Women in Corrections

Abstract

This study investigated male and female officers' attitudes toward women employed as correctional officers in a male penitentiary. The Correctional Role Questionnaire was sent to 500 correctional officers. The hypothesis, that men enact the social responsibility norm in the presence of women and that women find the social responsibility norm groundless, was confirmed. For the purposes of this study, the social responsibility norm was defined as the male tendency to shield a woman from possible assault. On the basis of these results, the utilization of women and expansion of their limited correctional role is suggested.