When Officers Cross the Line

In this editorial, a corrections official takes note of a recent incident in which a prison guard at Riker’s Island Jail New York was disciplined for inappropriate conduct. The author notes that this type of behavior is distressingly common in correctional facilities. Sexual misconduct among corrections staff often occurs because of power imbalances. Staff-offender relationships cause great harm to the corrections profession, and compromise the integrity of the entire prison system. The vast majority of prison staff conduct themselves in a professional manner, but a few bad apples do a great deal of damage.