NCJ Number
140311
Journal
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology Volume: 25 Issue: 3 Dated: (December 1992) Pages: 278-296
Date Published
1992
Length
19 pages
Annotation
Data collected from semi-structured interviews conducted with 24 female and 21 male prison officers at Pentworth Prison in Victoria, Australia, were used to examine the integration difficulties of women prison officers working in a traditional male prison environment.
Abstract
The findings pointed out three basic causes of male officer resentment toward their female colleagues: strip searching male prisoners, managing violent inmates, and perceived inequality of assignment. There were several other forms of integration difficulties experienced by the female officers, namely harassment, occupational socialization, and tokenism. Despite the male stereotyping of jobs at Pentridge Prison, some of the female officers believed they could perform their job successfully without having to imitate typically male behaviors. The findings also showed that the women, although they performed their functions differently, were not disadvantaged in terms of promotions. The research supports the proposition that organizations can provide egalitarian employment opportunities in traditionally male fields by implementing adequate administrative strategies.