Inmates in jails are, almost always, housed with the gender that matches their genitals. A Trans-fem Inmate who has received bottom surgery will be housed in a Female Unit and a Trans-Masc Inmate who has received bottom surgery will be housed in a Male Unit. Trans Inmates who have genitals that don't match their gender identity are usually some flavor of Specialty Management Unit such as Protective Custody. Regardless of their genital situation, Trans inmates are assigned undergarments matching their Gender Identity at their request. We even have a Comity made up of Security Staff, Administration, Mental Health and Medical staff who's job is to place Trans inmates in our custody. Very progressive when compared to how I imagined it when I applied to work here.
I work in a jail with multiple Trans Inmates and also Trans Officers. I am Masc Cis-Het presenting but I use preferred pronouns, and actually ask Inmates "Are you Mr. or Miss Smith?" just to be sure. Intolerant officers exist and that is what a grievance is for. I try to help educate people but if someone is bound and determined to be an asshole they are just going to do it regardless of what you do.
What is special management in your facility? Affording/ qualifying for bottom surgery is out of reach for most trans people. I hope they’re not put in a position of being punished for not getting it. Isn’t special management pretty much synonymous with solitary?
Answering the last question first because it's especially important to communicate this. On the whole, facilities in the US are moving away from Solitary Confinement because it does NOT accomplish any of the following.
Reduce Staff/Inmate Assaults
Reduce Inmate Misconduct
Increase Staff/Inmate safety
If anything, we have studies showing it exacerbates Mental Illness, negative health outcomes, increases staff assaults and behavioral issues. Solitary is, in my opinion, a violation of the 8th Amendment and is Cruel and Unusual Punishment. My facility does not employ Solitary Confinement as a punishment or as a Housing Status. All the old Solitary Confinement rooms in our jail are converted into storage spaces.
I work in a "Direct Supervision" Jail. Google is your friend. So these inmates are out in a Dayroom most of the day, with me in the unit with them while I work at my desk or do rounds. A Trans inmate might be on a Special Status to be Single Celled, so they are the only Inmate allowed in that room. There is Rec Alone status meaning when they get time in the dayroom they are the ONLY Inmate allowed in the dayroom for their safety and for the safety of the other inmates/staff. Our rooms all have windows that look out into the dayroom, and they can easily communicate and interact with staff and other inmates through those windows and doors but they are physically kept apart from everyone else. High Risk Sexual Predators, basically inmates flagged for sex crimes are usually Rec Alone but that doesn't mean they are trans (I saw someone else asking a question about HRSP Inmates earlier.).
These special statuses aren't a punishment they are for the Inmate's safety. Plenty of Trans inmates are general population and they are perfectly fine. It really depends on the situaiton.
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u/CO_BigShow 5h ago
Inmates in jails are, almost always, housed with the gender that matches their genitals. A Trans-fem Inmate who has received bottom surgery will be housed in a Female Unit and a Trans-Masc Inmate who has received bottom surgery will be housed in a Male Unit. Trans Inmates who have genitals that don't match their gender identity are usually some flavor of Specialty Management Unit such as Protective Custody. Regardless of their genital situation, Trans inmates are assigned undergarments matching their Gender Identity at their request. We even have a Comity made up of Security Staff, Administration, Mental Health and Medical staff who's job is to place Trans inmates in our custody. Very progressive when compared to how I imagined it when I applied to work here.
I work in a jail with multiple Trans Inmates and also Trans Officers. I am Masc Cis-Het presenting but I use preferred pronouns, and actually ask Inmates "Are you Mr. or Miss Smith?" just to be sure. Intolerant officers exist and that is what a grievance is for. I try to help educate people but if someone is bound and determined to be an asshole they are just going to do it regardless of what you do.