On the other side – how do prison culture affects prison staff?

• In Event: The Effects of Prison Culture on Correctional Staff

Abstract

International prison research includes extensive studies of prison culture and how prison affects incarcerated people. In addition many studies have found that prisoners undergo a process of prisonization. In same way prison staff both affect and are affected by prison culture. The question is whether prison staffs also undergo a change and how such a process may be understood? Data derives from a follow-up questionnaire among prison staff. A group of prison officers have been followed for 3 years from the time before they start to work in a prison until they graduate from the correctional officer school. Each year the prison officers have been asked the same questions about their attitude to prisoners and rehabilitation. Some results are that prison staff gets less idealistic during time and change their attitude toward prisoners.

Author

• Linda Kjaer Minke, University of Southern Denmark