The (Power) Struggle: Experiences of BIWOC Correctional Officers at Rikers Island Jail

To understand the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color (BIWOC) correctional officers (COs) with justice-involved individuals and other staff, we draw on interviews with 15 BIWOC COs at Rikers Island. Despite power differential between COs and justice-involved individuals, participant...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Martin-Howard, Simone (Author) ; Garcia-Hallett, Janet (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2024
In: Women & criminal justice
Year: 2024, Volume: 34, Issue: 4, Pages: 291–305
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
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Keywords:
Race
Intersectionality
Incarceration
Gender
Correctional Officers
BIWOC
Description
Summary:To understand the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color (BIWOC) correctional officers (COs) with justice-involved individuals and other staff, we draw on interviews with 15 BIWOC COs at Rikers Island. Despite power differential between COs and justice-involved individuals, participants described relatability through their shared backgrounds and upbringings. We found that relatability minimized the distance between them and may be particularly beneficial for confined persons of color. Nevertheless, hierarchical power dynamics shaped power struggles between BIWOC COs concerning mutual respect and professionalism in the workplace, coupled with power differentials reinforced by BIWOC supervisors in their decision-making.
ISSN:1541-0323
DOI:10.1080/08974454.2022.2154631