The work of correctional officers in focus

challenges and perspectives based on the purposes of penal execution

Abstract

This article aims to highlight the work of correctional officers based on the dual intentions of custodial sentences: custody and (re)socialization. The Law of Penal Execution (Lei de Execução Penal) recognizes the incarcerated individual as a holder of rights, establishing a relationship with both the executive and judiciary branches that is governed by rights and duties. Within the executive branch, this relationship is also mediated by correctional officers, whose role is to enforce the deprivation of liberty while providing conditions conducive to the social reintegration of the convicted. Thus, they navigate the contradictions of the penal system: reconcile the enforcement of rights with the discipline required in the prison environment. The concept of labor, from a marxist perspective, serves as the central axis of this exploratory and qualitative research, which was conducted through bibliographic and documentary analysis, structured questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews. The analytical framework was built around the categories of training/professionalization, knowledge, identity, and perception, based on content analysis. The study revealed that the main challenges lie in the rigid structure of the prison system and in the lack of training that encompasses the values and principles of a human rights–oriented prison model. Knowledge is shown to be constructed in practice, shaped by the effects of prisonization, which in turn influence officer’s identities and their understanding of the meaning of their work.