lecture 13 - working in prisons

Question 1

most prison research is concerned with what

Answer 1

prisoners

Question 2

what are the effects of prisoners officers crucial for

Answer 2

crucial to understanding the prison experience and why some prisons are more survivable than others

Question 3

what is at the heart of the whole prison system

Answer 3

relations between staff and prisoners
- control and security flow from getting that relationship right

Question 4

3 operational roles for staff

Answer 4

occupational support grades
prison officers
prison managers (governors)

Question 5

examples of non operational roles

Answer 5

psychologists
probation officers
healthcare workers
educators and trainers etc

Question 6

the typical prison officer used to be

Answer 6

• homogenous group of middle aged family men with military backgrounds

Question 7

the typical prisoner officer now

Answer 7

• cross posting
  -greater emphasis on interpersonal skills than physical strength

Question 8

lower level of violence in mens prisons due to what

Answer 8

due to good levels of female staff

Question 9

what continuities for the typical prisoner officer are there

(what hasn’t changed)

Answer 9

very basic entry requirements
limited, practical on the job training

Question 10

what is new for typical prisoner officers

Answer 10

• custody and detention professional apprenticeship
• gender specific training to work in female estate

Question 11

what are prison officers motivated by

Answer 11

-economic pragmatism
-self other actualisation

Question 12

the reason why people become prison officers becomes apparent when

Answer 12

reflects and over time affects how they do their job

Question 13

what are officers called sometimes in prison slang

Answer 13

turnkey
warder
screw

Question 14

what is the priority for officers who are called turnkey and warders

Answer 14

security and supervision of offenders
regime delivery
gatekeepers

Question 15

what are carers for older prisoners called and what role may arise from this

Answer 15

care bears
potential therapeutic role arising from cross posting

Question 16

what type of role model are officers

Answer 16

pro-social role models
promoters of rehabilitative cultures

Question 17

what do prison officers need a skill in the correct exercise of

Answer 17

• power and authority - NOT the rules
  need to recognize that prisons operate by consent
  not too suspicious or too lax

Question 18

what ratio of prison officers to prisoners is there typically

Answer 18

1:30

Question 19

prison officers need discretion in what way

Answer 19

power and authority - not the rules
staff professionalism
both able and willing to get things done

Question 20

what is important in prison staff discreiton

Answer 20

• occupational culture
• institutional memory
• individual experience

Question 21

the exercise of discretion reflects upon and is reflected in the prisons?

Answer 21

moral performance
- overall tone and feel of a prison

Question 22

what affects the prisons moral performance

Answer 22

• staff shortages
• turnover
• overcrowding
• resource constraints on prisoners and officers

Question 23

what is HMPPS the single largest employer of in england wales

Answer 23

forensic psychologists

Question 24

what is a primary task in prisons for psychologists

Answer 24

report writing: assessment of risk and criminogenic needs pre and post OBP

Question 25

what do prison psychologists also contribute to in prisons

Answer 25

• management policies
• work for headquarters
• approve research access

Question 26

what are humanist psychologists?
what are they frustrated by?

Answer 26

every prisoner has the ability to change, with support and treatment
- frustrated by focus on risk-oriented work with loss of wider therapeutic human service

Question 27

what are functionalist psychologists focus

Answer 27

focus of role is public protection
untroubled by coercive aspects

Question 28

what is distinctive about prison officer work

Answer 28

it requires a sophisticated, dynamic and often subtle use of power through relationships

Question 29

psychologists exercise power how

Answer 29

indirectly through risk assessment
- reports and recommendations influence a prisoners ability to progress and be released