Criminal justice and prison industry

Industry Snapshot

GENERAL INDUSTRY: Law, Public Safety, and Security

CAREER CLUSTER: Law, Public Safety, and Security

SUBCATEGORY INDUSTRIES: Correctional Institutions; Courts; Parole Offices and Probation Offices

RELATED INDUSTRIES: Civil Services: Public Safety; Federal Public Administration; Local Public Administration

ANNUAL DOMESTIC REVENUES: Correctional facilities: US$8 billion (IBISWorld, 2024)

NAICS NUMBERS: 92211, 92214–92215

Summary

Prisons are places where persons convicted of crimes are held in order to meet the goals of punishment and rehabilitation. Persons are physically confined, so they cannot harm others or themselves, and they are deprived of freedom, which is believed to be a deterrent from committing future crime. The prison industry has also become a for-profit business where prisoners are used for work. Prison-run programs for inmates can be public or private and bring in revenue for the industry.

History of the Industry

Prisons constitute one subsection of the criminal justice system, which is made up of three major parts: police, courts, and corrections. The act of imprisoning individuals is based on the notion of incapacitation, or making one physically unable to commit a crime. Imprisonment throughout history has been used to confine criminals who would be subject to corporal punishment or even death.

Eighteenth-century British political and classical theorist Jeremy Bentham believed, along with that century's Italian criminologist Cesare Beccaria, that crime could be deterred if the punishment for violations of the law were swift, certain, and severe. They both believed that punishment could prevent persons from committing crime if the consequences outweighed the benefits. During the nineteenth century, prison became a form of punishment, rather than a place to hold a criminal until he was punished.

The first prison in the early nineteenth century was based on the penitentiary movement. Individuals were supposed to reflect upon their behavior and do penance for their crimes. The term “prison” is often used interchangeably with “jail.” However, they really are different terms that are associated with the severity of the crime and the length of time for which an individual is incarcerated. A prison can be run by the state or federal government and is a place where criminals are held for more than a year. State prisons are reserved for serious criminals, and federal prisons are reserved for those who violate federal laws, such as white-collar criminals. Jails are run by municipalities or counties and are reserved for individuals who have been convicted of less serious crimes or for those awaiting trial. The longest amount of time spent in jail is one year.

While incarcerated, prisoners are required to work and exercise. They also have the option of participating in recreational activities. This not only keeps them busy and out of trouble but also gives them skills they can use on release. In addition, they can obtain high school equivalency credits and get the therapy and treatment necessary for success outside the prison walls. Prisoners have to earn the right to work in the more desirable areas of the prison and are paid nominally for their work. They can use their earnings to buy items for themselves at the commissary.

The prison industry has become an important revenue stream for prisons. Often, inmates are hired out to work in factories where they produce goods to be sold to the federal government. They are cheap labor, so profit margins increase at companies that use them, and prisons earn money by lending out their inmates as laborers. In addition, the work helps inmates feel they are accomplishing something during the course of their day, and sometimes they learn usable skills.

The Industry Today

Prisons and jails continue to hold those awaiting trial as well as individuals convicted of crimes who are serving time as part of their sentences. Some facilities have thousands of beds while others have only two cells. Many have education, vocational, and treatment programs that help meet the special needs of inmates. Since jails hold prisoners for relatively short periods of time, the therapeutic and recreational programs offered in such facilities are minimal. Jails must still provide care and treatment in a safe environment, however. Thus, they need employees, food service, laundry service, attorneys, therapists, and other workers, as well as security guards and managers. The physical environment ranges in size from small, one-to-two-cell local jails to massive prisons at the state and federal level. Prisons may operate through public or private funding.

Some jails are found in small towns and municipalities and offer few services. They typically have relatively a small staffs comprised mostly of local police officers. These locations are usually used to hold offenders for twenty-four to forty-eight hours. In 2022, local jails in the United States held 663,100 persons awaiting trial or serving sentences, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS).

Midsize prisons might be found in larger counties and smaller states. They must provide for the basic needs of offenders, although they may not be able to offer the services of a large prison. For example, larger prisons might offer drug treatment and counseling as well as vocational training. Midsize prisons might not have the room or the budget for such services. Facilities for women only, tend to offer even fewer services. Although food, security, and medical services are provided, treatment opportunities and useful vocational training might be lacking.

Large institutions, especially those located in states with a high number of inmates, such as California, are run as big businesses. They have the necessary housekeeping services as well as administrative, educational, and vocational programs. These prisons are able to house violent offenders in separate locations on the prison grounds and offer opportunities for offenders to work on-site or have inmates hired out by private companies to produce goods to be sold or services to be offered outside the prison walls.

Prisons have undergone a significant evolution since the 1700s. They operate more like businesses in the sense that they earn profits by selling products made by inmates. Prisons are now, however, focused on rehabilitation and deterrence in addition to retribution and punishment. Today’s prisons have better criminal record keeping, forensic analysis, fingerprint analysis, quicker access to records, and automation of records, as well as decreased delays in processing information. According to BJS data, in 2021, the US correctional systems, which includes both prison and jail populations, as well as people on probation or parole, supervised about 5.4 million individuals, a decrease of 2 percent from 2020.

Another major change has been the use of private prisons. The Sentencing Project reports that U.S. private prisons incarcerated 90,873 people in 2022, 8 percent of the total state and federal prison population. The private contracting of prisoners for work is also a booming business because it allows prison workers to supply the market with goods that are cheap to produce. Federal prison industry workers produce many US military and war supplies and assemble many products and appliances. The three major private prison firms in the United States are CoreCivic (formerly the Corrections Corporation of America), the GEO Group (formerly Wackenhut), and Management and Training Corporation. There are a few others that operate correctional or detention facilities, and the big three also have facilities in other countries.

Interestingly, private prisons were common over one hundred years ago. Prisoners were hired out as slave labor and were exposed to horrible conditions. They were worked to death, and there was no concern for their physical safety. Today, legislation regulates private contractors running correctional facilities. Most of those run by private firms are low- to medium-security level. Because of the profit level for corporations that manage private prisons, many experts believe that the number of private prisons is likely to increase.

According to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment of correctional officers is expected to decline by 7 percent between 2022 and 2032. Employment opportunities are expected to increase, however, in the private sector, as public authorities contract with private companies to staff correctional facilities and offer services to those facilities.

Changes in the programs offered to inmates have occurred during the early twenty-first century. Faith-based and addiction recovery programs have been added, and restorative justice efforts are being incorporated into the prison mentality. Programs that promote positive behavior, as opposed to punishing deviant behavior, are becoming more evident in the US prison system. In addition, technological changes will play a major role in communication and offender tracking, detection, and monitoring. Biometrics—the identification or verification of identities via measurable physiological and behavior traits—will be used more. Examples could include retinal and facial recognition, voice and fingerprint identification, and thermal imagery. Global Positioning System devices will be used with more regularity as well.

Minimum-Security Facilities

Minimum-security prisons are reserved for the least serious offenders. They are often set up like small camps and might be located in or near military bases. The prisoners live in less secure dormitories, and they are usually surrounded by a single fence. The facilities are most often located in rural areas, and the offenders are usually nonviolent. Inmates usually participate in community-based work assignments and in prerelease transition programs.

Potential Annual Earnings Scale. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists in 2022 was $60,250. Correctional officers and earned a median wage of $59,860.

Clientele Interaction. Small and local facilities have high rates of turnover. Often, local jails hold offenders for twenty-four to forty-eight hours, and the longest individuals can be held is for seventy-two hours. In minimum-security locations, the staff-to-inmate ratio is low, and inmates typically live in dormitory-style housing or private rooms. Because minimum-security institutions allow for more freedom of movement, correctional officers are more likely to interact on a more personal level with inmates.

Amenities, Atmosphere, and Physical Grounds. Minimum-security facilities offer more privileges but not more amenities. Because many offenders are nonviolent, the focus is less on security and violence prevention and more on treatment and education. Many inmates are assigned to private rooms, and the atmosphere is less restrictive than it is at medium- and maximum-security facilities.

The atmosphere in minimum-security facilities is a bit more relaxed. The facility is usually located in a rural area, with lots of grass and trees. Activities are often planned for outside, and services might include educational programs, counseling, recreational activities, and work details. Staff are responsible for inmate accountability, including their conduct, personal hygiene, and noise level.

The physical grounds are often set up like a college. There is an area where classes are held, an area where there is counseling, an area where the inmates eat, and an area where they sleep. There is laundry service, medical staff, and administrative staff. Sometimes, inmates are sent to programs in the community for treatment.

Typical Number of Employees. According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), there are 287 minimum-security federal prisons in the United States. One of the largest issues facing minimum-security facilities is expenses. Because they are small and located in rural areas, they are often expensive to run. In addition, they often offer fewer services and activities. Staff would include a warden or director, staff for security, educational and vocational staff, counselors, and service staff.

Traditional Geographic Locations. Minimum-security facilities tend to be located in rural areas, often on or near military bases. Although they are not as stringent, and might be located in a picturesque community, they offer fewer opportunities for visitation because the locations are often very far from home.

Pros of Working for a Minimum-Security Facility. Because they operate under less secure conditions, one of the positive aspects of minimum-security facilities is more freedom of movement. There could be no fence or only one fence around the facility, and inmates are often free to roam about the facilities, as long as they behave as instructed. Correctional officers therefore work in conditions that are a bit less restrictive than at other facilities. There is less risk of violence or attack because the inmates they are watching are low risk and nonviolent. In addition, they are not cooped up in an institution for the course of their day because the facilities are more open in nature. Staffs are usually smaller than at higher-security facilities because open institutions have less need for officers to enforce the more stringent rules and confinement protocols of medium- and maximum-security facilities. Inmates need to participate in educational, recreational, and vocational activities as part of the requirements of their sentences, and the correctional officers need to make sure they arrive at their destination safely. Higher job satisfaction has been found among correctional officers at lower-security facilities than among those at higher-security facilities.

Cons of Working for a Minimum-Security Facility. Since there are only a few correctional officers on staff, only a small number of persons are responsible for most operational duties. Any neglect of duties could lead to security breaches and direct accountability. Correctional officers might also experience stress because they are working with criminals, sleep disturbances because they are working odd hours, and alienation because they might be seen as adversaries by inmates. Further, because minimum-security facilities are located in rural areas, many employees have long commutes to and from work.

Costs

Payroll and Benefits: The average wage for correctional officers and jailers in 2022 was $23.85 per hour, but hourly wages can range from $17.07 to $39.71 depending on the region. Health benefits cover officers and their eligible dependents.

Supplies: Minimum-security prisons require medical supplies, cleaning supplies, food, linens, hardware (for maintenance), office supplies, information technology (telephones and computers), outdoor supplies (such as lawn mowers and snow shovels), bedding, and toiletries.

External Services: Prisons may contract some of the staff who work with prisoners, such as teachers or counselors, as well as food services. Private prisons may contract accounting services or lobbying services as necessary.

Utilities: Typical utilities for a minimum-security institution include water, sewage, electricity, gas or oil, telephone, cable television, and Internet access. Many states allow inmates in minimum-security facilities access to the Internet.

Medium-Security Facilities

Medium-security prisons house offenders who require more secure facilities than those housed in minimum-security facilities. They are often set up like maximum-security facilities but have fewer controls over the freedom of the inmates. The prisoners live in secure, barred cells within fortified perimeters. The rooms can be set up in dormitories or bunk beds, with communal showers, toilets, and sinks. Medium-security facilities often house fifty inmates per officer, and some might be designed with “dry cells,” with no toilet fixtures in the dormitory. There is a single cell unit set aside for punishment of inmates. The facilities are most often located in rural areas, and the offenders are less violent than maximum-security inmates. Inmates usually participate in work assignments, education, and vocational training, as well as faith-based programs and prison industry. There is less supervision in regard to internal movement of prisoners, but the dormitories are locked at night (and are thus more secure than minimum-security facilities).

Potential Annual Earnings Scale. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists in 2022 was $60,250. Correctional officers and earned a median wage of $59,860.

Clientele Interaction. Staff-to-inmate ratios are lower than at maximum-security facilities but higher than at minimum-security facilities, and inmates live in dormitory housing or private rooms. Because medium-security institutions allow for some freedom of movement, correctional officers might be able to interact on a bit more of a personal level with inmates.

Amenities, Atmosphere, and Physical Grounds. Medium-security facilities offer more privileges than maximum-security facilities and more amenities than minimum-security facilities. The focus is less on security and more on treatment and work programs. However, the layout is similar to that of a maximum-security facility. The atmosphere in medium-security facilities is a bit more relaxed than in maximum-security facilities. The facility is usually located in a rural area, and activities might include educational programs, counseling, recreational activities, and work details.

The physical grounds are set up like maximum-security facilities. There is an area where classes are held, an area where there is counseling, an area where the inmates eat, and then an area where they sleep. There are laundry service, medical staff, and administrative staff. Sometimes, inmates work in prison industry while incarcerated.

Typical Number of Employees. According to the DOJ, there are 451 medium-security prisons in the United States. One of the largest issues facing medium-security facilities is balancing security with treatment and education. Staff include a warden or director, staff for security, educational and vocational staff, counselors, and service staff. Perimeter security and yard officers are necessary.

Traditional Geographic Locations. Medium-security facilities tend to be located in rural areas. They are more stringent than minimum-security facilities and offer fewer opportunities for visitation because the locations are often far from home.

Pros of Working for a Medium-security Facility. Because they operate under more secure conditions, one of the positive aspects of a medium-security facility is more freedom of movement than at maximum-security facilities. Correctional officers therefore work in conditions that are a bit less confining and a bit more safe. There is less risk of violence or attack because the inmates they are watching are lower risk than maximum-security inmates. In addition, staff-to-inmate ratio is low. Inmates participate in educational, recreational, and vocational activities as part of the requirements of their sentences, and the correctional officers make sure they arrive at their destination safely. Industrial and shop security are necessary, as well as yard and perimeter security.

Cons of Working for a Medium-Security Facility. Because the inmates prison employees supervise are more dangerous than minimum-security inmates, any neglect of duties could lead to security breaches and direct accountability. Guards need to keep the perimeter and yard safe via regular patrol. Satisfaction with the job may be decreased by the risks employees face. Studies find that correctional officers are happier in minimum-security facilities, where they have more control or influence regarding the policies of the facilities.

Further, because medium-security facilities are located in rural areas, correctional officers often commute long distances to work. The amenities at the medium-security level tend more plentiful than at minimum-security facilities, but the inmates might be more violent and more dangerous to work with. Correctional officers might also experience stress because they are working with criminals, sleep disturbances because they are working odd hours, and alienation because they might be seen as adversaries by inmates.

Costs

Payroll and Benefits: The average wage for correctional officers and jailers in 2022 was $23.85 per hour, but hourly wages can range from $17.07 to $39.71 depending on the region. Health benefits cover officers and their eligible dependents.

Supplies: Medium-security prisons still need medical supplies, cleaning supplies, food, linens, hardware (for maintenance), office supplies, information technology (telephones and computers), outdoor supplies (such as lawn mowers and snow shovels), bedding, and toiletries.

External Services: Prisons may contract some of the staff who work with prisoners, such as teachers or counselors, as well as food services. Private prisons may contract accounting services or lobbying services as necessary.

Utilities: Typical utilities for a medium-security institution include water, sewage, electricity, gas or oil, telephone, and cable television.

Maximum-Security Facilities

Maximum-security prisons are reserved for the most serious offenders. They are often set up to confine the most dangerous offenders, for long periods. Thus they need to have a highly secure perimeter. The facilities are most often located in rural areas, and the offenders are usually violent. Inmates have strict controls placed on them, and routines are highly regimented.

Potential Annual Earnings Scale. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists in 2022 was $60,250. Correctional officers and earned a median wage of $59,860.

Clientele Interaction. In maximum-security locations, the staff-to-inmate ratio is high, and inmates live in single- or multiple-occupancy barred cells. Because maximum-security institutions are most concerned about security, correctional officers might have to interact on an impersonal level with inmates.

Amenities, Atmosphere, and Physical Grounds. Maximum-security facilities offer fewer privileges than lower-security facilities and fewer amenities. Because many offenders are violent, the focus is on security and violence prevention. Inmates are usually required to remain in their cells for twenty-three hours per day. A shower and some exercise for a short time are allowed.

The atmosphere in maximum-security facilities is very structured and regimented. The facility is usually located in a rural area. Services might include educational programs and counseling, but there are constant custody and security concerns. When out of their cells, prisoners must remain in the exterior part of the institution (still part of the cell block). Any movement outside of the cell block is severely restricted.

The physical grounds are often set up like a fortress. There is a highly secure perimeter with watchtowers and high walls. There are laundry service, medical staff, and administrative staff. Security needs to be maintained in the yard and the perimeter. The cells are operated from a remote-control station, so there is little contact between the inmates and the correctional officers. Because the inmates are high risk, each cell has its own toilet and sink, so there are fewer reasons for them to leave their cells. Inmates may leave for work assignments or programs, so there needs to be supervision at the work detail area, and block officers are necessary in the housing areas.

Typical Number of Employees. According to the DOJ, there are 376 maximum-security prisons in the United States. One of the largest issues facing maximum-security facilities is safety. Because they are large and because the inmates are dangerous, they are often expensive to run. In addition, they often offer fewer services and activities. Staff include a warden or director, staff for security, educational and vocational staff, counselors, and service staff.

Traditional Geographic Locations. Maximum-security facilities tend to be located in rural areas. They are very stringent and regimented, and offer fewer opportunities for visitation because the inmates are so dangerous. The inmates pose a risk to others, as well as to the guards, so the facilities need watch towers.

Pros of Working for a Maximum-Security Facility. Because they operate under very secure conditions, one of the positive aspects of a maximum-security facility is its lock-down capabilities. There are high walls and watchtowers, and inmates cannot roam about the facilities. Correctional officers therefore work in conditions where there is a constant watch over the inmates. Staff numbers are usually higher because of the risk level associated with maximum-security inmates. Thus, correctional officers always have backup. Some inmates are not allowed access to activities because of their risk level. Others are allowed to participate in activities but need direct supervision.

Cons of Working for a Maximum-Security Facility. Since the inmates are high risk, correctional officers have to be on high alert at all times. Any neglect of duties could lead to security breaches and direct accountability. Further, because maximum-security facilities are located in rural areas, most correctional officers work far from home. Amenities at the maximum-security level tend to be lacking, as are privileges. Thus, there might be disgruntled inmates that the officers have to deal with. Correctional officers might also experience stress because they are working with criminals, sleep disturbances because they are working odd hours, and alienation because they might be seen as adversaries by inmates.

Costs

Payroll and Benefits: The average wage for correctional officers and jailers in 2022 was $23.86 per hour, but hourly wages can range from $17.07 to $39.71 depending on the region. Health benefits cover officers and their eligible dependents.

Supplies: Maximum-security prisons require medical supplies, cleaning supplies, food, linens, hardware (for maintenance), office supplies, information technology (telephones and computers), outdoor supplies (such as lawn mowers and snow shovels), bedding, and toiletries.

External Services: Prisons may contract some of the staff who work with prisoners, such as teachers or counselors, as well as food services. Private prisons may contract accounting services or lobbying services as necessary.

Utilities: Typical utilities for a maximum-security institution include water, sewage, electricity, gas or oil, telephone, and cable television.

Industry Outlook

Overview

The performance of the prison industry has long been an indicator of economic conditions in the United States and around the globe. There is a close link between the number of jail and prison facilities, as well as the number of inmates held in those facilities and the strength of the economy. High rates of incarceration also reflect the political and government demand for punishment of criminals. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the economic downturn harmed the prison industry. Virtually every type of business establishment saw significant losses during the 2001 recession, and crime rates rose. Some prison staff positions were cut, and new prison construction stagnated.

By 2007, the industry had largely returned to its pre-September 11 growth rate, as the number of prisons and the number of inmates both surged. This resurgence was largely due to more stringent penal policies and changes in criminal laws as well as a reliance on the controversial three-strikes laws. Determinate sentencing, tougher drug laws that harken back to the Regan-era War on Drugs, and truth in sentencing have led to overcrowded prisons and poor conditions. With the 2007–9 global economic crisis, concern over the prison industry returned. Prisons saw drops in revenues, leading to hiring freezes, layoffs, and a slowdown in the construction of new prisons.

In August 2013, then US Attorney General Eric Holder announced a new Justice Department policy that was part of the Obama administration comprehensive prison reform package. Holder called for judges to no longer impose severe prison sentences for nonviolent drug offenders who do not have ties to gangs or large-scale drug organizations. Holder also announced a policy whereby elderly, nonviolent prisoners would be granted reduced sentences and that nonviolent offenders would be offered alternative consequences to prison time. These policies began to address the American people's concern about prison overcrowding and utilizing the penal system to "warehouse and forget" rather than "punish . . . deter and to rehabilitate" (Horwitz 2013).

Alleviating the overcrowding problem will strengthen the prison industry. Overcrowded conditions lead to safety concerns. If there are too few staff, there will be gaps in security. Fewer cell checks and counts can be conducted. This situation can snowball into a dilemma for the prison industry. To control overcrowding, accreditation to mandate acceptable staff-inmate ratios would be of great assistance. Increased attention needs to be paid to victim rights and inmate rights. Specifically, better management of the death penalty, more programs, and better management and treatment of juveniles are necessary.

One of the most important keys to the improvement of the prison industry is the government. The government needs to focus on meeting the needs of elderly inmates, the mentally ill, the drug addicted, and other inmates in need of assistance. Those who have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and those who are in need of therapeutic community-based residential treatment programs within the prison, must have their health needs met. In addition, correctional officers need to be prepared to manage gangs and assaults. One helpful way to improve the prison industry would be better classification of inmates in the first place. Inmates who are incarcerated for nonviolent offences and who are model prisoners once incarcerated would benefit from community-service sentences, which would in turn result in fewer prisons needing to be built and a better use of current facilities.

Also invaluable to the prison industry is the hiring of well-qualified staff. Administratively, there needs to be well-qualified, fair, and knowledgeable upper management. On the front lines, correctional officers need to be knowledgeable and capable as well. Fair wages and proper conditions within the institutions go a long way.

Much of the success of the prison industry also relies on the ability to manage costs. The widespread impact of the global economic crisis has kept energy costs largely in check. However, the lack of federal aid to states—and, in turn, the lack of state aid to municipalities—has led governments on all levels to look into other options to fund their facilities. Further, the privatization of the prison industry could be another route to examine. Many analysts say a cost-effective technique is to contract out to private bidders who perform government activities. A private entity could take over full-scale management of the jails and prisons or be utilized for some services. However, it needs to be well-managed so that the services are not sub-par.

Additionally, the pursuit of additional revenues has led officials to seek taxes on inmates. They can be charged for some services and programs they receive while incarcerated and afterward for some aftercare. Medicine, food, housing, telephone, haircuts, drug testing, program participation, and work release are all examples of inmate fees that can be assigned.

Historically, the punitive nature of our society is the main element driving any growth of the prison industry, even in times of recession because there is always a need for a place to hold prisoners. In addition, there will always be a need for correctional officers to oversee the prisoners. While the number of correctional officer jobs is project to decline by 7 percent from 2022 to 2032, about 33,000 jobs should exist per year during the same time period. These vacancies will be created by employees who resign to pursue other occupations or retire.

Employment Advantages

According to the research company IBIS, the prison population will continue to decline from 2022 to 2027. This decline is mainly due to a trend to use private prisons and a declining crime rate.The industry may experience difficulty finding and keeping qualified employees, since the salaries for correctional officers are not very high. In addition, most prisons are located in rural areas, far from where most of the potential workforce lives or wishes to live. Further, few people want to work in a prison all day or perform shift work. The work can be stressful and hazardous, and correctional officers have one of the highest rates of nonfatal on-the-job injuries.

The diversity of the industry in terms of the broad range of career paths continues to be a great benefit to those seeking advancement. Most employees begin at a basic, entry-level position in a correctional institution, moving upward either within the prison itself or at prisons in other states. Prisons offer management training, certification, and other programs designed to give employees the opportunity to thrive in their current positions and advance in the future.

Additionally, those in the service sectors of the prison industry, such as housekeepers, food servers, and custodial staff, may see personal development in light of an ever-changing industry. For example, better benefits for employees have been offered to entice them to work in a stressful environment.

Annual Earnings

The prison industry is strongly influenced by politics. If the political environment supports controlling crime, more severe sanctions will be assigned to crimes (such as mandatory minimum sentences and three-strikes legislation), and the prison population will rise. More prisons would need to be built to hold the greater inmate population. Thus, there would be a larger need for correctional officers to staff the prisons. If the trend is to decrease the number of persons in prison by enhancing community sanctions, there would be a smaller need for correctional officers.

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