C. O. (Correction Officer)

[George Thompson]

The paragraph ended there, but I would read it as saying that the inmates have no alternative but to ask the officers for favors or permission to do simple things.  If the inmates were not the subject of the last sentence, I would expect it to be construed as if the subject was "officer" rather than "guards", and the sentence to be cast in the singular.

GAT

George A. Thompson
Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre", Northwestern Univ. Pr., 1998.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bethany K. Dumas" <dumasb at UTKUX.UTCC.UTK.EDU>
Date: Thursday, June 10, 2004 10:19 pm
Subject: Re: C. O. (Correction Officer)

> On Thu, 10 Jun 2004, George Thompson wrote:
>
> >"As a correction officer, you have to know how to interact with the
> inmates.  The inmates are dependent on the guards.  "C. O., can I get
> into my cell?"  "C. O., can I use the phone?"  They have no other
> alternative."
>
> Are <They> the inmates or the officers?
>
> Bethany
>