When offered a gratuity, correctional officers should:

• A. Accept the gift if from a fellow officer.
• B. Decline all gifts to avoid any perception.
• C. Not accept any gifts offered by inmates or their families as it may present a conflict of interest.
• D. Share the gift with the department.

Answer: (C)

Maintaining professional boundaries and avoiding conflicts of interest is essential when interacting with inmates. Accepting a gratuity from inmates or their families can create a sense of obligation or influence how you interact, assess situations, or enforce rules. Even small gifts can be seen as a connection to preferential treatment, which undermines impartiality, safety, and public trust. The strongest, simplest way to prevent that risk is to decline any gifts offered by inmates or their families and follow your department’s policy for handling gratuities. This keeps your actions transparent and consistent with your role. Gifts from fellow officers or ideas about sharing a gift don’t address the same ethical risk posed by those who are under supervision, and policies typically cover those scenarios separately.