“The Top Cop”: Understanding Correctional Officer Recruits’ Motivations Towards Correctional Emergency Response Team Membership

Abstract

ABSTRACT Correctional officer recruits (CORs) must complete the correctional training program (CTP) mandated by Correctional Service Canada (CSC), in preparation for the plethora of occupational responsibilities they will be tasked with in their occupational role of correctional officer (CO). During training, recruits continue to conceive ideas about their career trajectories. Previous research exploring CO or COR motivations has focused largely on occupational entry and their underlying intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Little empirical evidence examines the general occupational directions or desires of CORs exiting CTP, particularly their interest in future Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT) membership. The current study relies on data from interviews with 36 CORs who expressed interest in CERT membership before employment at a federal penitentiary. Findings suggest that these CORs are drawn to CERT membership due to previous occupational interests, media representations of CERT/ERT, but also experience challenges in acquiring membership related to CERT culture, social relationships, and gender. We conclude the article with considerations for recruitment and retention of COs as it relates to CERT membership for Canadian federal correctional services.