Prison officers as providers of social support: an analysis of the human service values and power dynamics present in prison officers' accounts of assisting inmates

Abstract

Previous research has shown that prison officers often provide practical and emotional assistance to inmates. However, this has generally been depicted as a discretionary, conflicted and unrewarded task, sometimes met with hostility from their peers. Consequently, some scholars have explored why prison officers adopt such a supportive role. This study contributes to this discussion by applying the social support framework to examine the human service values and power dynamics reflected in prison officers' accounts of assisting inmates in two Spanish prisons. Findings suggest that some prison officers expand their role through the provision of instrumental and expressive support to inmates. Nevertheless, maintaining order was still an underlying theme in most interviews, suggesting that prison officers also prevent conflict and exercise power through the provision of social support. The implications of these findings in a context where prison policy is becoming increasingly security-oriented and punitive are discussed.