ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the nature and landscape of prison officer work. It describes the process of occupational socialization and the origins of an occupational identity in the context of prison officer selection and training. Based on prison officer testimonies, the chapter examines the ways in which officers conceptualize their job and find meaning and purpose within it. It addresses the question of what makes a good prison officer, and focuses in particular on the emotional nature of prison work and the importance to the role of emotional intelligence. The chapter discusses in detail the use of humour as a coping technique. It discusses the term 'jailcraft', which is often used to describe skills, tends to underplay both the personal qualities and the key psychological and emotional components of the prison officer role. Prison officers, prisoners and managers recognize the numerous 'hats' that officers don in pursuit of security and control, compared with those that reflect care and support.
