Blog 17

After watching the NBC video “Locked up in North Carolina” I was able to identify many similarities between the video and Bitton. In our power point presentation it lists three similarities between a Prison Guard and Childcare. First Prison Guards are expected to control individual’s behavior (sometimes negatively). We saw examples of this in the NBC video such as the Officer in the kitchen who had to inform the inmate that her ketchup packet even though allowed on some days was actually considered contra ban that day because it was not handed out with their meal. The inmate maintained control although voicing her opinion not only to her peers but to the camera as to how silly she felt about a packet of ketchup being considered contra ban. Although it may seem like a little harmless thing, the Officer however has to maintain her position of authority with in the prison and letting her inmates know that she will not tolerate inmates breaking the rules. Another example of guards having to control individual’s behavior is the intimacy that takes place inside a female prison. Although the Officers and the Warden realize the woman long for a sense of knowing that someone cares about them and having moments of intimacy they also have to enforce that is it a violation that has consequences if taken to far. As seen in the video although some things such as holding hands are sometimes and most often ignored they must also keep an eye on groups of women who gather in the yard and constantly remind them to make some space between themselves. Although it is very common for female inmates to experiment with affections toward the same sex while incarcerated, and there are those woman whether in our out of prison prefer to be with women rather than men so it is even more difficult at times for them to deny their true feelings. A second way that Prison Guards resemble childcare is by providing positive guidance. Jennifer is one of the women in the video who is in confinement and away from her girlfriend and she is unsure of how long it will be. Jennifer is finally sent to answer to the charges and finds out that it will actually be less than what she expects and she struggles a bit to contain her excitement and they reassure her that they understand her excitement but she needs to sit down and listen. Another great example of this in the video takes place as Jessica leaves the prison with a chance at a new life. She is encouraged and treated respectful by the guards to go out and make something of herself and not come back. The prison does the best it can with limited resources to educate and train these women with a skill so that their chances of making it on the outside are far better when the leave than when they came in. Jennifer while incarcerated received her GED other women are being trained in skills such as travel, making teeth and license plates. Just like women in prison who do not want to return to this place once they have served their time the prison doesn’t want them to return either and does their best to provide them with tools that will help them in seeing that they don’t. The final way that the job of a Prison Guard resembles that of childcare is doing the body work involved in supervising inmates, bathing, dressing and eating. Watching to make sure an inmate is bathing properly, eating there meals and disposing of the leftovers as well as dressing properly and getting their laundry out are things that a mother would do to supervise her young children. Although you are not physically washing the inmates you have to sit and supervise them as though you were watching a toddler in the bathtub, there is no telling of what could happen in a split second. Within Britton’s study men and women prison guards are formally trained and each are required to study and past test of the same curriculum and yet there are those that will make mistakes both men and women. In the video we were introduced to Devin who is in a relationship with Cathy admits that she in the past baited staff into relationships to get money. Now the Warden admits that there have been staff members who have gotten to closely involved with inmates and they have had to pay the consequences which vary according to the offense. In a prison filled with women the staff have gone to great measures to eliminate false accusations against male inmates by having them announce their entry into buildings and cells along with being accompanied by a female guard. This not only protects the inmates but provides protection for the guard against any false accusations.