I had the pleasure of informally interviewing Rosetta Thompson, a United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Adjudications Officer in the Phoenix Field Office. Rosetta attended a small law school in Delaware, then went into private practice and is currently working for the Federal Government. I inquired about gender expectations and stereotypes while in law school and throughout her career. Rosetta informed me that she attended an evening law program and many of her classroom peers were people like herself, working and professional adults and as in her case, parents. As a result, she was in a much friendly environment compared to her daytime peers or those in a traditional program. She also noted that approximately 35% of her class was female. In law school and through career development seminars she was advised to be “conservative” with makeup, hair styles, jewelry and attire. She was encouraged to wear dark colors, blacks and navy to provide a sense of conservatism and seriousness. She was further discouraged to be “flashy” or to dress fitted. Rosetta talked about working together with two lawyers from California at one firm and she said she was unable to take them seriously because they wore clothing that was very provocative and that was quite the opposite that attorneys are expected to be. She said she figured California must be more liberal.
Rosetta also said that who she is now is not who she was going into law school. As a beginning law student, she was very shy and quite however that changed with what she learned in reference to being confident and assertive. She caught my attention when she further said to me that many times women are interpreted as being “B*&^%$” when they are assertive whereas in the case of men, being aggressive and assertive is a natural characteristic and they are praised for doing a good job, particularly in court. Similarly, Holly English cites that women that are passive are dismissed and if they are aggressive, they are disliked. Nevertheless, Rosetta has worked with many excellent and admirable female lawyers that have actually served as mentors to male attorneys. Furthermore, Rosetta acknowledged that women are forced to make professional sacrifices as they are expected to be caregivers and homemakers in addition to their career. She specifically made reference to an opportunity she was forced to pass after she recently graduated from law school. She was offered a lucrative position in a prestigious law firm in downtown Philadelphia but the position required that she be available to work up to 70 hours a week and as a mother and wife, she was unwilling to put her family second and this has been true for her entire career. Undoubtedly, she has made the best of her professional career without jeopardizing her family. Kudos to Rosetta Thompson!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Blog #23
The NPR interview panelists agree that historically, first ladies are held to a higher standard as they are the focus of attention by the media and the public. First lady Michelle Obama has been criticized for not holding the conservative standard set for the appearance of a President’s wife but then again we have to realize that the standard has been set by a white middle class woman. I agree that the whole issue has been blown out of proportion because how she dresses and whether she chooses to show off her legs (by wearing shorts) in 80-90 degree weather at the Grand Canyon or if she wears a sleeve-less dress, who cares! She has a great sense of modern fashion and just because she is not sporting the square suit we’re accustomed to seeing in the White House she doesn’t deserve to be criticized because after all, she is also an autonomous individual and she is free to wear what she is comfortable in.
The women that English interviewed give their accounts of being told how to dress to blend in with their male partners. One could not look to feminine or to masculine as they would risk losing a case for a client in court if they didn’t go in with a “power look.” As noted in chapter one, English found that in the gendered constructed society that we live in, women are perceived to be passive and therefore dismissed and this particularly holds true in the lawyer profession. Women lawyers are encouraged to be as unnoticed as possible as they could pose a distraction if they let their curves, hair or attractiveness be shown because an attractive woman is presumed to be incompetent whereas if you are unattractive that too could be a distraction.
In some professions, the way of dress could be an indicator of rebellion as in the case of the sixth year associate of large law firm in New York City. She woke up one morning and she felt it was too cold to wear a skirt suit and freeze her “butt off” as she put it therefore, she wore pants. Interestingly, in my place of employment at the Federal Court, it was only recent that women were allowed to wear pant suits because previously skirt suits and dresses were part of the dress requirement- a policy put in place by men as there is yet to be a woman to hold the position of Clerk of Court. I agree that times have changed but we have not quite achieved equality in the workplace as there is still a male standard that women are held up to.
The women that English interviewed give their accounts of being told how to dress to blend in with their male partners. One could not look to feminine or to masculine as they would risk losing a case for a client in court if they didn’t go in with a “power look.” As noted in chapter one, English found that in the gendered constructed society that we live in, women are perceived to be passive and therefore dismissed and this particularly holds true in the lawyer profession. Women lawyers are encouraged to be as unnoticed as possible as they could pose a distraction if they let their curves, hair or attractiveness be shown because an attractive woman is presumed to be incompetent whereas if you are unattractive that too could be a distraction.
In some professions, the way of dress could be an indicator of rebellion as in the case of the sixth year associate of large law firm in New York City. She woke up one morning and she felt it was too cold to wear a skirt suit and freeze her “butt off” as she put it therefore, she wore pants. Interestingly, in my place of employment at the Federal Court, it was only recent that women were allowed to wear pant suits because previously skirt suits and dresses were part of the dress requirement- a policy put in place by men as there is yet to be a woman to hold the position of Clerk of Court. I agree that times have changed but we have not quite achieved equality in the workplace as there is still a male standard that women are held up to.
Blog #22
During Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings, in my opinion, she was literally pulled apart for doing what males in the ‘You Tube’ explained they do themselves as privileged men. They did not admit that they hold women, particularly a minority woman to a different standard. Sotomayor was criticized for “including her own gender and ethnic biases” in the name of law. However, this is exactly what other nominees mentioned that they think about before making a decision, they think about their own personal accounts of injustice. So why is it ok for a male to use his experiences and when a Hispanic woman attempts to, she is too liberal or too biased? The remarks that she had made in 2001, “I would hope that a wise Latina woman, with the richness of her experience, would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life” were completely taken out of context to citizen her as a radical. I was happy to see President Obama to come to her defense and tell the rest of America that when you listen to her entire speech, she wasn’t attempting to allege that white males judges are incompetent. She was simply asserting that a white male judge that has not had the life experiences that a Hispanic woman would bring to the bench and those “life experiences” would obviously permit her to take more things into consideration before rendering her decisions because she has lived a different experience compared to her white male counterparts.
Rather than to judge her on her judicial record on the bench, critics went on a personal attack citing that she would be biased based on gender and race. She should have been praised for challenging the already biased institution! I believe that what took place during Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings was discriminatory, racist, appalling and shameful. It reinforces the male ideology and anything that challenges it is deemed to pose a threat. On brighter note, I am happy that she was finally confirmed and I certainly hope that she will pave the pathway for more racial and gender minorities to aspire to reach similar positions of leadership.
Rather than to judge her on her judicial record on the bench, critics went on a personal attack citing that she would be biased based on gender and race. She should have been praised for challenging the already biased institution! I believe that what took place during Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings was discriminatory, racist, appalling and shameful. It reinforces the male ideology and anything that challenges it is deemed to pose a threat. On brighter note, I am happy that she was finally confirmed and I certainly hope that she will pave the pathway for more racial and gender minorities to aspire to reach similar positions of leadership.
Blog #21
The National Association for Female Correctional Officers and Britton both agree that reform is yet to come to the prison system that would permit that female officers to work in conditions that are acceptable and less deplorable. They are fighting towards eliminating rape and sexual harassment of female corrections officers while on duty. With their proposed legislation they intend to establish a zero-tolerance policy so that every assault on a female officer is prosecuted and with that increase the accountability of prison officials who fail to detect, prevent, reduce and punish those assaults on female prison guards. It is unfortunate that a female officer has to fight for such protection because if it is likely a man that is in charge of the prison and if the man is viewed as a natural protective figure, one would think that he would be doing more to protect his female co-worker (and in some cases they do) but we are seeing that this is not always the case. Instead male officers and officials hold the belief that the risk of sexual assault and harassment comes with the territory of working in the prison and if women are choosing to work there anyway despite what is involved then it is “her” choice. Besides, because male officers encounter those issues less, they cannot understand how it is a problem.
We have to keep in mind that it is wage discrimination that forced these women to seek jobs as corrections officers as they are more higher paying than the average clerical job. Many single working moms take on these jobs because they need to support a family on a livable wage. Unfortunately, what could have been an opportunity for a career with potential advancement also turns out to be disappointing because women are often overlooked for managerial and supervisory roles due to their familial obligations. The problems facing female officers are abundant and there is no question that reform is necessary.
We have to keep in mind that it is wage discrimination that forced these women to seek jobs as corrections officers as they are more higher paying than the average clerical job. Many single working moms take on these jobs because they need to support a family on a livable wage. Unfortunately, what could have been an opportunity for a career with potential advancement also turns out to be disappointing because women are often overlooked for managerial and supervisory roles due to their familial obligations. The problems facing female officers are abundant and there is no question that reform is necessary.
Blog #20
At the beginning of chapter six, Britton finds that the account of one female officer contributing 90% of the stress on the job is not atypical. There is something undoubtedly wrong if the major stress factors for corrections officers are coming from the institutions and their structure. Similar to the findings of the prison director, Dora Schriro, Britton found that officers often times bump heads with inflexible and illogical work rules, inept and incompetent co-workers and supervisors. Unfortunately, for Louis Fraley, she learned this the hard way as did the entire state of Arizona having learned that the prison system was flawed in more ways than one. Because the prison is a gendered institution, there were many that doubted that a woman could change the facility structure but after the Lewis prison ordeal, Shriro proved herself and then she was supported and deemed as someone that could be trusted to run a male prison.
Historically, we have learned that prisons were built for male prisoners to be overlooked by male guards and female prisoners were merely an afterthought. As a result, Britton finds that men hold the majority of administrator positions nationally in both the female and male prisons and therefore the training and policies that shape the prison and its employees are made from a male perspective rather than existing as a neutral entity.
Men are more apt to use aggression and physical force to put a prisoner in place and what Britton’s study demonstrates is that although it is unlawful to use racially derogatory terms when referring to inmates, prison staff often use the terms anyway as a form maintaining authority. Similarly, it seems as though Wassenaar used the hostage opportunity to gain some authority by calling out to Louis using derogatory terms rather than by her name. In both cases, we see that demeaning and humiliating another person leads the person to believe or feel that they are above the other.
Furthermore, the male officers’ openness about their preference for aid from male officers vs. a female or that they could take better care of themselves than women proves that this “status” of power, authority and masculinity is reinforced in the institutional construction of the (masculine) prison. Britton finds that the overall presumption of male officers is that women are simply not made for jobs in prisons, instead they should be working at a desk or in a clerical position, away from the danger and violence that they are (un)able to handle. The officers’ positions are more so gendered because as some male officers account, they are placed in positions that are more closely in physical contact with the inmates whereas their female counterparts are placed in positions in control units in order to keep them “safe” or at a distance from actual inmate contact. And when there is a call for back up where physical force is required, the men are more likely to be called than women.
The training or lack thereof is indicative of Britton’s discussion between “keepers” and “turnkeys” because they are literally trained to just keep prisoners in check and to turn the key on their cell. What they should be trained in is tactical communication and dignified treatment of inmates. I think the fact that Wassenaar was so physically and verbally aggressive is indicative of the anger and frustration of having been treated that way for the entire time that he had been in prison. I think that the male guard in the tower should have never opened the door as it is unreasonable to think that your fellow prison guard does not have access to the door-that’s a major flaw in training. One should not open the door to anyone that doesn’t have access regardless if they are wearing the uniform.
Overall, I think the coverage of the hostage situation was very biased because Officer Louis Fraley was not given the credit that she deserved for handling the situation so well and making every attempt to make herself equal to her hostage taker. I find it ironic that when the roles are reversed, then it is ok to view yourself as equal for your protection. Personally, I feel that it should always be that way as some of Britton’s study subjects expressed that it is beneficial to be kind to the prisoners because you never know when you will depend on them. Officer Fraley deserves more credit for not only handling the situation successfully but for proving that women are equally as capable of handling situations that they were not trained for which raises the question: Why weren’t they trained on these situations?
Historically, we have learned that prisons were built for male prisoners to be overlooked by male guards and female prisoners were merely an afterthought. As a result, Britton finds that men hold the majority of administrator positions nationally in both the female and male prisons and therefore the training and policies that shape the prison and its employees are made from a male perspective rather than existing as a neutral entity.
Men are more apt to use aggression and physical force to put a prisoner in place and what Britton’s study demonstrates is that although it is unlawful to use racially derogatory terms when referring to inmates, prison staff often use the terms anyway as a form maintaining authority. Similarly, it seems as though Wassenaar used the hostage opportunity to gain some authority by calling out to Louis using derogatory terms rather than by her name. In both cases, we see that demeaning and humiliating another person leads the person to believe or feel that they are above the other.
Furthermore, the male officers’ openness about their preference for aid from male officers vs. a female or that they could take better care of themselves than women proves that this “status” of power, authority and masculinity is reinforced in the institutional construction of the (masculine) prison. Britton finds that the overall presumption of male officers is that women are simply not made for jobs in prisons, instead they should be working at a desk or in a clerical position, away from the danger and violence that they are (un)able to handle. The officers’ positions are more so gendered because as some male officers account, they are placed in positions that are more closely in physical contact with the inmates whereas their female counterparts are placed in positions in control units in order to keep them “safe” or at a distance from actual inmate contact. And when there is a call for back up where physical force is required, the men are more likely to be called than women.
The training or lack thereof is indicative of Britton’s discussion between “keepers” and “turnkeys” because they are literally trained to just keep prisoners in check and to turn the key on their cell. What they should be trained in is tactical communication and dignified treatment of inmates. I think the fact that Wassenaar was so physically and verbally aggressive is indicative of the anger and frustration of having been treated that way for the entire time that he had been in prison. I think that the male guard in the tower should have never opened the door as it is unreasonable to think that your fellow prison guard does not have access to the door-that’s a major flaw in training. One should not open the door to anyone that doesn’t have access regardless if they are wearing the uniform.
Overall, I think the coverage of the hostage situation was very biased because Officer Louis Fraley was not given the credit that she deserved for handling the situation so well and making every attempt to make herself equal to her hostage taker. I find it ironic that when the roles are reversed, then it is ok to view yourself as equal for your protection. Personally, I feel that it should always be that way as some of Britton’s study subjects expressed that it is beneficial to be kind to the prisoners because you never know when you will depend on them. Officer Fraley deserves more credit for not only handling the situation successfully but for proving that women are equally as capable of handling situations that they were not trained for which raises the question: Why weren’t they trained on these situations?
Blog #19
Geena Davis discusses the everyday images including the cartoons that not only we are exposed to but our children. The images are highly sexual and stereotypical and when the women do get a hold of a gun and “kill a rapist” then, it becomes shocking that women are engaged in “violence” rather than self-defense. By portraying women as weak, sexy and “eye candy” per se, it becomes difficult to accept women in any other way hence why Britton found that only one of her study subjects in a supervisory role was female. In part, Davis believes that the messages sent through the media over and over are reinforcing the stereotype that women are worth less than men and the disparity of representation in the movies, programs and cartoons need to change.
Because we live in a patriarchial society, the man tends to be in charge both at home and at work as he is viewed as a natural leader and therefore seen more often in powerful positions across the board in a lot of industries. Due to this stereotype, some “old guards” who had been on the job for many years still held beliefs that the prison was no place for women as it is a place that could potentially be violent and women could not handle the violence or because it would require that they step out of the gender role and leave their sexual dignity aside as they will be working in front of the “worst of the worse” in prisons and they would be exposing themselves to sexual harassment.
In addition, other (male) prison guards expect that women prove that they are capable of taking care of themselves by engaging in physical violence because if a woman in a position that is clearly dominated by males then she should be able to handle what the job entails. Overall, males are associated with strength even if they are of a smaller stature and unless the media delivers a more fair representation of female attributes, occupations in law enforcement will continue to be gendered.
Because we live in a patriarchial society, the man tends to be in charge both at home and at work as he is viewed as a natural leader and therefore seen more often in powerful positions across the board in a lot of industries. Due to this stereotype, some “old guards” who had been on the job for many years still held beliefs that the prison was no place for women as it is a place that could potentially be violent and women could not handle the violence or because it would require that they step out of the gender role and leave their sexual dignity aside as they will be working in front of the “worst of the worse” in prisons and they would be exposing themselves to sexual harassment.
In addition, other (male) prison guards expect that women prove that they are capable of taking care of themselves by engaging in physical violence because if a woman in a position that is clearly dominated by males then she should be able to handle what the job entails. Overall, males are associated with strength even if they are of a smaller stature and unless the media delivers a more fair representation of female attributes, occupations in law enforcement will continue to be gendered.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Blog #18
On the job training for correctional officers involved mostly hands-on physical training given by other officers of which mostly were male. Both men and women were required to pass the same tests therefore one could argue that it is therefore gender neutral but is it really when it is clearly evident that a female officer’s physique could pose potential limitations when compared to her male counterparts. In the training officers are taught to handle the worse case scenarios involving violence and violence is perceived as the means that men use to express emotion whereas women show emotion through tears. Again, this is reinforcing the masculinity of the prison institution. The exclusion of sexual harassment material in the curriculum is further indicative that it is assumed to be gendered towards female officers and because the institution is supposedly gender-neutral, it is not addressed although both male and female officers (female more so than male) are at risk.
Interestingly, both male and female correctional officers in Britton’s study expressed their preference for working in male prisons because they considered women to be too “emotional” and deceiving-again reinforcing the masculine effect of the prison. Women were also considered to be too picky or that they complained about nonsense whereas the complaints of the male prisoners were interpreted to be more “legitimate.”
The fact that the female prisoners had a preference for dealing with the opposite sex demonstrates that the training that they received not only desensitized them, but it trained them to not sympathize with the prisoners even if they could relate to their own necessities as a woman. Female and male prison guards alike were simply trained to view themselves as an authority figure and to act accordingly otherwise it would jeopardize their safety. As a woman, one might attempt to be more aggressive in order to appear authoritative, but is it necessary? I don’t think so. One of the female prisoners in the documentary told the reporter that they only receive one roll of toilet paper per week. Now if the woman menstruates, how is one roll of toilet paper supposed to last an entire week?! Why are pregnant women forced to sleep on two inch mattresses? It infuriates me to see things going on like this and personally, I think the correctional officer job needs to be reformed so that people working the job are required to be more adequately educated and qualified to deal with what one day may be themselves (the prison guard that shot her husband and is now serving a life time sentence without parole.)
Interestingly, both male and female correctional officers in Britton’s study expressed their preference for working in male prisons because they considered women to be too “emotional” and deceiving-again reinforcing the masculine effect of the prison. Women were also considered to be too picky or that they complained about nonsense whereas the complaints of the male prisoners were interpreted to be more “legitimate.”
The fact that the female prisoners had a preference for dealing with the opposite sex demonstrates that the training that they received not only desensitized them, but it trained them to not sympathize with the prisoners even if they could relate to their own necessities as a woman. Female and male prison guards alike were simply trained to view themselves as an authority figure and to act accordingly otherwise it would jeopardize their safety. As a woman, one might attempt to be more aggressive in order to appear authoritative, but is it necessary? I don’t think so. One of the female prisoners in the documentary told the reporter that they only receive one roll of toilet paper per week. Now if the woman menstruates, how is one roll of toilet paper supposed to last an entire week?! Why are pregnant women forced to sleep on two inch mattresses? It infuriates me to see things going on like this and personally, I think the correctional officer job needs to be reformed so that people working the job are required to be more adequately educated and qualified to deal with what one day may be themselves (the prison guard that shot her husband and is now serving a life time sentence without parole.)
Blog #17
The documentary did not really discuss how the correctional officers found themselves employed at the prisons, if it was a career choice or the only job available to them. However, the male officer did describe what he needs to do to protect himself from allegations and accusations of misconduct. He explains that as a man, he is there to oversee them but not to befriend them as that could ultimately cost him his job. Female prison guards are under the same restrictions because forming bonds with prisoners could pose a security threat as explained by the directors as it could lead to the smuggling of contraband into the prison from the outside. I thought it was very interesting that all the officers assumed that the prisoners were violent and or acting up so that they could be taken to see a mental health professional. I honestly agree with the prisoner who said that she was in a cage for dogs, not merely acceptable to hold human beings.
Personally, I believe that if prisoners were treated more humanly and further permitted to interact and offered more than 45 minutes outside, they would not be perceived as hostile or as violent because being locked up for 23 hours is bound to make anyone, man or woman appear to be mentally unstable. The prison guards and the directors alike believe that the prisoners deserve “to do the time for doing the crime” which is quite laughable if you ask me. I am not alleging that the prison guards are uneducated but if some of them did possess higher education than what they require the inmates to complete during their time there (GED-high school equivalent) then I am confident that their perception of the prisoners would change. If I applied for a prison guard position tomorrow I would go in there with a different mentality not assuming that they have lost their rights to be treated like humans because if we look at the history of prisons and how laws have changed, the majority are in there for substance (ab)use. And for the prison population majority to be composed of the U.S. population minority is indicative of the reasons why laws changed-to keep certain groups of people controlled and as a form of guaranteed cheap labor. Because most guards are institutionally trained to be controlling, interpret authority and the like, they often forget that the prisoners are somebody’s mother or father, son or daughter. Instead the officers view the inmates as savages and therefore they treat them worse than they would treat their own pets! Again, this is not true of all prison guards but if we look at the African American guard that was scolding a prisoner for “contraband” when she simply had a packet of ketchup with her meatloaf, to me, it was ludicrous. Furthermore, the guard said that she could “lock her up” if she needed to- are you kidding me?
Such attitude from a correctional officer of color floored me because it is her people that are in higher numbers in there. I understand that it is necessary to authoritative but you can do it just as well without having to humiliate or anyone or reminding them that they are not equal to you because in prison, the prisoner is perceived to be below the guard and never equally human. Furthermore, according to Britton’s study, the attitude towards inmates did not differ between minority prison guards when compared to their white counterparts. Ironically, Britton finds that minority officers “wear the uniform of the system that imprisons them” and as a result they can find it difficult to partake in oppressing their own people as some can relate it to their own personal accounts of racism. Fortunately, some minority officers do have double consciousness and while the prison may perceive and refer to the inmate as violent and aggressive, for those officers that still consider them human beings (thankfully), they choose to take on a more maternal or paternal role towards the inmates. Specifically, in Britton’s study both male and female officers agreed that a female officer’s mothering and nurturing effects work well when they need to diffuse potentially volatile situations.
In order to keep inmates on their best behaviors, officers often took “privileges” away if an inmate exhibited unacceptable behavior and this is another form of social control within an already controlled institution. This type of control in addition to the distance maintained in the prisoner and prison guard relationship and the talking down to the prisoners are what I would blame for any hostile behavior in the prison. If prisoners were treated differently, if they were ALL given the opportunity to learn a career that they could transition into (with the help of the prison) upon their release, not only would the prisoner population decrease but we could very well find a lesser need or dependency of these institutions.
Personally, I believe that if prisoners were treated more humanly and further permitted to interact and offered more than 45 minutes outside, they would not be perceived as hostile or as violent because being locked up for 23 hours is bound to make anyone, man or woman appear to be mentally unstable. The prison guards and the directors alike believe that the prisoners deserve “to do the time for doing the crime” which is quite laughable if you ask me. I am not alleging that the prison guards are uneducated but if some of them did possess higher education than what they require the inmates to complete during their time there (GED-high school equivalent) then I am confident that their perception of the prisoners would change. If I applied for a prison guard position tomorrow I would go in there with a different mentality not assuming that they have lost their rights to be treated like humans because if we look at the history of prisons and how laws have changed, the majority are in there for substance (ab)use. And for the prison population majority to be composed of the U.S. population minority is indicative of the reasons why laws changed-to keep certain groups of people controlled and as a form of guaranteed cheap labor. Because most guards are institutionally trained to be controlling, interpret authority and the like, they often forget that the prisoners are somebody’s mother or father, son or daughter. Instead the officers view the inmates as savages and therefore they treat them worse than they would treat their own pets! Again, this is not true of all prison guards but if we look at the African American guard that was scolding a prisoner for “contraband” when she simply had a packet of ketchup with her meatloaf, to me, it was ludicrous. Furthermore, the guard said that she could “lock her up” if she needed to- are you kidding me?
Such attitude from a correctional officer of color floored me because it is her people that are in higher numbers in there. I understand that it is necessary to authoritative but you can do it just as well without having to humiliate or anyone or reminding them that they are not equal to you because in prison, the prisoner is perceived to be below the guard and never equally human. Furthermore, according to Britton’s study, the attitude towards inmates did not differ between minority prison guards when compared to their white counterparts. Ironically, Britton finds that minority officers “wear the uniform of the system that imprisons them” and as a result they can find it difficult to partake in oppressing their own people as some can relate it to their own personal accounts of racism. Fortunately, some minority officers do have double consciousness and while the prison may perceive and refer to the inmate as violent and aggressive, for those officers that still consider them human beings (thankfully), they choose to take on a more maternal or paternal role towards the inmates. Specifically, in Britton’s study both male and female officers agreed that a female officer’s mothering and nurturing effects work well when they need to diffuse potentially volatile situations.
In order to keep inmates on their best behaviors, officers often took “privileges” away if an inmate exhibited unacceptable behavior and this is another form of social control within an already controlled institution. This type of control in addition to the distance maintained in the prisoner and prison guard relationship and the talking down to the prisoners are what I would blame for any hostile behavior in the prison. If prisoners were treated differently, if they were ALL given the opportunity to learn a career that they could transition into (with the help of the prison) upon their release, not only would the prisoner population decrease but we could very well find a lesser need or dependency of these institutions.
Blog #16
Interestingly, Britton finds that very few young people dream about becoming a prison guard when they grow up and for those who do land jobs as such; it is often times a last resort as there is an existing demand for them. However because there are stereotypes associated with being a corrections officer, the white educated males are likely to seek other jobs as they can make more than the average $30K (an officer makes) in other work industries. As a result, the jobs are often left behind to be occupied by minorities with a high school education. The women in Britton’s study were aspiring to become police officers but when those opportunities fell through for one reason or another, they opted for the position of correctional officer instead. For some men and women (but mostly for men-44% compared to 7%), the previous work experience in the military is what encouraged them to seek jobs in corrections. In the media and in our culture, it seems that the male is the ideal candidate for a position of control and to oversee unruly persons. In the past when women were considered to have failed to live up to their standard lady-like behavior, it was not uncommon for them to be supervised by men. But when reformists sought change in the conditions in which women were housed, women began to be sought after to supervise female prisoners as they could understand the needs of a woman more so than a man and this opened opportunities for women to enter what is still today, a male dominated field.
However, although this specific job field has offered opportunities to women, it is not prestige that future prison guards are after. In Britton’s study, both men and women cite that it is the pay and benefits that lures them to these positions because they outweigh the potential risks. Because most prisons are located in rural areas, often times good paying jobs that only require a high school education are hard to come by and therefore those seeking stable employment settle for positions as prison guards.
However, although this specific job field has offered opportunities to women, it is not prestige that future prison guards are after. In Britton’s study, both men and women cite that it is the pay and benefits that lures them to these positions because they outweigh the potential risks. Because most prisons are located in rural areas, often times good paying jobs that only require a high school education are hard to come by and therefore those seeking stable employment settle for positions as prison guards.
Blog #15
Britton describes that prisons have existed in the U.S. for so many decades that they have come to be seemed as normal. The first American prison opened in 1785 and the structure was designed with the male prisoner in mind because women constituted only a minority of prisoners. To this date, women are still greatly outnumbered in prison compared to their male counterparts however one similarity that holds true between both male and female prisoners is that they are disproportionately composed of minorities. According to Britton’s statistics, women in prison are 35% white, 46% Black and 16% Hispanic and further finds that Blacks are seven times more likely to be incarcerated than are whites. In addition, for both men and women prisoners, they are more likely to represent working or workless poor.
Historically, prisons were referred to as penitentiaries because they were considered places where “the errant might repent and be transformed” however that was not necessarily the case for women as Criminologist, Francis Leiber suggested that a woman who commits a crime has sunken deeper than a man and therefore when it came to incarcerating them, they were forced to live in miserable conditions. Britton describes the situation for women in prison as an afterthought given the lack of attention, supervision and protection. And even in the prisons, their roles were systematically reinforced by only permitting them to do things like knitting, sewing or cooking.
In Arizona, the first female promoted to sergeant was in 1979, that is only thirty years ago when the legislator proposed that a prison be built back in 1868. Although we do see more women in correctional officer positions, they are more likely to be placed in female and juvenile institutions. Primarily, Britton cites that it is “the masculine foundation on which the system of penitentiary discipline was built also contributed to the exclusion of women from its regimes.” Again, because the prison system was originally designed for men to be supervised by men, when women were accused and punished for moral shortcomings, prison staff perceived them to be a “nuisance.” Today, reformers have brought changes and improvements for female prisoners however based on some recent events such as the deceased Perryville prisoner due to negligent acts of correctional officers, it is clear that there is still an urgent need to change policies to ensure that prisoners do NOT lose their right to be treated like humans.
Historically, prisons were referred to as penitentiaries because they were considered places where “the errant might repent and be transformed” however that was not necessarily the case for women as Criminologist, Francis Leiber suggested that a woman who commits a crime has sunken deeper than a man and therefore when it came to incarcerating them, they were forced to live in miserable conditions. Britton describes the situation for women in prison as an afterthought given the lack of attention, supervision and protection. And even in the prisons, their roles were systematically reinforced by only permitting them to do things like knitting, sewing or cooking.
In Arizona, the first female promoted to sergeant was in 1979, that is only thirty years ago when the legislator proposed that a prison be built back in 1868. Although we do see more women in correctional officer positions, they are more likely to be placed in female and juvenile institutions. Primarily, Britton cites that it is “the masculine foundation on which the system of penitentiary discipline was built also contributed to the exclusion of women from its regimes.” Again, because the prison system was originally designed for men to be supervised by men, when women were accused and punished for moral shortcomings, prison staff perceived them to be a “nuisance.” Today, reformers have brought changes and improvements for female prisoners however based on some recent events such as the deceased Perryville prisoner due to negligent acts of correctional officers, it is clear that there is still an urgent need to change policies to ensure that prisoners do NOT lose their right to be treated like humans.
Blog #14
Britton theorizes that the entire employment structure is gendered because our jobs are presumed to be a separate matter from our home life. How many times have we heard someone say, “When I come to work I leave my home life at home and vice versa? It’s unthinkable to want to blend home and work life but in the case of working women, we have to. Because women are traditionally the caregivers to children and the caretakers of the home, it is often the male who will spend additional hours at work until the job is done. As a result, the male has the advantage of being perceived as “committed and devoted” to his work, always willing to go the extra mile and therefore more likely to get a promotion or considered for a leadership position. Working women with children on the other hand are often hesitant to sacrifice valuable time that they could otherwise spend with their children.
What Britton is highlighting is that the structures of most organizations are not designed to cater to working women with children. How many employers offer on-site daycare, flexible schedules or paid maternity leave? The answer is a no brainer and because the employment sector is not structured to meet the needs of the working mom. It is considered a perk or privilege when employers do offer flexibility for employees with children. However, because not many employers offer these “perks”, women seek more flexible careers thus reinforcing the gendered occupation roles depicted in popular culture. For example, whenever we see a teacher on TV (unless it is science or math) a teacher is always a woman and the same applies to the occupation of a nurse-always a woman. And when occupations are gendered from the ground up, meaning that the structures are designed to reinforce gender roles to begin with and then these images are retold through the media and furthermore through the absence of adequate support from the agencies, what we ultimately end up with is a workforce structure that gives every opportunity for advancement to the person that is willing to give it all up for the job-most likely a male.
What Britton is highlighting is that the structures of most organizations are not designed to cater to working women with children. How many employers offer on-site daycare, flexible schedules or paid maternity leave? The answer is a no brainer and because the employment sector is not structured to meet the needs of the working mom. It is considered a perk or privilege when employers do offer flexibility for employees with children. However, because not many employers offer these “perks”, women seek more flexible careers thus reinforcing the gendered occupation roles depicted in popular culture. For example, whenever we see a teacher on TV (unless it is science or math) a teacher is always a woman and the same applies to the occupation of a nurse-always a woman. And when occupations are gendered from the ground up, meaning that the structures are designed to reinforce gender roles to begin with and then these images are retold through the media and furthermore through the absence of adequate support from the agencies, what we ultimately end up with is a workforce structure that gives every opportunity for advancement to the person that is willing to give it all up for the job-most likely a male.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Blog #13
When we think of correctional officers, police officers or any law enforcement officer for that matter we envision a strong and masculine figure. Dana Britton describes a “hulking man in uniform” and that is indeed what is popularized and reinforced through the media. As a result of the traditional images of correctional officers, when we turn to the images of female correctional officers they tend to be viewed as unfeminine and or representations of “rough and tough” women, meaning that in order to be in this field you have to show some masculine traits. Particularly for guards in male prisons, they are expected to be able to handle potential violent situations therefore we automatically assume that the male guard is the “ideal” candidate for the job. Britton also discusses the advantages that women have working with male prisoners because their traditional nurturing effect gives them the ability to reason and talk to male prisoners or by using the weaker female position so that male prisoners don’t turn physically violent against them. One of Britton’s interviewees described that she communicated to a male prisoner that she liked her face hinting to him that she would like to keep it that way so that he would not assault her.
In addition, prison institutions reinforce the notion that the capacity of the female guard is limited compared to that of her male counterpart and as a result a larger percent of female guards are found in women and juvenile facilities. In federal facilities where pay is greater there is the least number of female officers. According to Britton, women are only making 83% of the wages of their male counterparts. We could then conclude that prisons hold preexisting assumptions of what their “ideal” employees should be and it is evident by the large contrast between male and female corrections officers.
In addition, prison institutions reinforce the notion that the capacity of the female guard is limited compared to that of her male counterpart and as a result a larger percent of female guards are found in women and juvenile facilities. In federal facilities where pay is greater there is the least number of female officers. According to Britton, women are only making 83% of the wages of their male counterparts. We could then conclude that prisons hold preexisting assumptions of what their “ideal” employees should be and it is evident by the large contrast between male and female corrections officers.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Blog #12
Although sex discrimination has been made illegal and women have come a long way in the workforce, segregation continues to exist because both men and women are expected to fit in and stay within their traditional gender roles. Holly English notes in her book that women are perceived to be passive and therefore deemed to be weak or if they are attractive then they are presumed to be frivolous and incompetent. However, when a woman steps out of her “traditional” role and she is aggressive, then she risks being disliked. As a result of the roles that society has associated gender with, women encounter difficulty entering male dominated industries because men doubt that they possess the necessary “brains” or perhaps the strength to perform such work as in the case of female police officers. Because the male is generally associated with the role as a protective figure, it is undoubtedly expected that police officers are expected to be male.
Furthermore, because we see very few women in non-traditional roles, other women who might consider a career in a male-dominated field experience difficulty finding a role model and the moral support within the workforce so that she does not become discouraged from pursuing a traditionally male career. The role of institutions contributes to a continuous segregation as women are not actively sought after to enter male dominated career fields. If we think about a scientist or a mathematician or an engineer for example, the first image that comes to mind is that of a male therefore until women are equally represented and given the opportunities to enter traditional male occupations, segregation will continue to exist.
Fortunately, for women that successfully enter male dominated fields as seen in the videos, they find themselves more financially stable as wages in aviation, mechanics, welding and law enforcement tend to be higher than wages in clerical and administrative jobs. In addition, they are “proving” themselves as in the case of the female officer who applied for a SWAT position twice before she was promoted and then she was approached by her male counterparts and told that they were doubtful until she proved that she too could perform the job well.
Men too are fortunate when they enter women dominated fields because they are promoted quicker when they compete with women for managerial and leadership roles as they are perceived to be “traditional and natural” leaders. Both genders however are essentially placing themselves under the radar when they are in their non-traditional and that could become uncomfortable and stressful to constantly have to prove that they are equally as capable of performing the job.
Furthermore, because we see very few women in non-traditional roles, other women who might consider a career in a male-dominated field experience difficulty finding a role model and the moral support within the workforce so that she does not become discouraged from pursuing a traditionally male career. The role of institutions contributes to a continuous segregation as women are not actively sought after to enter male dominated career fields. If we think about a scientist or a mathematician or an engineer for example, the first image that comes to mind is that of a male therefore until women are equally represented and given the opportunities to enter traditional male occupations, segregation will continue to exist.
Fortunately, for women that successfully enter male dominated fields as seen in the videos, they find themselves more financially stable as wages in aviation, mechanics, welding and law enforcement tend to be higher than wages in clerical and administrative jobs. In addition, they are “proving” themselves as in the case of the female officer who applied for a SWAT position twice before she was promoted and then she was approached by her male counterparts and told that they were doubtful until she proved that she too could perform the job well.
Men too are fortunate when they enter women dominated fields because they are promoted quicker when they compete with women for managerial and leadership roles as they are perceived to be “traditional and natural” leaders. Both genders however are essentially placing themselves under the radar when they are in their non-traditional and that could become uncomfortable and stressful to constantly have to prove that they are equally as capable of performing the job.
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