The first women’s prison was the Mount Pleasant Prison and it opened in 1839. However,most women were sent to halfway houses, society believed that women were not violent and just had to in some way be punished.
In this blog it is asked to compare some of the prisons in Arizona. Fort Grant was actually Army Calvary.According to the website “William H. Bonney (AKA Billy the Kid) allegedly killed a man at this frontier outpost in a fight.”Which have some type of precident that this land was ment to imprison those that did not obey the law. In the article it stated that “Arizona State Legislature passed a bill making the Fort Grant State Industrial School a part of the State's Department of Corrections“ which later became an adult male prison.
The second prison was in Florence. The website state that “Inmates built the prison and lived in tents scattered about the desert during the time it was under construction” In part this sound familiar to our county (tent city). What was unique about this prison is that it had no dungeon, no solitary confinement and no snake hole. However it did consist of a death chamber. Now it is by choice if a inmate was sentenced to death row they have the option of choosing lethal injection or lethal gas.
Now that I have shared a great deal of history I want to go back to discussing more about what is pertinent for us as of now. Women inmates. The website stated that women were not inprison but just reformed the idea of “acceptable female behavior” is the key word throughout the reformatories. Women were not seen as criminals they were there to change the attitude they had and were their to rehabilitate rather than pay for a crime.This ideology was part of what is commonly referred to as separate spheres doctrine and as Britton mentions in the book, “see’s middle-class white women as inherently gentler and more virtuous than men (57). This ideology not only affects inmate women but also the process of higher female correctional officers. Although it is apperent that this field of work in in demand also is the demand for workers which at time causes controversy because men continue to be hired more in these positions more than women at times due to the physical requirements. It is changing however, I know a lot of close friends (men) that suggested to me to get into the correction system due to the pay and benefits.
Britton also discusses the availability how helpful opening some of these positions to women especially to single mothers who were looking for regular hours, job stability, and health care benefits. As a mother that supports her son I did not think twice of the idea of getting into the career as a correction officer but then again I thought about the dangers as well. Over all there is still an idea that prisons are brutally aggressive and dangerous but as I talked to a my sons godfather he told me that at times women are more respected although at times he would not suggest some women to get into the career not because they are women but due to the hours at times there is not a lot of time to spend time with their children.
Friday, November 13, 2009
BLOG 14
Britton starts to by describing the differences in roles of Correctional officers and how they appear between men and women workers. Britton touches the issue by researching why occupational segregation is persistent, why women concentrated jobs pay less, and what keeps women at the bottom of the ladder. Some of the reasons are the structures of work organizations, ideological functions that shape them, and the agencies of the workers themselves. Britton states that these factors are the reason organizations become gendered. Britton stress that there is a need to first acknowledge that there is a problem with organizations being gendered and there is a need to acknowledge them first and then move on to the next step. It is necessary to first analyze the home then the world. Micro then Macro levels.
All of the three reasons are interlinked and I will try to address each of them. The organizational structure first of all involves policies, procedures, and general configuration of an organization, which also includes laws it is at times unnoticeable because at times we do not realize that it is there. An example used in the book was regarding the a woman interviewed for a counselor in Alabama however was denied due to her height and weight. It happens at times in police applications as well. Not too long a go I was talking to a friend and she described to me that if you are a women trying to get in the police force there are certain things that you do differently then men in the application process such as the physical. The structure automatically would have prevented women from even attempting to get the job due to the physical restrictions.
One of the biggest barriers that continue to make jobs or careers gendered I believe is crucial is the cultural and ideological assumptions that shape women. Britton uses military movies and the term, “a place where boys are turned into me.” Movies now a days make reference to this saying, influencing the culture and the ideal women. Movies or the media constantly depict women as beautiful dependent on men and with some type of diva or delicate person not to mention sexuality is always highlighted. The third aspect is agency. Agency deals with interactions that imply gender inequalities. Britton states that these are at times unintentional but so engrained in our atmosphere. I can remember when I started dating my husband his parents would tell my husbands little brother, “no llores los ninos no lloran” : Don’t cry boys don’t cry or even my husband has told my son don’t cry don’t be a girl, which of course I have had to intervene. Especially in my culture I have see these three factors work together. As I got married there were certain things that my in-laws were expecting more of me as a women. I did not know how to cook and I dedicate more of time to studying and work I somewhat depend on my husband to help me with my time and getting things done. They often at times indirectly mention what my sister in law does which is more the typical role they expected of me like staying home and just taking care of her daughter or when her husband comes she has food served in the table. Although I would love to stay at home all day everyday with my son I am still working toward a profession and the life that I have is hectic and busy. Unlike my sister in law I work and have an intern. I depend to some point on my husband although I try to cook dinner now that I have learned to cook I tend to have time to cook dinner but then right after I am done I have to leave to work so I do not even enjoy the meal with my son or husband. Remarks that at times my in laws make not only build up the ideologies expected of women but continue to feed into gender segregation both intentionally and unintentionally. When Britton says “organizations are gendered at the level of structure,” she means that how organizations are structure can influence gender segregation, and the amount of it. Obviously, as discussed above, the way an organization and society is structured can minimize the amount of segregation.
Most of the times we are still following structures that were created when discrimination was socially accepted, we continue to reproduce and produce discriminatory behaviors. If organizations were designed or redesigned without gender being a factor, then the structure would be at a level where gender wouldn’t be as much of a factor in the organization. As society has progressed that has included the socialization of jobs, of men, and of society all together. These reflect on the history of labor by having socializing jobs for men without having to worry about them missing work because of physical effects of pregnancy or child birth which at times make women become somewhat liable because they can become pregnant or have to go to the doctor due to their children getting sick. Although, laws have been created to change the way women work or the rights they have there is still a huge demand to change the way we set up women in certain jobs. There is need to destroy current notions of what is acceptable for a women to do and what is not acceptable. Women should be free from all suppression of anything that categories them especially professional aspirations.
All of the three reasons are interlinked and I will try to address each of them. The organizational structure first of all involves policies, procedures, and general configuration of an organization, which also includes laws it is at times unnoticeable because at times we do not realize that it is there. An example used in the book was regarding the a woman interviewed for a counselor in Alabama however was denied due to her height and weight. It happens at times in police applications as well. Not too long a go I was talking to a friend and she described to me that if you are a women trying to get in the police force there are certain things that you do differently then men in the application process such as the physical. The structure automatically would have prevented women from even attempting to get the job due to the physical restrictions.
One of the biggest barriers that continue to make jobs or careers gendered I believe is crucial is the cultural and ideological assumptions that shape women. Britton uses military movies and the term, “a place where boys are turned into me.” Movies now a days make reference to this saying, influencing the culture and the ideal women. Movies or the media constantly depict women as beautiful dependent on men and with some type of diva or delicate person not to mention sexuality is always highlighted. The third aspect is agency. Agency deals with interactions that imply gender inequalities. Britton states that these are at times unintentional but so engrained in our atmosphere. I can remember when I started dating my husband his parents would tell my husbands little brother, “no llores los ninos no lloran” : Don’t cry boys don’t cry or even my husband has told my son don’t cry don’t be a girl, which of course I have had to intervene. Especially in my culture I have see these three factors work together. As I got married there were certain things that my in-laws were expecting more of me as a women. I did not know how to cook and I dedicate more of time to studying and work I somewhat depend on my husband to help me with my time and getting things done. They often at times indirectly mention what my sister in law does which is more the typical role they expected of me like staying home and just taking care of her daughter or when her husband comes she has food served in the table. Although I would love to stay at home all day everyday with my son I am still working toward a profession and the life that I have is hectic and busy. Unlike my sister in law I work and have an intern. I depend to some point on my husband although I try to cook dinner now that I have learned to cook I tend to have time to cook dinner but then right after I am done I have to leave to work so I do not even enjoy the meal with my son or husband. Remarks that at times my in laws make not only build up the ideologies expected of women but continue to feed into gender segregation both intentionally and unintentionally. When Britton says “organizations are gendered at the level of structure,” she means that how organizations are structure can influence gender segregation, and the amount of it. Obviously, as discussed above, the way an organization and society is structured can minimize the amount of segregation.
Most of the times we are still following structures that were created when discrimination was socially accepted, we continue to reproduce and produce discriminatory behaviors. If organizations were designed or redesigned without gender being a factor, then the structure would be at a level where gender wouldn’t be as much of a factor in the organization. As society has progressed that has included the socialization of jobs, of men, and of society all together. These reflect on the history of labor by having socializing jobs for men without having to worry about them missing work because of physical effects of pregnancy or child birth which at times make women become somewhat liable because they can become pregnant or have to go to the doctor due to their children getting sick. Although, laws have been created to change the way women work or the rights they have there is still a huge demand to change the way we set up women in certain jobs. There is need to destroy current notions of what is acceptable for a women to do and what is not acceptable. Women should be free from all suppression of anything that categories them especially professional aspirations.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
the media and women CO's and Cops...
According to Britton when we think of a prison we often think of a well fitted men in a uniform caring a flashlight or a light it is often dark or dangerous but we never tend to picture a women in prison as a Correctional Officers. This is prevalent in our media. We often see women in more law related films and shows in courtrooms are lawyers but not as correctional officers or police officers and if there are any they are often less feminine and with a very build body physic.
In the media there is often no signs of women working with men in the same field. If womens are working in a prison facility they are often no men correctional officers with them and if so they are in need of their help.
The images of women in these positions are typically negative because they are based on the norms of white femininity. In the video the her husband doubted her abilities because he felt that she wouldn’t be able to withstand the physical aspect of the job because she is a woman. The promotional video in a way did the same thing by putting a negative light on traditional women’s work . They described the characteristics of non-traditional jobs as being “exciting” versus the daily roles women are sometimes forced to take. It also seems as women have to "learn" about non-traditional jobs implying that traditional women's work requires no “learning”.
Female correction officers often have to make a choice whether they want to adapt to male-defined requisites to be successful and forgo their “femininity or go against the male-defined roles and risk their success within the norms of the organization. Male officers don’t have to deal with what image they want to portray.
In order to stop this negative aspect of women working in prison the media should portray more life stories about women correctional officers instead of de-feminizing them. Reality T.V shows in a way are more popular and it seems that it takes viewers with another perspective if they see its real and its not just actors. The one show I can think of is Women Cops four women’s lives are recorded as well on the job in which most of them work for a sheriffs department. The women show what they go through as well as how they are in their intimacy of their home. More media should portray women in a positive way rather than in the traditional view in order to at least change the media of the way it thinks of women.
In the media there is often no signs of women working with men in the same field. If womens are working in a prison facility they are often no men correctional officers with them and if so they are in need of their help.
The images of women in these positions are typically negative because they are based on the norms of white femininity. In the video the her husband doubted her abilities because he felt that she wouldn’t be able to withstand the physical aspect of the job because she is a woman. The promotional video in a way did the same thing by putting a negative light on traditional women’s work . They described the characteristics of non-traditional jobs as being “exciting” versus the daily roles women are sometimes forced to take. It also seems as women have to "learn" about non-traditional jobs implying that traditional women's work requires no “learning”.
Female correction officers often have to make a choice whether they want to adapt to male-defined requisites to be successful and forgo their “femininity or go against the male-defined roles and risk their success within the norms of the organization. Male officers don’t have to deal with what image they want to portray.
In order to stop this negative aspect of women working in prison the media should portray more life stories about women correctional officers instead of de-feminizing them. Reality T.V shows in a way are more popular and it seems that it takes viewers with another perspective if they see its real and its not just actors. The one show I can think of is Women Cops four women’s lives are recorded as well on the job in which most of them work for a sheriffs department. The women show what they go through as well as how they are in their intimacy of their home. More media should portray women in a positive way rather than in the traditional view in order to at least change the media of the way it thinks of women.
occupational segregation
Occupational segregation incredibly is still prevalent in the United States despite the laws against sex discrimination although everyone is welcome to work in a non traditional job it seems there is a hidden notion of segregation when looking for a job. There are a lot of assumptions. I personally had to deal with this a while back when I was looking for a n internship position. I just can not forget that interview it made me realize that a lot of us still presume roles for women. In the interview the person interviewing me asked me so are you planning on going to law school? I said no I actually want to be part of the DEA. He made a very unsuspected facial expression and moved on to the other question. I somewhat felt offended as if due to my gender I could not handle my aspirations. That was a couple of years back. Now a bit more mature this does not get me sad it actually he work force the text specifies this a bit more clearly by stating that “ …structure of work organizations are based on the internal stratification of institutions which usually place women in the lowest rung of the occupational ladder” (Britton, p 5) One of the greates examples that I could think of is the film North Country. The character had a job of washing hair in a local salon but was never going to be financially dependent until she worked in a non traditional job by working in the mines. However, this just caused choas and everyone believed she did not belong there due to her gender and the job that she would get even worst the pay. The text also highlights that “…the presumptions build in most jobs shape women’s path to sex segregated jobs” and adds on to state that women are often put between the blade to either choose family and work rather than include both in their lives.
Some of the advantages that women gain by breaking into male dominated occupations, according to the state that opportunities are endless since there aren't many women in the field and gives women even more motivation to join. One of the best examples of the positives of women working in non traditional jobs is the woman in the Beyond the Blue video says that there are some advantages of being the only woman on the SWAT team was that she paved the way for other women to join the quad if they chose to do so in the future. I can also recall a profesor that once said that at times when women being arrested tried to cry themselves away from getting a ticket women cops would sort of cut that out and they would try to cry themselves out of the situation.
The physical aspect has been one of my major concerns for many women joining these types of careers and even an obstacle and even a threat in the eyes of men. The cultural ideology that men at times have of women being more dependent on them physically leaves a strange view when women are tackling down a guy to arrest him or knocking out doors. When this is seen then men are criticized especially if they are married to a women cop. Like in the video the couple often were ridiculed by other officers asking who wore the pants.
I personally think both gain from women entering non traditional or occupational careers or job. Women are different from men and the truth of the matter is that both need each other especially because both deal with either other men or women. What some women are good at men can not be and vice verse there are just some things that at times we as women can do that men cant both can try both at times is cant be which is why we both need of each other.
Some of the advantages that women gain by breaking into male dominated occupations, according to the state that opportunities are endless since there aren't many women in the field and gives women even more motivation to join. One of the best examples of the positives of women working in non traditional jobs is the woman in the Beyond the Blue video says that there are some advantages of being the only woman on the SWAT team was that she paved the way for other women to join the quad if they chose to do so in the future. I can also recall a profesor that once said that at times when women being arrested tried to cry themselves away from getting a ticket women cops would sort of cut that out and they would try to cry themselves out of the situation.
The physical aspect has been one of my major concerns for many women joining these types of careers and even an obstacle and even a threat in the eyes of men. The cultural ideology that men at times have of women being more dependent on them physically leaves a strange view when women are tackling down a guy to arrest him or knocking out doors. When this is seen then men are criticized especially if they are married to a women cop. Like in the video the couple often were ridiculed by other officers asking who wore the pants.
I personally think both gain from women entering non traditional or occupational careers or job. Women are different from men and the truth of the matter is that both need each other especially because both deal with either other men or women. What some women are good at men can not be and vice verse there are just some things that at times we as women can do that men cant both can try both at times is cant be which is why we both need of each other.
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