Female Wardens: Results From a National Survey of State Correctional Executives

• NCJ Number: 203244
• Journal: Prison Journal Volume: 83 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2003 Pages: 406-425
• Author(s): Ahn-Shik Kim; Michael DeValve; Elizabeth Quinn DeValve; W. Wesley Johnson
• Date Published: December 2003
• Length: 20 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article examines the attitudinal differences between male and female correctional executives.

Abstract

Women are playing an increasingly important role in the administration of the Nation’s prisons. Using data collected for the (National Corrections Executive Survey) NCES_95, specific attention is given to understanding gender differences in attitudes toward inmate programs, prison goals, attitudes toward factors influencing prison operations, their managerial philosophy, job satisfaction, and personal background. It is predicted that some characteristics of female wardens would reflect those of their early female predecessors, such as what is currently known as the caring ethic. It is also predicted that females would be more liberal than males, more supportive of rehabilitation, less likely to advocate for the reduction of services, less likely to seek support from colleagues, and would place greater emphasis on the input and contribution of correctional officers and inmates. Support was found for the hypothesis that the caring ethic is still apparent through female wardens’ emphasis on rehabilitation and choice to support amenities in which human enrichment is evident. Limited support was found regarding value of input from correctional officers, rehabilitation-oriented prison goals, and in the type of amenities for which they advocated. Liberal female wardens were more likely than liberal male wardens to promote rehabilitation as an important prison goal. Most wardens, both male and female, supported a middle-of-the-road philosophy and espoused incapacitation as the primary goal of prison. Support was found for the hypothesis purporting that female wardens were more likely to accept suggestions from line staff for policy recommendations than were male wardens. They were least likely to seek support from colleagues to address the stresses of their jobs. Though the differences between male and female wardens are somewhat noticeable, the similarities were more apparent and support the notion that correctional employees’ roles, particularly in the administrative realm, are becoming more gender neutral. 8 tables, 3 notes, 16 references