Abstract
The traditional literature on homosexuality in prisons employed an essentialist approach that held that sexuality was a static trait. To avoid the apparent contradiction that occurred when researchers were forced to explain how heterosexual men engaged in homosexual behavior, the literature shifted its focus to rape. Rape victims, prostitutes, and rapists were then defined as situational homosexuals, which served to blur the distinction between consensual sexual acts and coercive ones. This study examines correctional officers' attitudes toward homosexuality and prostitution to determine whether they reflect an essentialist approach to prison sexuality. It also examines officers' ability to distinguish between these various types of acts.

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