Death Row Correctional Officers

Abstract

Capital punishment has received much scholarly attention; however, very little is known about correctional officers who work on death row. This research attempts to fill this gap in our knowledge by exploring the experiences, perspectives, and attitudes of correctional officers who have worked on death row. The findings reveal that working on death row is a paradoxical experience. The results suggest that correctional officers who work on death row experience both strain and pressure while at the same time, they find death row work is easier and has fewer problems than other assignments in the prison. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed.