Joe Caputo has come a long way from being the guy who would jerk off in his office and barely lift a finger to help the inmates. Season six has shown him to be a caring warden who genuinely cares for the women under his watch, even if the rest of his life is a complete mess.
On paid leave thanks to the riot, Joe is aimless for much of season six. He begrudgingly accepts a warden job out of state but decides to stick around, thanks in part to his renewed relationship with his former boss Natalie Figueroa and his desire to help Taystee as she stands trial for the murder of Piscatella. Tipped off by Cindy to investigate the CERT team in the death of Piscatella, Joe becomes convinced of Taystee's innocence. He tries, unsuccessfully, to change the outcome of the trial by reaching out to the CERT team members, only to have one of them beat him up after the trial.