ABSTRACT
T he foregoing narratives of the worlds o f lesbian and gay criminal justice workers reveal that no universal experience exists. Similar themes as well as blatant contradictions pervade their stories. At the same time that these men
and women provide documentation o f horrendous abuses o f lesbian and gay
criminal justice workers and the lesbian and gay com m unity at large, they also
demonstrate instances o f profound, and, sometimes heartwarming, support
and respect. What accounts for these different experiences? Why do some les
bian and gay officers have colleagues who risk their lives to back them up while
others have their lives jeopardized by colleagues who fail to protect them? Why
are some people’s careers furthered by com ing out o f the closet while others’
are thwarted? Why do some describe teamwork, congeniality, and inclusion
while others recount loneliness, isolation, and bitterness?
