From Custody to Support: Exploring the Psychosocial Potentials of Female Correctional Officers in Turkey

This qualitative study examines the complex, contradictory, and multidimensional roles of female correctional officers (COs) in Turkish prisons through reflexive thematic analysis. Based on interviews with 40 female COs across 26 prisons, the findings show that officers often provide prison residents with informal psychosocial support to compensate for institutional gaps. However, the absence of clear role definitions, adequate training, and organizational support positions them as unprepared “de facto crisis managers” in cases of suicide attempts, self-harm, or withdrawal crises. The results highlight a persistent role conflict between care and control, shaped by gendered expectations, prison culture, and structural deficiencies. © 2025 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.