Prison
guards generally help to maintain order in prisons while also ensuring that
inmates receive the necessities for their rehabilitation and reformation. While
their role in the prison is to maintain safety and security in a correctional facility,
it is no news that the loved ones of some inmates and others may not think highly of or
feel some way about prison guards. This article will discuss “10 Strong
Reasons Why Some People May Not Think The Best About Prison Guards”.
Some
people may see some prison guards as bullies in uniforms. They may believe that
all birds of a feather flock together and there is no such thing as a good
prison guard. Although it can be true that some bad actors give decent guards a
bad name, it may mainly be because some unfit and corrupt prison guards can be viewed
as foxes guarding hen houses. There are some guards who have and do not always
act appropriately. Therefore, here are some strong reasons why some people may
not think the best about some prison guards:
1. You may have approached a
prison guard without an open mind and have erroneously stereotyped them.
During a visit with an incarcerated loved one, you may have
had a negative experience with a few guards and believe that all guards are
A-holes. When you have negative thoughts and beliefs about all guards from
hearsay or prison documentaries, you may make the wrong assumptions. Although some
guards are less caring and abusive, this might not be true for all the prison
guards in your loved one’s correctional facility. It is essential to understand
that not all guards are abusive towards the inmates, and some may be considered
okay or “cool”.
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2. There are tons of negative
media about some prison guards.
It can leave you with different opinions and a lack of trust
or respect for a prison guard. There are cases of prison scandals, sexual
abuse, and corruption, and it is easy to believe the guards are responsible for
much of this, especially from an outsider’s perspective. While there are
negative stories, it is also essential to know that having a transparent
correctional facility will encourage positive stories amongst the media and the
public. The prison stories you've heard from an incarcerated loved one or prison
documentaries can affect how you think about prison guards.
3. Some prison guards have
facilitated corruption within the prison.
Some prison guards may put the life of inmates in danger by
collecting bribes or neglecting their duties to keep inmates safe from harm. Some
of them may be responsible for inflicting mental and/or physical pain on inmates who fail to
abide by their made-up rules. Other times in prison, the corruption that
involves prison guards may be in the form of sexual abuse, racism, harassment,
and abuse of power. Some inmates may interact with corrupt prison
guards to get involved in improper practices around the facility.
4. Some prison guards turn a
blind eye to inmate-to-inmate violence and fights, although there are several
measures to prevent violence among inmates.
Some guards may condone these violent acts because some of
them are connected to crime on and off the clock. The prison guards can sometimes instigate or be a part of prisoner fights. Other times, they may
have poor training and/or violate the prison rules and policies. When your
incarcerated loved one becomes a victim of a violent activity, a prison guard may claim
to have no idea about it and this can instill negative ideas about all prison
guards in your mind and put the inmate at risk for continued violence or worse.
Image Source: Pixabay
5. Because no one is all good
and no one is all bad, it is not surprising that a prison guard has been caught
up in a scandal.
There have been cases of prison guards getting inmates
pregnant and other misconduct in correctional facilities. In other cases, some prison
guards have been a part of smuggling contraband and drug trafficking in the
prison facility. They can even be viewed as helping to facilitate a prison
break for an inmate. Strict policies and procedures may be a start to prevent
such activities in prison. However, policies and procedures are only as good as
who is carrying them out, how, and the positive, negative, and/or end results.
6. Neglect of inmates, their
health and safety, and prison guard job responsibilities are genuine issues.
If you've read or seen the news about inmates living in egregious
and unfit prison conditions or dying in prison from alleged neglect, then you may
feel some way about prison guards. Some prison guards may not strictly
adhere to their job responsibilities and training and seek prompt and adequate medical care
for an ill inmate. This can cause some inmates to have inadequate access to some
parts of the facility including the infirmary. Sometimes, some prison guards
may fail to understand that all inmates may not be faking illness when they
request medical attention and care. Suppose a prison guard does not believe that an inmate is genuinely sick and needs medical intervention or even views an inmate as not human. In that case, the consequences can be dire and potentially jeopardize other inmates,
prison guards, and staff if the sick inmate dies. This carelessness or lack of
regard by some prison guards can cause a prison riot, putting the sick inmate,
other inmates and even prison guards and staff in potential danger.
Image Source: Pixabay
7. Some prison guards appear to
be narcissists and bullies in uniforms, and you may have had a bad experience
during one of your visits.
They may have poor communication skills and be quick to
dismiss you or your incarcerated loved one’s needs and concerns. The day-in
and day-out stress may take a toll on some prison guards, and you may have
noticed them taking out their frustration on the family members or visitors of the inmate.
Have you ever had a prison guard be unresponsive to some vital information you asked
for and needed during your visiting hours? This can be a strong reason why you
may not have the best thoughts about some prison guards.
8. There are beliefs backed up
by facts and myths that some guards do not care about the well-being of
inmates.
Some prison guards often have negative stereotypes about
inmates. It can be because they share a different background, upbringing, race,
or religion. Prison guards are expected to be compassionate and respectful to
inmates, which comes with proper training and an internal moral compass. Some
guards have inadequate training, and other times when they are overworked or
stressed out, they may take out their frustrations on the inmates.
9. Power can be intoxicating
causing some folks to be abusive, egomaniacal, and ruthless.
You may believe that some prison guards are sociopaths, psychopaths, and narcissists while in (or out) of their uniforms. This may be because they may operate with over-inflated egos, look down on other people, or see them as inferior, and they may behave aggressively, recklessly, and ruthlessly toward them. Demonstrating and practicing discernment, self-awareness, empathy, and humility can help guards to balance their job duties with behaving professionally, responsibly, respectfully, and compassionately while staying safe and keeping inmates safe.
10.
You may believe that all guards think that everyone is guilty
of a crime, which is false.
It is important to realize that prison guards do not know
everything about you or your past and they don’t have access to all information
about the inmates. If everyone was transparent about their (undisclosed)
personal lives or past, it may make it easier for them to treat each inmate, each
other, and others respectfully and fairly as individuals first, as everyone most
likely has a questionable or regrettable past that they may not be proud of,
including guards.
Image Source: Pixabay
Conclusion
Although
there are several negative stereotypes attached to prison guards, it is
important to note that everyone is not cut out to do what good, properly
trained, fair, and respectful guards do daily to try to maintain order and
balance in prison facilities. It is possible that some of the good acts
attributed to some guards may go unnoticed and unrewarded as prison guards may
be discouraged from showing care and compassion to inmates.
Some
guards may also experience burnout and frustration to the point where they become
hardened and begin being abusive whereas some inmates and their loved ones view
them as worse than criminals. Prison guards with proper training who act fair and maintain compassion and respect for inmates, and who do not commit or associate
themselves with abuse and corruption can be a good start to remove any strong stereotypes
and negative outlooks against them.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8530476/
https://www.psychalive.org/working-behind-the-wall-mental-health-of-correctional-based-staff/