Prisons Are Exclusive Frameworks Of Interaction - 1560 Words

Prisons are exclusive frameworks of interaction as they are highly controlled environments and are not influenced by the type of social conditions to be found in the public domain or any other type of governmental service. The everyday interaction that occurs between inmates and correction officers which can often span years depending on the length of incarceration of the inmate and the period of employment of the officer, will inevitably produce relationships that are not appropriate no matter the quality of training, years of experience, or degree of supervision an individual corrections officer has been provided with. Due to the nature of prison employment, corrections officers are dependent on others for their safety and security,†¦show more content†¦The corrupt prison guard effectively sells his or her time and services to the highest bidder. Sam Souryal, in his work â€Å"Ethics in Criminal Justice† notes how the abuse of authority goes virtually unchecked. The effortlessness and consistency with which this is done follows from the causes generally associated with institutional corruption, including factors such as â€Å"lack of ethical guidelines, poor salaries, weak control systems, and lack of transparency†. (Souryal,2009). Another theory on corruption prevalent in today’s prisons points to the leading cause as a result of pressure exerted within the establishment to conform to the prevailing culture. Where this culture is one that is permissive of a certain level of corruption, such that each member can profit from it within certain limits, correction officers that do not engage in these activities, are nevertheless, told to remain silent about reporting the misconduct that other officers engaged in. Much the same culture of silence has existed in policing for generations, which became known as the â€Å"Thin blue line† where officers that report misconduct risk isolation, harassment, expulsion and physical danger up and to including death in some cases, should they choose to become an informant or cooperate with internal affairs in any way. (Brasswell, McCarthy, McCarthy, 2008). These cultures,