308 1 1 Corrections and Prison Practices—Civic Forensicsan established subcultural code; they threaten a self-image held by male officers
that guard work is dangerous and therefore only suitable tor men. In other words,
women are a status threat to men. One reason why men treat women in a sexually
harassing way is to deny women acceptance on the job. Therefore, their status as
men will not be diminished (Crouch, 1985). If women can perform the guard job
as well as men, the job can no longer be used as a way of defining their masculinity
(S, E. Martin & Jurik, 1996).
Another explanation is that women COs conduct their job in a different way
than men. They are more likely to have a social worker's attitude about the job. They
spend more time actually listening to the inmates' problems, having conversations
about families, and assisting them in their plans for release. They do this as a way
of creating alliances with the prisoners so that the inmates will voluntarily comply
with orders and the women will not have to use force or intimidation (Zimmer,
1987). Male COs perceive this behavior as sympathy toward inmates and feel that
female guards are incapable of handling the job properly.
Although there is no agreed-upon reason why male COs treat female officers
with such opposition, what can be agreed upon is that women in "male" fields
such as corrections face many hindrances, including expressed, and subtle hostilities,
exclusion from the male CO subculture, and sexual harassment (S. E. Martin &
Junk. 1996).
Forensic Psychology and Policy Implications
The hostility endured by female COs in all-male prisons is a significant social
problem. The harassment women face "is a source of mistrust, resentment and job-
related stress" (S. E. Martin & Jurik, 1996, p. 178). In fact, female COs experience
more work-related stress than male COs. This reinforces the concept of women
as outsiders and subordinates. In the absence of any support, they must adapt to
the masculine culture (S. E. Martin & Jurik, 1996). This forces them to ignore
and stifle their femininity, which is a part of who they are. Jane found that in
order to fit in with her male coworkers she had to develop a macho persona. This
behavior can lead to a negative self-image and low self-esteem, which can have
adverse effects on health and family interactions. It could even influence a female
guard's ability to do her job effectively, perpetuating the negative stereotypes placed
on women by men and preventing job advancement. Thus, it is a self-fulfilling
prophecy: female COs are treated as subordinates, causing them to do their job in a
way they are uncomfortable with, thereby forcing them to be seen as incompetent,
which leaves them in subordinate positions. Etheridge et al. (1984) emphasized that
a major barrier to advancement by women is the expectancies held by the women
themselves.
Because the numbers of female COs in all-male prisons are so small, they are often
considered token employees. Therefore, their performance is highly visible, leading
to further stress and pressure on the job (Crouch, 1985), They must represent the