Remembering more about the early days in corrections.  When I first started, I looked pretty much like a suburban housewife.  One day I had finished a hearing on a guy, and I was starting to write the hearing report.  The prisoner pleaded guilty to the ticket, saying "I'm telling you the truth this time."  So I said, "Oh!, I have to put that in the hearing report.  Prisoner says he is telling the truth THIS TIME!"  I was chuckling, so he started laughing to.  Right then, Inspector W. was walking by the hearing room.  He looked in like he was really interested.  But he kept walking.  Later, he approached me and told me he had been a little worried about me, but now he knew I was going to be OK.
I'm not gonna say I was perfect.  I'm sure I got played more than once.  I was vulnerable when the younger prisoners would give me a sob story, especially with the women.  I had one young woman who said she had gone off on an officer because she had just learned her sister had been murdered.  I kind of gave her a break on her sanction.  Wouldn't you know that a week or so later, another prisoner came in with a very similar story?  Hmmm.  OK I got played.