The Good Officer: Prison work through the lens of Black women in corrections

Keywords: Black geographies, feminist geographies, intersectionality, labor geographies, carceral geographies, prison, mass incarceration
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

While geographers have contributed to the advancement of mass incarceration scholarship, the micro-politics and intricate dynamics of prison spaces themselves have thus far received less attention. In this paper, I address this gap in the literature through life history interviews with Black Correctional Officers (COs). With 20+ years of work experience, these officers have much to share about the macro- and meso-scale processes currently at the heart of Black-feminist and carceral geographic inquiry. By examining intra-racial gender tensions between Black female and Black male COs, I show how both groups measure the value of female correctional workers, and how characterizations of “good” versus “bad” female officers play an integral role in reproducing prison space. This analysis matters because it reveals how Black COs navigate race and gender dynamics in carceral contexts. My research suggests that more dialogue is needed between carceral and labor geographies, and critical race and intersectionality theories.