The Positive Effects of Masculinity in Probation

It is another post about masculinity and how it relates to probation. In a previous blog post I discussed how toxic masculinity affects the men on probation and the outcomes of their probation. In this blog post, I want to be a little more generic and discuss masculinity and the overall effect on probation. While I say this is another post about masculinity, I feel that is a good thing! This is a never ending conversation about how hegemonic masculinity is sinking its teeth into the world around us, especially in the probation system.

As we have learned in the four very short weeks of this class not all masculine traits and displays of those traits are bad, some can be viewed in a positive light! I never got the chance to discuss how masculinity could be potentially beneficial to those males on probation.

For me a very apparent trait of masculinity is stubbornness or determination. I think those traits play a major role in the success of men on probation. For one those men will have a drive to abide by their probation stipulations and in the end get off probation without any hiccups along the way. Another positive masculinity trait that is helpful in the success of probation is strength and I'm not talking about physical strength. I am referring to mental strength. We can all attest to how difficult it can be to have someone breathing down our necks to make sure we do what we are supposed to... which is basically what probation is. It takes a whole lot of strength and composure to endure that kind of treatment. I feel that the mental toughness men have helps them a great deal in the completion of their probation. The last masculinity trait I want to cover is competitiveness. I feel that the majority of men have a small piece of them that is very competitive and they don't like to lose. While yes, the men on probation have lost at not getting caught for their crimes I think that the competitive trait plays a major role in their success of probation. They feel the urge to almost beat (not physically) their probation officer. The don't want to "lose" at it all over again so I feel that drives them to steer clear of all the negatives out there. 

While these are just a few masculine traits that can help men out on their time on probation I feel that these three push them to stick to it, it being probation. Being on probation has to be a very tough experience for some and they often resort to old behaviors, some of those behaviors could actually help them in being successful in their probation experience.