You Are a Rookie Correctional Officer at a State Prison

Multiple Choice

You are a rookie correctional officer at a state prison. The day is coming to an end and the inmates are in their cells. As you make your rounds to count heads, one of the inmates asks you if you'd bring him a piece of dental floss. He says he has an uncooked grain of rice from dinner stuck in his back teeth and it is very painful. He only needs a small piece, surely not enough to pose any problem. According to prison rules, dental floss may only be used in the shower area, under observation. It is apparent to you that the inmate is in discomfort, and you know this inmate to be well-behaved. Another officer, a veteran, sees that you have retrieved dental floss and asks what you intend to do with it. After you explain, he warns that it is not a good idea. Sometimes, a seemingly innocent request to break the rules turns out to just be the start, and once you have broken the rules, the inmate has something to hold over you. This can lead to more and more problematic requests and demands. This process is known as:

A) slippery slope.
B) officer accommodation.
C) cycle of obligation.
D) reciprocity.