| Correctional officers have one of the toughest | | | | dislike order and it's up to the correctional officer |
| jobs in the world. It's hazardous and very | | | | to maintain an environment where inmates are |
| stressful. Every year there are attacks on | | | | kept safe and disturbances are kept to a |
| correctional officers and maintaining those | | | | minimum. |
| convicted of violent crimes is not an easy task. | | | | Those who work in maximum security prisons |
| A correctional officer is not like a probation | | | | are trained to search cells for contraband or illegal |
| officer. A PO will work with a person who has | | | | drugs. They may confine prisoners to solitary and |
| been released from prison and needs help | | | | monitor them on closed circuit television. |
| integrating back into society. A correctional officer | | | | A correction officer who works in a minimum |
| is responsible for prisoner transport, keeping order | | | | security facility will monitor prisoners who are on |
| in a jail or prison and for maintaining procedures | | | | a work rehabilitation program. It depends on the |
| set forth by the correctional facility. | | | | type of environment as to which tasks are |
| What skills are needed to become a corrections | | | | performed. Correctional officers typically work 5 |
| officer? | | | | days a week with 8 hour shifts. Since monitoring |
| Corrections officers learn most of what they | | | | prison activity is a 24 hour process, some officers |
| need to know through on-the-job-training. An | | | | work weekends and even holidays. |
| education of at least a high school diploma is | | | | Is there a demand for this profession? |
| required, some college may be a qualification, and | | | | Yes, corrections officers process and oversee |
| it varies with each agency. Some experience is | | | | about 12 million people a year. The demand is |
| recommended, such as law enforcement or | | | | growing as prisoners are released; paroled and |
| having a military background may be substituted | | | | new inmates are being transferred between |
| for an education. | | | | facilities. There is a lot of hostility in prisons due to |
| The American Correctional Association and the | | | | over crowding and violent inmates are often gang |
| American Jail Association establish what type of | | | | members. The demand for those who want to |
| training is needed based on the correctional facility. | | | | help keep our society safe from such persons |
| Academy trainees will undergo many hours, at | | | | creates a position in which non lethal force and |
| least 200, of training for firearms and self-defense | | | | tactical training becomes a must. |
| just within their first year of work. Specialized | | | | Correctional officers tend to make between |
| training in tactical procedures, riot and hostage | | | | $28,000 and $46,000. Those who seek |
| situations are also part of their ongoing training. At | | | | advancement can become a correctional sergeant |
| least120 hours is required by the U.S. Federal | | | | or even become a warden. It's a tough job, and |
| Bureau of Prisons residential training center in | | | | somebody has to do it. If this sounds like a |
| Glynco, GA. They will work under supervision of | | | | career path you'd like to take, then you need to |
| an experienced correctional officer for weeks or | | | | do further reading on it on the internet. You can |
| months before becoming independent. | | | | do so by visiting websites which cover the |
| What are some of the tasks a corrections officer | | | | profession in more detail. |
| does? | | | | Note: You are free to reprint or republish this |
| A CO is responsible for keeping order in a | | | | article. The only condition is that the Resource |
| controlled manner. Prisons are full of those who | | | | Box should be included and the links are live links. |