Two Jails in One: Impediments to Professionalization for Modern Jail Corrections Officers

Chelsey Lora

Date of Award

2009

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Brain, David

Keywords

Jails, Corrections Officers, Professionalization, Professionalism, Law Enforcement, Prisons, Guards, Prisoners, Inmates, Sheriff's Departments

Area of Concentration

Sociology

Abstract

In the qualitative study of corrections officers (COs) in a Florida county jail, participants demonstrated the difficulties of working in a 21st Century sheriff's department that is not professionalized but seeking to improve public image and conditions through policy changes that increase officer frustration rather than meet said goals. The day shift and the night shift demonstrated stark differences. These two conflicting shifts emerged not simply from distinct work responsibilities, but rather directly from seniority practices, shift organization, and department strategies for professionalization that ignore front-line officers own needs, responsibilities, and expertise. This study suggests that, through their attempts to improve jails, sheriffs departments actually impede the professionalization of their COs, though such an evolution in the career might bring the progress that communities really need.

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