TY - JOUR
T1 - Gender Diversity and the Prospects for Progressive Prison Reform
AU - Hussemann, Jeanette M.
AU - Page, Joshua
PY - 2011/10
Y1 - 2011/10
N2 - For decades, scholars and policymakers have thought that changing the demographics of the prison officer workforce-in particular, including more female officers-might facilitate progressive prison reform. This article explores the assumption that female officers are more empathetic and pro-rehabilitation and less punitive than their male counterparts by analyzing the relationship between gender and prison officer attitudes toward inmates and the purpose of imprisonment. Drawing on data from more than 900 prison officers in Minnesota, our findings suggest that although female and male officers may import different attitudes toward punishment and rehabilitation, organizational and cultural factors affect the officers' perspectives more than dispositional characteristics. Because prison officers are chiefly responsible for implementing policy on the ground, prison reform efforts require isolating factors that shape these workers' orientations.
AB - For decades, scholars and policymakers have thought that changing the demographics of the prison officer workforce-in particular, including more female officers-might facilitate progressive prison reform. This article explores the assumption that female officers are more empathetic and pro-rehabilitation and less punitive than their male counterparts by analyzing the relationship between gender and prison officer attitudes toward inmates and the purpose of imprisonment. Drawing on data from more than 900 prison officers in Minnesota, our findings suggest that although female and male officers may import different attitudes toward punishment and rehabilitation, organizational and cultural factors affect the officers' perspectives more than dispositional characteristics. Because prison officers are chiefly responsible for implementing policy on the ground, prison reform efforts require isolating factors that shape these workers' orientations.
KW - Minnesota
KW - gender
KW - officers
KW - prison
KW - reform
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84858783479&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84858783479&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/08974454.2011.609397
DO - 10.1080/08974454.2011.609397
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84858783479
SN - 0897-4454
VL - 21
SP - 267
EP - 289
JO - Women and Criminal Justice
JF - Women and Criminal Justice
IS - 4
ER -