“A Little More Gravitas”: Why Correctional Health Care Workers Value Third-Party Certifications

Abstract

ABSTRACT Some people who work in correctional health care (CHC) choose to obtain third-party professional certifications. Prior research indicates that, in the aggregate, rates of certification correspond to rates of litigation; that is, increases in states’ numbers of CHC certifications tend to follow from increases in the number of lawsuits incarcerated people file against them. These statistical patterns, however, do not reveal what perceived value certification offers to the individuals who pursue it. To address this open question, we conducted interviews with 33 certified CHC workers. These interviews revealed two major themes in individuals’ ideas about the value of certification. First, certification constitutes a source of external legitimacy, helping people counteract the stigma associated with working in corrections and claim professional validity and social esteem. Second, certification provides workplace credibility, helping people assert expertise and access career opportunities in their working lives. These findings add new depth to social scientific understanding of how people manage working in stigmatized occupational settings and navigate the conflicting imperatives of care and punishment that characterize correctional environments.