Manlighetens betydelse för män i fångenskap : En kvalitativ intervjustudie av kriminalvårdares perspektiv på fängelsemanlighet och dess implikationer för det klientnära arbetet

Sammanfattning: The aim of this qualitative study is to investigate correctional officers’ perception of themeaning of manliness for inmates in a swedish high security prison, and how gender plays arole when working close to inmates. The study also explores how the officer’s own genderplays a role in their interactions with the inmates. Data from seven interviews withcorrectional officers has been analyzed using three concepts from different gender theories -the ‘hegemonic masculinity’ and ‘subordinated masculinity’ concepts by Connell(1995/2008), as well as the concept of ‘hypermasculinity’ by Toch (1998). The researchshows that correctional officers believe that a hypemasculine ideal is important amonginmates. The perception was that hegemonic qualities result in a higher status and position inthe prison’s hierarchical structure, while subordinated characteristics result in a lower rank.However, the meaning of manliness greatly varied depending on the situation and socialsettings. Officers adapted different strategies when dealing with the inmates’ expressions ofmanliness and the study demonstrates that an interaction between an inmate and acorrectional officer is influenced by the officer’s gender.