Violating Professional Ethics: The Sexual Attraction of Inmates

1. Violating Professional Ethics: The Sexual Attraction of Inmates Dr. Michael Alexander Laura Coons Dr. Barbara Carter, Moderator

2. Overview • Background and research interest • Need for inquiry • Study results • Discussion

3. Background • Correctional staff becoming romantically/ sexually involved with inmates is a serious violation of professional ethics. Relationships of this nature create an environment detrimental to both the safety and security of everyone in the facility, including the inmates.

4. Activity • If you work or have worked in a correctional facility, please stand up.

5. Activity • If you work or have worked in a correctional facility, please stand up. • If you never heard of such an incident at your facility, please sit down.

6. Activity • If you work or have worked in a correctional facility, please stand up. • If you never heard of such an incident at your facility, please sit down. • If you feel such an incident had no significant impact on the facility, please sit down.

7. Background • Inmate-Officer Relationships • Power dynamics • Operational dependence • Close working conditions • Complicating Factors: • Officer emotional and psychological issues • Inmate capacity to exploit vulnerability

8. Background

9. Research Interest • This presentation focuses on why female correctional staff becomes sexually attracted to inmates. • Why only female staff?

10. Research Interest • Narrow scope of research • Personal observations in industry • Worked at three adult, male facilities • State Inmates: Tennessee, Indiana, Wisconsin, Montana and Hawaii • Federal Inmates: Non US Citizens • Concern for colleague welfare • Concern for growth and development of industry

11. Need for Inquiry • Popular culture increasingly concerned with the role of women in corrections • Department of Justice report, 2007: • 58% of sexual assaults perpetrated by women staff members in prison • No matter the circumstances, the staff member is considered the perpetrator, even in consensual situations • Substantive research aimed at explaining the phenomenon

12. Study – Methods • Two 6-item surveys • Survey 1 investigated four possible causes: • Low Self-Esteem • Inmate Manipulation • Insecure Home Life • Bad-boy Attraction • Survey 2 investigated four possible interventions: • Enforcement of Current State and/or Federal Laws • Increased Management Involvement • Personal Boundaries Training • Stricter Institutional Policies

13. Study – Population • Distributed to managers and staff • 1300-bed county jail • 43% response rate (n = 124)

14. Study – Population • Population experience range: • <3 months – 30 years of correctional experience • Mean = 7.29 years in industry

15. Study – Population

16. Response

17. Study – Results • Primary driver of inappropriate relationships: • Low Self-Esteem (30% rated most likely) • Remaining Constructs: • Inmate Manipulation (26%) • Insecure Home Life (17%) • Bad-boy Manipulation (13%)

18. Study – Results • Intervention Survey • n = 122 • 79 males (6.29 years experience) • 42 females (9.52 years experience)

19. Study – Results • Interventions preferred: • Personal Boundaries Training (55%) • Management Involvement (17%) • What probably will not work? • Enforcement of Laws (50% said unlikely)

20. Discussion • What do these results suggest? • Significant Need for Personal Boundaries Training

21. Discussion • What do these results suggest? • Significant Need for Personal Boundaries Training • Is your DOC/Facility already doing this? • Show of hands • If so, how often?

22. Discussion • Where can changes be made to protect employees and inmates? • Women differ from Men!!!

23. Discussion • Where can changes be made to protect employees and inmates? • Women differ from Men!!! • NOT weaker, softer, or less competent • Just Different

24. Discussion • Where can changes be made to protect employees and inmates? • Women differ from Men!!! • NOT weaker, softer, or less competent • Just Different • Agree/Disagree?????

25. Discussion • Where can changes be made to protect employees and inmates? • Suggestion: • Gender Specific Personal Boundaries Training

26. Discussion • Where can changes be made to protect employees and inmates? • Suggestion: • Gender Specific Personal Boundaries Training • Discriminate against women??

27. Discussion • Where can changes be made to protect employees and inmates? • Suggestion: • Gender Specific Personal Boundaries Training • Discriminate against women?? • Increase Training Cost??

28. Discussion • Where can changes be made to protect employees and inmates? • Suggestion: • Gender Specific Personal Boundaries Training • Discriminate against women?? • Increase Training Cost?? • Would this be worth the time, money and effort??

29. Thank You!!!! For your Time Attention Participation