Owen's study is of excellent quality and should be considered required reading for students of these topics. Ultimately this book will be ranked as a significant sociological study of the correctional officer for its pioneering application of the interactionist theoretical perspective to this increasingly visible, yet still little-understood, occupational group. "Criminal Justice Review"

Based on interviews with 125 prison workers and participant observation, this in-depth study examines the prison worker's world as a foundation for a theory of social control. By analyzing the intricate...