyzing the issues of crime in society, it is important to capitalize on the analysis of the theory by focusing on the crucial elements of the theory relating to the occurrence of a crime. The theory maintains that for a crime to take place, three main considerations include a suitable target, and offender, who is undertaking the criminal activity, and a lack of authority responsible for the prevention of the crime.
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Considering that the theory focuses on the analysis of individual needs and situational factors concerning the occurrence of a crime, the correctional officers need to understand all the basic dimensions of the theory in criminology. When undertaking their roles and responsibilities that involve protecting the law offenders, the correctional officers implement different concepts from the theory. The use of various concepts from the theory focuses on ensuring that the offenders do not receive any form of discrimination resulting from the previously conducted crime. Additionally, the correctional officers have the mandate to protect crime victims from any form of intimidation. A crime victim is an individual that has been impacted directly by a criminal activity conducted by an offender. To protect the crime victims, the correctional officers must engage in the analysis of the rational choice theory.
Role of Correctional Officers in Protecting Offenders and Special Victims
Correctional officers have a vital role in protecting offenders against any form of harm, which may include self-harm. The rape and sexual offenders are some of the people that experience discrimination from the society, which is an aspect that impacts on the processes associated with awaiting trial and sentencing (Spencer & Ricciardelli, 2017). On the other hand, the special victims require adequate protection from the correctional officers to ensure that they can engage in their day to day activities and in the process to seek justice. The implementation of various concepts that concern the rational choice theory helps in heightening protection measures for law offenders and special victims. The offenders and special victims have different characteristics, which define the need for acquiring protection from the correctional officers. Understanding the specific characteristics may help in the implementation of effective strategies to protect them from any form of harm.
Through the implementation of the rational choice theory, the correctional officers engage in the protection of rape and sexual assault offenders against any form of harm from the members of the society. The primary characteristic associated with the offenders may include remorsefulness and guilt, which is associated with their actions. The feelings of guilt may result in the development of suicidal thoughts thus initiating self-harming processes. In that case, the correctional officers have a significant role in ensuring that the offenders do not engage in any form of self-harm and that they focus on finishing their trials (Gordon & Baker, 2017). The officers focus on monitoring of the offenders, which is an aspect that reduces risks associated with suicide among the offenders. The theory of criminology is applicable in this case as it focuses on the protection of criminal law offenders against different forms of harm concerning the crime committed.
Another significant role of the officers in the process of protecting the offenders involves enabling the offenders to focus on the notion that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. The fact that rape and sexual assaults are considered some of the heinous crimes in the society, the offenders tend to be at a higher risk of facing the wrath of people. In that case, it is important to capitalize on protecting the offenders against the wrath by maintaining the fact that only the criminal justice system can provide the final verdict to criminal offenders. The application of the rational choice theory is because the decision to commit a crime is associated with different aspects such as an available target. Additionally, lack of an authority to prevent a crime from happening is an aspect defines the need for the offenders to face lenient measures regarding their cases.
The correctional officers are mandated to provide the offenders with accurate and relevant information regarding their cases. Burton, Lux, Cullen, Miller, & Burton (2018) maintain that officers have a significant role in ensuring that the offenders understand different aspects such as the rights of the offenders in the society. Although the offenses committed may warrant life imprisonment or any other form of punishment, it is important that the correctional officers provide information on individual rights. The provision of the given information is important as it helps in protecting the offenders against the denial of human rights in the society (Spencer & Ricciardelli, 2017). Through the understanding of human rights, an individual may engage in measures to pursue the given rights and capitalize on the effective follow-up of the case. The criminology theory may help to ensure that an offender provides a strong defense regarding the factors that contributed to the decisions associated with the criminal activity conducted.
Similarly, the special victims require adequate protection from the correctional officers to help them engage in their day to day activities. Considering the nature of the crime committed, the victims tend to present various characteristics that create the need for receiving adequate protection from the correctional officers dealing with the offenders. The characteristics presented by the special victims include feelings of insecurity and the tendency to be paranoid about their surroundings. Another significant characteristic presented by special victims includes psychological disturbances, which results in the development of mental health disorders (Van der Kaap-Deeder, Audenaert, Van Petegem, Vandevelde, Van Mastrigt, Aelterman, & Vansteenkiste, 2019). The psychological disturbances among the crime victims may result from flashbacks that are associated with a crime. In that case, the correctional officers are mandated to protect the victims against falling into depression and other mental health disorders. Other than emotional support, the officers should provide physical protection to the victims to provide a sense of safety and security.
The role of protecting the special victims is important as it helps to ensure that the crime victims receive justice based on the nature of the crime committed. Through the protection of the victims, the police officers gain the ability to understand different aspects that concern criminal activities committed against the victims. Spencer & Ricciardelli (2017) mention that the protection of the victims helps in ensuring that they can pursue justice against the offenders. Additionally, the protection of the victims helps in reducing cases of shaming, which is a factor that contributes towards the development of mental health conditions. Though the implementation of concepts in the rational choice theory that focuses on the analysis of behavior about the process of making choices, the correctional officers earn the ability to protect the victim. The protection measures applied are relevant to both internal and external protection.
Conclusion
Correctional officers have a significant role in maintaining law and order within the prisons. Rational choice theory is a criminology theory that is based on the belief that human beings can reason and make informed choices based on different aspects such as the means and benefit of undertaking their actions. Correctional officers have a vital role in protecting offenders against any form of harm, which may include self-harm. The implementation of various concepts that concern the rational choice theory helps in heightening protection measures for law offenders and special victims. The theory is applicable in this case as it focuses on the protection of criminal law offenders against different forms of harm concerning the crime committed. The theory may help to ensure that an offender provides a strong defense regarding the factors that contributed to the decisions associated with the criminal activity conducted.
References
Burton, A. L., Lux, J. L., Cullen, F. T., Miller, W. T., & Burton Jr, V. S. (2018). Creating a Model Correctional Officer Training Academy: Implications from a National Survey. Fed. Probation , 82 , 26.
Gordon, J., & Baker, T. (2017). Examining correctional officers’ fear of victimization by inmates: The influence of fear facilitators and fear inhibitors. Criminal Justice Policy Review , 28 (5), 462-487.
Spencer, D., & Ricciardelli, R. (2017). ‘They’re a very sick group of individuals’: Correctional officers, emotions, and sex offenders. Theoretical Criminology , 21 (3), 380-394.
Van der Kaap-Deeder, J., Audenaert, E., Van Petegem, S., Vandevelde, S., Van Mastrigt, S., Aelterman, N., & Vansteenkiste, M. (2019). The internalization of and defiance against rules within prison: The role of correctional officers’ autonomy-supportive and controlling communication style as perceived by prisoners. Motivation and Emotion , 43 (5), 771-785.
