Correctional Officers and Their Perceptions of Homosexuality, Rape, and Prostitution in Male Prisons

Abstract

The traditional literature on homosexuality in prisons employed an essentialist approach that held that sexuality was a static trait. To avoid the apparent contradiction that occurred when researchers were forced to explain how heterosexual men engaged in homosexual behavior, the literature shifted its focus to rape. Rape victims, prostitutes, and rapists were then defined as situational homosexuals, which served to blur the distinction between consensual sexual acts and coercive ones. This study examines correctional officers' attitudes toward homosexuality and prostitution to determine whether they reflect an essentialist approach to prison sexuality. It also examines officers' ability to distinguish between these various types of acts.

“Aren't We All a Little Bisexual?”: The Recognition of Bisexuality in an Unlikely Place

“…This is even evident in academic literature, which favors selfidentification over one's sexual predisposition (c.f. Eigenberg, 2000). In other words, men 'who have sex with men' are regarded as being "on the down-low," curious, or heteroflexible, rather than simply bisexual (c.f.…”

University student beliefs about sexual violence in prison: rape myth acceptance, punitiveness, and empathy

“…For example, in her study of Texas correctional officers, Eigenberg (1989;1994) administered a survey to examine the officers' perceptions regarding the frequency of prison rape and the inmates' inclination to report rape to prison officials. The survey also assessed the officers' opinions regarding consensual homosexuality in prisons as it has been noted that officers may have difficulty distinguishing between consensual and non-consensual acts due to the negative stigma associated with homosexuality (Eigenberg, 1989;2000a). The results indicated that the majority of the sample agreed or strongly agreed that prison rape is more than a rare occurrence, though less than 20% believed inmates would report the incident to officials.…”

Staff Perceptions of Risk for Prison Rape Perpetration and Victimization

“…In addition, Struckman-Johnson and colleagues (1996) found that both inmates and correctional staff felt that prison sexual assault would be reduced if better screening and classi-fication procedures were used to separate potential victims and perpetrators. Previous researchers have noted the importance of surveying staff in addressing issues related to prison sexual assault (Eigenberg, 2000a(Eigenberg, , 2000b. Furthermore, staff are often asked to assist in the placement and classification of inmates into different housing units based on predictions of risk and, therefore, are often called on to evaluate risk as a routine part of their jobs.…”

“…Although a small body of literature has examined staff definitions of rape and estimated frequency of prison sexual violence (see Eigenberg, 2000aEigenberg, , 2000bHensley, Dumond, & Tewksbury, 2002), only one study has considered the factors that staff deem important in determining risk for prison rape perpetration or victimization. In 2006, the National Institute of Corrections partnered with The Moss Group, Inc., and surveyed staff members at 12 jails and prisons to receive input regarding development of training strategies.…”