Correctional Subculture

The correctional subculture has various ethical questions pertaining to a correction officer and his duties. According to Thomson and Wadsworth (2005), when an officer makes the decision to reprimand or write a disciplinary report, he is playing a role in the Criminal Justice System (p. 316). A disciplinary committee also has a dilemma because he, or she must decide on what punishment should accrue towards the offender. This may be a temporary loss of privileges, or he may have his sentence increased (p. 316, para. 2). A correctional officer in uniform is an authority figure, which implies reasonable and rational control over the incarcerated. Moreover, he has the full range of coercive control over inmates; excessive force, loss of liberty, and his power may be defiant; taught through his subculture (other correctional officers').

According to Thomson and Wadsworth (2005), many correctional officers have (deontological) exceptional knowledge and practice professionalism. While others tend to use (teleological) coercive, control against offenders gain advantage (pp.

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A senior police officer of the Hamburg police on a...

Correctional Officer II

317-318). A correctional officer must engage in ethical behavior. He must act professional; show respect for the incarcerated; be consistent; maintain integrity and honesty; and act impartial (p. 318).

The subculture of a correctional officer has similar aspects of police subculture. However, cover-ups and wrongdoing is apparent in both. According to Thomson and Wadsworth (2005), a correctional officer will travel to administer aid for another officer. Again, as police officers, correctional officers will not cooperate in an investigation if it pertains to a fellow officer (blue code). One would not embarrass another in front of an offender because this may jeopardize an officer's effectiveness. A fellow officer does not indulge in a white hat. This pertains to showing emotions towards an inmate or his family. A main similarity between correctional and police officers is that both engage in...