History of Correctional Officers

The Era of Politics

The formative years of the prison occurred during the age of Andrew Jackson (1820s), whose presidential administration was marked by the spoils system. The basic idea—of rewarding political loyalty with public office—became federal practice, and state officials responsible for prisons adopted it with great enthusiasm. The political era for prison officers began in the early 1800s and continued until well into the 20th century.

In this system, the warden was a political appointee who, in turn, selected all his subordinates—assistant warden, turnkey, yardmaster, and guard. The law gave the warden complete control over the selection and retention of prison officers. Generally, prison officers were required only to be “men of good moral character and temperate habits”; Wyoming provided that guards “be quick to grasp a situation” and Utah specified they were to be “capable of handling men” (Knepper, 1990, p. 233). The superintendent of Arizona's prison at Yuma preferred unmarried men who could live adjacent to the prison and always be on hand in case of emergencies, a hiring “policy” likely in place elsewhere.

The only qualifications required to be a prison officer at San Quentin or Folsom in California were “the physical and mental and moral ability to perform the duties of the offices to which they are appointed and to the satisfaction of the wardens” (Knepper, 1990, pp. 232–233). Vague and minimal language concerning job qualifications ensured that wardens made their selections with few constraints and invariably chose personal and political favorites.

The political system provided one or more well-paid positions in prison governance, along with greater numbers of positions for prison officers that paid reasonably well. In Arizona, guards received $75 a month in 1876. By 1900, they earned $80 a month during their first year and $100 a month after that. At $100 a month, guards’ wages compared to skilled positions in mine operations, such as blacksmiths, machinists, engineers, and electricians, and on the railroads, including brakemen and boiler-makers. Common laborers in mines and on railroads received $50–$60 a month, while farmhands were compensated as little as $30 per month.

The relatively high salaries for prison work, plus the benefits of sleeping quarters and meals came, however, with long hours and challenging work rules. Arizona's codified rules of conduct for guards in 1895 made them subject to 40 rules—7 more rules than applied to prisoners. It was the guards’ responsibility to keep prisoners to the work assigned to them, require personal cleanliness, and restrict movement to designated places. The rules required guards to wear side arms, walk a beat every 15 minutes, and maintain a state of “watchfulness and wakefulness at all times.” The warden's expectations extended to the guards' private life as well: The rules prohibited them from “consorting with loud and vicious company,” frequenting saloons, and gambling while away from the prison (Knepper, 1990, p. 235).

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