Edinburgh Napier University

  This paper argues that, as the Scottish Prison Service moves towards professionalisation, the ‘ethical’ component of an officer’s work increases in importance, and that learning in the ‘affective domain’ (that which addresses values, attitudes, and behaviours) should be more central to officer training. This paper will draw on preliminary findings from research which examines prison officer recruits and how they learn through training and early operational experience. The role of a prison officer, and the importance of attending to their values and attitudes in the context of a role which relies fundamentally on the exercise of judgement and the ability to care, will be discussed. Prison officer induction training will be outlined, in particular, the extent to which it allows officers to learn attitudes, beliefs and values, alongside knowledge and skills. Data from focus groups with prison officer recruits during their training revealed elements of learning which develops beliefs and values, though the majority of the training remained focused on the development of knowledge and skills. This paper concludes by suggesting ways affective learning could be better supported in officer induction training.