Correctional Officer
Correctional officers maintain security in jails and prisons and prevent disturbances among inmates. Most correctional officers are employed in state and federal penitentiaries, which incarcerate nearly one and a half million criminal offenders at any given time. Prison populations tend to be more stable than jail populations because officers know the security requirements of the prisoners they are dealing with.Over 3,000 jails are currently in operation within the U.S., the majority of which are run by county governments. Correctional officers employed in jails are sometimes referred to as detention officers, and they admit and process approximately 12 million people each year. When individuals are first arrested, officers are unaware of their criminal records, and violent detainees that should be placed in solitary confinement are sometimes placed among the general population. Because new arrests are made each day and their populations are constantly changing, jails are some of the most dangerous places of employment for correctional officers.
The general duties of correctional officers include monitoring inmates, enforcing rules and regulations, searching living quarters for contraband such as drugs and weapons, settling disputes between prisoners, checking visitors for prohibited items, and inspecting locks and gates for signs of tampering. Officers are expected to report on inmate conduct and notify their superiors of any security breaches, disturbances, or unusual occurrences. When the need arises, correctional officers may also help search for escaped inmates and assist law enforcement officials investigating crimes committed within their facilities.
Correctional officers that work in low-security facilities usually monitor 50 to 100 prisoners at a time. These officers are sometimes paired with a partner and often work unarmed. Correctional officers employed in high-security facilities typically monitor inmates from a centralized control center with closed-circuit television cameras and computer tracking systems. Depending on their level of confinement, correctional officers may be the only people that inmates see for days or weeks at a time.
Bailiffs are correctional officers that maintain safety and order within courtrooms. Bailiffs may be asked to assist judges, enforce courtroom rules, guard juries from outside contact, deliver court documents, and provide general security for patrons in the courthouses where they work.
Correctional officers, by nature, have dangerous and demanding jobs. They must exhibit good judgment and the ability to think and act quickly. Officers generally work eight-hour days, five days a week, on rotating schedules. Because prison and jail security is required 24 hours a day, most officers work some overtime, night, weekend, and holiday shifts. In order to qualify for a position as a correctional officer, you must be at least 18 to 21 years old and a U.S. citizen with no felony convictions. Most institutions also have mandatory fitness, eyesight, and hearing exams for all officers. In terms of education, applicants normally have a high school diploma and several years work experience or a bachelor's degree in a related field.
Training for correctional officers is usually extensive, extending into areas like firearms proficiency and self-defense. Federal correctional officers must complete 200 hours of formal training during their first year of employment and 120 hours of specialized training with the government within 60 days of being hired. Veteran officers must fulfill annual in-service training requirements. After several years of service in prisons and jails, some correctional officers transfer into related occupations as probation and parole officers and correctional treatment specialists.
Bailiffs and correctional officers held close to 500,000 jobs in this country in 2006. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 3 out of every 5 of these jobs were in state facilities such as prisons, prison camps, and youth correctional centers. Other officers worked in federal institutions, city and county jails, and privately managed prisons. In May of 2006, correctional officers made an average of $35,760 a year, and first-line supervisors in this field made an average of $52,580 annually. Because federal and state correctional officers are considered civil servants, they can retire at any age after 25 years of service or at age 50 after 20 years of service. [Figures including job projections, reported median incomes, and salary estimates were revised to reflect data from 2006 on 2/20/08.]