Careers in the Corrections System
In the United States, Corrections is a $60+ billion a year industry that employs more than 700,000 people. When people break the law, they are first arrested by law enforcement, and then are prosecuted in court. Once offenders have been convicted and sentenced, they enter the correctional system. This system consists of institutions such as:
Jails are used to confine people who are awaiting trial and people who have been sentenced to short-term incarceration (one year or less), typically those convicted of misdemeanors or petty offenses.
Reformatories are used to confine first-time offenders between the ages of 16 and 30 who have been tried as adults and convicted of felonies.
Prisons are used for long-term confinement (more than one year) of serious or repeat felony offenders.
A correctional officer is someone who works in one of these institutions, overseeing the prisoners. Correctional officers are responsible for enforcing rules, supervising activities, and keeping everything running smoothly. Correctional officers often work long hours, and the job is potentially dangerous. But there are many features that make this a very attractive career choice.
The majority of employers are local and county prisons that have minimal requirements for first-time job applicants. If you are at least 18 and have a high school diploma, you are qualified to be a correctional officer once you pass a civil service exam. The exam lasts three hours. It will test your memory, reasoning, observation, vision, and concepts in officer and inmate relations. In most areas, a passing score is 70 out of 100.
After being hired, most correctional facilities have a training program that new officers must go through. This training program will prepare you for what you will be doing on the job. For example, you will learn how to provide maximum security by deflecting disturbances, such as physical attacks and escapes, while enforcing the institution’s rules and procedures. Your primary goal will be to ensure that the facility is secure. You will maintain discipline and order by ensuring that inmates follow prescribed rules. When they don’t follow the regulations, you will remove their privileges.
Finding your first job should be easy – correctional officers are in great demand. Job opportunities are excellent and the number of job openings keeps growing. There are almost endless opportunities for advancement and transfers, and the pay is typically higher than many comparable career fields. It is not difficult to find these opportunities – there are recruitment programs and special incentives available all over the country to encourage interested people to apply.
If you have always wanted to be in law enforcement or have an interest in criminal justice, then this career just may be what you’re looking for. Many graduates of popular law enforcement programs go on to get jobs as correctional officers. With some college experience, such as a bachelor’s degree, you can obtain a high-ranking job in corrections that pays more than $60,000 a year.
As a correctional officer you will enjoy exceptional job security and a good starting salary with extensive government benefits such as complete health insurance, paid vacation time, and occasional bonuses. You can even qualify for retirement with a good pension after only 20 years on the job.
This career can easily take off for nearly anyone. The job can be dangerous and often stressful, but for those up to the challenge, the career is a rewarding one. Read on to learn more about this highly respected profession.
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