NCJ Number
170831
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 58 Issue: 3 Dated: (June 1996) Pages: 76,78
Date Published
1996
Length
2 pages
Annotation
Filemon Sandoval, a correctional officer at the Penitentiary of New Mexico, has served in his position for more than 20 years and he has the respect of both coworkers and inmates, although he often wonders why he stays in his work.
Abstract
When he began working at the prison as a young man to support his wife and a new baby, he never imagined that he would make the work a career. He has learned many lessons over the years. One lesson it took years to learn was that being a "tough guy" does not always work. Inmates must be treated humanely if they are to be managed effectively. Over the years, Sandoval has seen that the officers who tried to be macho and tough with the inmates "burned out," as they internalized the pressure they felt. Others turned to alcohol to handle their problems. Sandoval has also had his share of pressure, with his most vivid memory being that of a confrontation with an inmate threatening him with a "shank." Although Sandoval talked himself out of this crisis, it still haunts him. Sandoval stays in corrections because he views each day as a new adventure, and he is committed to passing along to the younger officers what he has learned over the years. Working with the inmates has its rewards as well. An inmate he saved from suicide came to him upon his release to thank him for saving his life.