Conover begins his year if not exactly idealistic, at least open-minded. He hopes to meet inmates and learn to understand prison life. But everything narrows once he goes inside. 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.