So I'm in the embryonic stages of what might be a story some day, and I'm thinking of putting my main in the career of a high-security prison guard. I'll be researching this plenty on my own, but if anyone knows of resources for the lifestyle/operating methods/common attitudes/rules/legal stuff of being a prison guard I'd appreciate any referrals!
Are there any prisons near where you live? Whenever possible, get this kind of information from the source. You'll often find people are quite willing to talk if someone wants to know more about what they do.
Definitely contact someone in that field--they will not only be able to provide you details on the logistics and tactics of prison work but also the jargon and slang that is found there. The more information you can get directly from the source the more realistic your work will be.
also check out memoirs written by prison guards... and books by prisoners about their doing-time experience...
