Conover's enthusiasm rapidly gives way to paranoia and anxiety. He rarely gets to know any prisoners. Most officers are intentionally distant. They force themselves not to care about the men they are warehousing. It would be intolerable otherwise.
Every encounter is fraught.
Much of the day is spent arbitrarily enforcing petty rules. He hates most of the work and is stressed out by all of it. He learns to lie to protect himself and his fellow officers. He has bad dreams and brings the violence of his job home to his family. The work makes even sympathetic COs callous.