Forgotten Law Enforcement : Behind the Gates with Correctional Staff at Rikers Island Jail

Integrating intersectional criminology with organizational theory, Forgotten Law Enforcement examines how identity, power, and institutional design shape correctional staff experiences.
Drawing on in-depth interviews with correctional staff at Rikers Island, one of the nation’s largest jail complexes, Dr. Simone Martin-Howard centers the lived experiences of Black and Caribbean men and women working inside the jail system. Amid ongoing challenges in recruiting, retaining, and managing correctional officers—issues intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic—the book offers an insider’s perspective on staff dynamics, organizational culture, and occupational safety and health. Set against the backdrop of the impending closure of Rikers Island Jail, this timely and thoughtful work humanizes correctional staff who are often depicted in the media as a uniformly punitive group. By shifting the focus from incarcerated and detained populations to those who work within correctional institutions, Forgotten Law Enforcement provides a compelling and necessary contribution to contemporary discussions on jail confinement, labor, and institutional reform.