Incarcerated Women’s Perceptions of the Role Model Prison Officer as Procedurally Just

Abstract

Studies applying procedural justice to the prison context have largely been quantitative and sampled men. These studies have explored prisoner’s procedural justice perceptions of the police and courts, but whether and to what extent their perceptions of the prison officer are associated with procedural justice is unknow. This study extends this research by qualitatively exploring how a sample of women incarcerated in an American prison perceive the role model prison officer and if their perceptions of the model officer are in line with the tenants of procedural justice theory. Findings reveal women’s perceptions of the model prison officer as procedurally just and point to the value of correctional officers developing strategies that enhance the procedural justice aspects of their encounters with women in prison.