Former female prison officer details protocol staff must follow if they develop feelings for an inmate

A former female prison officer has explained why guards sometimes fall in love with inmates, and what they're instructed to do if they find themselves developing feelings.

Melissa Burgoyne Cox worked in what was formerly the UK's biggest prison for seven years, where she saw first-hand how close relationships can develop between officers and inmates, despite sexual relationships between staff and prisoners being illegal.

HMP Oakwood holds approximately 2,000 prisoners at any given time, and the former guard noted that female officers are specifically warned about the risk of inappropriate relationships during their training.

"Even though men can have inappropriate relationships with male prisoners, the likelihood of that happening as a gay officer is extremely low, whereas a female officer, it's a higher percentage," she claimed, speaking with UNILAD.

"It was almost like during our training, the women knew it was aimed at us."

She served as a prison officer in the UK for seven years. (Melissa Burgoyne Cox)

And although sexual relationships between officers and inmates are strictly prohibited, Melissa admitted she understands how feelings can develop.

"You are spending more time with the prisoner than you are around family," the 34-year-old said.

"Sometimes you are very isolated, and God forbid if you're a woman that's struggling with low self-esteem, mental health, and then you find a connection with a prisoner."

But the former officer noted that there are specific protocols in place should a female guard feel a connection beginning to develop with an inmate.

"So if you're a female officer and you sense chemistry building between you and a prisoner, you're supposed to report it," she explained.

Melissa opened up about the realities of being a female prison guard. (Melissa Burgoyne Cox)

"But most people will act in denial."

She further added: "If you were to be honest and say, you know, 'nothing has happened, nothing will happen, but I just sense with the eye contact, with the way you move around each other', then it's up to security to protect you as an officer and say, 'okay, we're going to move him out of this prison or we're going to move you', maybe, to a different landing."

During her time as a prison officer, specifically in the early days of her career, Melissa recalled feeling like she 'didn't fully know' what she had gotten herself involved in.

"My way of dealing with it was coming off the landing to just go and have a minute in the office. I really did feel like a little lamb that had been thrown to a slaughterhouse in a way."