PRINTABLE PAGE

Women Correction Officers Complain About Harassment On The Job

Originally published by The Associated Press, June 3, 2002

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — To many women who work in Connecticut’s prisons, the real trouble is with their male co-workers, not the inmates.

Several female Department of Correction officers on Monday appeared before the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women, offering sometimes vivid descriptions of harassment on the job.

“There are a hundred people in here who say they, too, have been victims of a hostile environment,” said Pauline Greene, a prison nurse.

Of the 7,000 correction officers in the state prison system, 2,000 are women.

The women who appeared before state lawmakers Monday said male co-workers have made obscene comments to female co-workers and typically show a disregard for the opinions of women employees. They also said they face greater harassment following complaints.

In addition, the female employees accused correction officials of moving male workers to other prisons to avoid discipline.

Correction Commissioner John J. Armstrong said his agency has demoted and fired several employees found to have sexually harassed co-workers.

“I have never protected any individual who has engaged in prohibited conduct,” he said.

Sen. Edith Prague, D-Columbia, scoffed at Armstrong’s defense.

“That’s questionable, commissioner,” she said.

Officials say they have received 45 written complaints about sexual harassment in the last three years. The state plans to commission an outside investigation of the matter.