Correction Nurses

I have a ethical dilemma and I need some opinions. I'm still a "nursling" (been a nurse for 2 years) and I've always been in the substance abuse/mental health field, even prior to me being a nurse. Recently I thought it'd be a change of pace to go into corrections. Everything's fast paced and everyday is in sense different. I just started training a couple of weeks ago and peopllllllleeeeeeeeeee........ the way the nurses talk/treat the inmates is sickening. I'm told during training that you can't show weakness with the inmates or they'll feed off of that. I completely understand, but these are human beings! How can I treat someone like they're beneath me, when they haven't given me a reason to. I just don't know how to approach my patients in corrections. If I smile too much (I'm a generally happy person) then that can be misconstrued as "flirting", but if I'm more stern and rigged, then I come off as having no compassion or empathy. I guess I'm asking if anyone has been in the same boat whether it be corrections or something else, what did you do? Did you conform to the nursing crowd or be your own person? I just don't want to become jaded and cold.