Correctional Officer
A correctional officer is a law enforcement professional responsible for maintaining order and security within correctional facilities, such as prisons and detention centers. Their primary duties include monitoring incarcerated individuals, ensuring compliance with facility rules, and conducting searches for contraband. Correctional officers work in environments that may be crowded and diverse, often facing high-stress situations and the risk of injury due to the nature of their work. A high school diploma or equivalent is required for entry-level positions, while some federal roles may require a bachelor's degree in fields like sociology or criminal justice. Training typically includes academy instruction followed by on-the-job training. Despite a decline in job openings, the field experiences high turnover rates, often due to the challenging working conditions. Correctional officers may work irregular hours, including nights and weekends, and are compensated with benefits reflecting the demands of their role. This occupation involves significant interaction with inmates and a variety of other professionals, reinforcing the need for strong communication and problem-solving skills.
Correctional Officer
Snapshot
Career Cluster(s): Law, Public Safety & Security
Interests: Working in high-risk or dangerous situations, communicating with others
Earnings (Yearly Median): $49,610 per year $23.85 per hour
Employment & Outlook: -7% (Decline)
Entry-Level Education High school diploma or equivalent; training academy
Related Work Experience None
On-the-job-Training Moderate-term on-the-job training
Overview
Sphere of Work. Correctional officers monitor incarcerated individuals in federal and state penitentiaries, courthouses, and other detention facilities. They ensure that prisoners are secure in their cells during stated hours, adhere to the prison’s rules, and do not engage in acts of violence. Correctional officers search cells for drugs and contraband, inspect facilities for health, fire, and safety violations, and ensure that prison security systems function properly. They oversee the transportation of prisoners who are awaiting trial and individuals who are serving their respective sentences. Correctional officers must report any incidents, violations, or other pertinent issues to institution administrators and officials. Despite a decline in the number of jobs, the field has a high turnover. As prison populations continue to increase, correctional officers must combat additional stress and danger.
Work Environment. Correctional officers work primarily in federal and state penitentiaries, courthouses, and other facilities that house criminal suspects and convicts. Conditions vary with the age and size of the prison facility. These environments tend to be highly crowded with diverse groups of individuals, some of whom do not speak English. All detention centers have strict rules regarding inmate behavior and movement; these rules are designed to maintain order and protect officers as well as inmates. Despite these safety measures, the risk of non-fatal on-the-job injury is substantially higher for correctional officers than for workers in most other occupations. Some correctional officers work in secure control centers within the prison, monitoring prisoners from closed-circuit television and computer systems. Correction officers work regular forty-hour weeks, although their shifts may be late at night, on weekends, or on holidays.
Occupation Interest. Correctional officers work to ensure that the overcrowded prison system is orderly and operates in the safest possible manner. To do so, they must interact on a daily basis with incarcerated individuals from all types of backgrounds. Correctional officers should be physically fit and comfortable working under sometimes dangerous conditions. They must be willing to perform shift work on nights and weekends as necessary. Correctional officers may enjoy camaraderie with one another, experience variety in their daily activities, and receive generous benefits as compensation for the high-risk, stressful work they do.
A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities. Correctional officers are responsible for maintaining order and security in detention facilities and penitentiaries. They conduct periodic head counts, inspect inmates’ mail, screen visitors, review security systems, check vehicles, and search prison cells for drugs, weapons, and contraband. They intervene during prisoner fights, disband groups of unruly prisoners, and restrain inmates using handcuffs, weapons, and physical force. Correctional officers also inspect the facility’s security system, including windows, cameras, locks, bars, gates, and other areas, to locate and eliminate any risks of escape or internal criminal activity. They must keep careful logs of inspections, head counts, and behavioral infractions, as well as major conflicts and breaches of discipline.
The primary focus of correctional officers’ work is maintaining order among prisoners. They have frequent conversations with inmates, answering their questions, assessing their needs, and listening to complaints. Correctional officers are in close proximity to the prisoners at all times, particularly when the inmates are out of their cells. They supervise prison activities and escort them to and from meals, showers, classes, visitor meeting areas, and work assignments. In some cases, correctional officers also manage and administer prisoner prescription medications. They process new arrivals, perform physical inspections for contraband, file their paperwork, assign cells, and give new inmates information about rules and policies. In the event that a prisoner escapes or commits a crime within the walls of the prison, correctional officers coordinate with external law enforcement officers in their investigation of the incident.
Immigration Guards (372.567-014). Immigration Guards guard aliens held by the immigration service pending further investigation that may lead to the release or deportation of prisoners.
Patrol Conductors (372.677-010). Patrol Conductors guard prisoners being transported in correctional vans between jails, courthouses, prisons, mental institutions, or other institutions.
Work Environment
Immediate Physical Environment. Most correctional officers work in local or state jails, courthouses, and prisons, but many others work in federal penitentiaries. They may also work outside of prisons, particularly as they monitor minimum security work details. In each environment, there is a physical risk related to prisoner conflicts. This risk can add stress to the job.
Human Environment. Besides prisoners and their visitors, correctional officers interact with wardens, police officers, federal agents, judges and attorneys, social workers, mental health professionals, drug counselors, on-site medical personnel, and workers delivering supplies. As prisons deal with issues of overcrowding, a correctional officers workplace is immediately impacted.
Technological Environment. Correctional officers work with closed-circuit and computer-based monitoring systems, lighting equipment, alarm technologies, and weapons, which include handguns, shotguns, Tasers, and pepper spray. They also use computer software, such as spreadsheets and office suite programs, to create comprehensive logs on inmate behavior.
Education, Training, and Advancement
High School/Secondary. High school students should take courses in government, history, and political science to better understand the law. English and composition classes help build communication skills. Psychology, foreign languages, and social studies may also prove very useful. Physical education and first aid can help correctional officers deal with the physical risks of the job. A high school diploma or graduate equivalency degree (GED) is required for all correctional officers.
Postsecondary. Federal correctional officers are required to have a bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as sociology, criminal justice, or psychology. Many states also require a bachelor’s degree, three years of related job experience, or some combination of the two. Prior military or law enforcement service may satisfy these experience requirements. Correctional officers typically go through training at an academy before being assigned to a facility for on-the-job training. Federal corrections officers must undergo 200 hours of training during their first year of employment, but these requirements vary widely for state and local agencies.
Related Occupations
− Federal Law Enforcement Agent
Bibliography
"Correctional Officers and Bailiffs." Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, 17 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/correctional-officers.htm. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.
Heffernan, Shannon and Weihua Li. "New Data Shows How Dire the Prison Staffing Shortage Really Is." The Marshall Project, 10 Jan. 2024, www.themarshallproject.org/2024/01/10/prison-correctional-officer-shortage-overtime-data. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.