Confessions of a Female Corrections Officer
Below is a blog I posted on tumblr about my time working in Corrections. https://1hazeleyedqueen.tumblr.com/
Criminals Policing Criminals
Working in Law Enforcement you basically expect to see the worse from criminals. As officers we expect to endure inflammatory and offensive language in general. Working in corrections specifically we often find contraband items (drugs, cell phones etc.) and witness illegal acts on the part of the inmate. What was surprising however when I started this profession was the criminals behind the scenes. Now I’ve met some really great officers in within these last seven months but I’ve also met some who were willing to throw their entire lives away to be with an inmate or to hustle money from the inmates. I recall before starting in corrections I would often see the news stories of women in particular who had fell in love with inmates and got arrested for having sex with them. I didn’t think I would actually be witness to this though. Shortly after I was first hired a young single black mother was terminated for having sexual relations of sorts with an inmate. Just to clarify, it’s both against the department’s policy and in some cases illegal for the personnel to have relations with an inmate. This doesn’t solely refer to having sexual intercourse. Relations could also incur in sexting, exchanging personal information with intent to have a sexual relationship, having an intimate relationship etc. Basically don’t do it! Employees are also not allowed to bring in any items to give to inmates nor can we accept anything from an inmate….not even a stick of gum!
As for sexual relations, it’s actually considered Rape if an officer has sex with an inmate even if they both consented. These laws help protect those inmates out there who are actually being raped by officers. So there is a lot to risk when one engages with a prisoner and well….WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO? Another officer I knew for a short time was investigated by the police and was said to have been receiving money from inmates as they found a bunch of green dot cards in her car….
As a black woman I felt extra disappointed in some of my peers because as they were both black women I felt it only further perpetuated negative stereotypes that I don’t like to associate with. I want so much better for my beautiful black women and for all women in general….
There have been other officers, both men and women, who have been terminated for similar behaviors. These fuckeries that go on baffle me but all I can make of it is that one should not go into a field if they think they will be under too much temptation! I knew one corrections instructor who admitted that he could never work in a female prison because well……he loves women! I appreciated his honesty and so many problems can be solved by being honest with ourselves. If I ever become anything other than impervious to the inmates I would leave immediately!
For the department I work at they are very desperate for new staff so they really hire anyone and people who don’t prefer this or aren’t suited eventually weed themselves out. So it’s really on the individual to admit what their aptitudes are. I don’t judge anyone’s lifestyle just don’t put yourself in situations that are only going to harm you especially if your livelihood is in jeopardy.
