ABERDEEN, Wash. (AP) — The slaying of a female guard at Washington’s Monroe Reformatory has some people questioning why women are posted to watch over male prisoners. But women have long proven they can do the job.
The Seattle Times says that in the 35 years since women broke into the ranks at Washington’s male prisons, gender has become mostly an afterthought. Fifteen percent of the 2,700 officers in the state’s prison are women.
Though female corrections officers once were excluded because most are smaller and less strong than males, the newspaper says studies show women officers are hurt less often than men. Women are seen as better communicators, often defusing tension before it erupts into something worse.
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Information from: The Seattle Times, http://www.seattletimes.com
