Case- Keeping an Eye on the Keeper: Prison Corruption and its Control
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What kinds of motivations might a correctional officer have for engaging in corruption? Are some forms of corruption worse than others? Explain.
2. If you were an inmate serving time in a punitive prison would you attempt to curry favor with staff to obtain extra privileges? Would you pay for those privileges?
3. Is corruption an unavoidable result of discretion? Discuss your response in detail.
4. Working in corrections can be morally challenging for employees. What does this mean? What are some of the temptations that might exist?
5. Should the goals of the prison system include degrading and demeaning prisoners?
6. What implications would this have for staff working in prison?
7. You have been serving as a prison commissioner for several months without any political pressure placed on you. During a friendly conversation with the Governor's Chief of Staff, the Chief mentioned that a former political ally doing time for bribery would like to be transferred to a minimumcustody classification facility close to his family's hometown. The Chief said he would really appreciate your assistance in this matter. As an aside, he mentioned your performance review was coming up. How should you respond?