Unit C - Blog 20

The hostage situation at the Lewis Prison was reflected as a high security prison. In relation to Britton, the prison, like many others according to our media was portrayed as violent. It obviously supported the norm by describing and demonstrating violent and ruthless inmates. During the early part of At Work in the Iron Cage the book spoke about the stereotype of an officer, but also to inclusion of weapons being necessary to tame. This was portrayed in the article as well. I also think the socialization of a male corrections officer was supported, but not necessarily how Britton described it. In the Phoenix Magazine article, the male officers were affiliated with cowboys multiple times, which have the same brute and violent implications as the other stereotypes. The headline also stuck out to me right off the bat when it affiliated female with soft right away. Another area that relates to Britton is some of the implications of restorative justice by some of the guards. Schriro is cited as using restorative justice for her correctional facilities. Also, when the incident was first initiated, her number one priority was to make sure that no one would be killed. This supports that she views the inmates as human beings.

These articles also support the notion that prisons are gendered. The largest example was apparent in Inside the Tower when the Sheriffs that were restraining the convict were referred to as “four burly men.” It also portrayed the victim as a week female that was in fact a victim that had to have the Sheriffs around to essentially protect her. They also referred to the Sheriffs’ thick necks and biceps that could be considered “lethal weapons.” The Phoenix Magazine article, as stated earlier, referred to the previous officers as cowboys, again with implications of violence (masculinity). They then started referring to her as getting nervous and not being able to handle the situation, a sign of weakness, and a sign of feminine. One other huge part of the Inside the Tower article that really emphasized gender roles was the fact that Schriro chose a non-violent resolution which is in line with the feminine stance. And finally, back to the restorative justice. Schriro believes that the inmates can go back and be a part of society, the masculine stand point would be that they are violent animals.

A prison is a total institution because it is a place where individuals “live the whole of their lives” (Britton, Pg. 3). Britton talks about how inmates are living there against their own will, but nevertheless they are an institution under total control. Prisons are basically a small society, but have a hierarchy of control that they have to abide by. There is simply a chain of command. The prisoners, the officers, and the wardens is the structure of the institution. They all spend a majority, or whole part of their live together.

A correctional officer is an engendered position because it came about with socialized structure. Prisons have always been affiliated with violence, as have men. Men were historically the majority of the incarcerated and in past times, men had to be controlled by men. Violence had to be controlled by violence. Due to these early formations of prisons, the foundations were reproduced and still are. Our society continues to socialize the traits of prisons, although, as Britton mentions several times, are inaccurate.

Britton’s recommendations could have been useful in avoiding the hostage take over. Her whole stance with training and restructuring is to help provide an equal prison life for guards and inmates. I think the situation could have happened either way, and I think she would have done, or had structure prepare officers, both male and female, how to handle it. Britton states that we need the “promotion practices that privilege the ability to deal with physical violence over other skills, like the ability to defuse it, should be made more equitable.” Schriro takes this same stance and is working on that type of structure, as well as defused the violence.