A corrections officer or detention officer oversees inmates in jails and prisons. Correction officer positions can be high stress and hazardous criminal justice jobs, depending on the hiring institution. A corrections officer position can also be very satisfying for the right person, with excellent job security and opportunity for advancement.
U.S. state and federal prisons hold approximately 1.4 million offenders at all times. The nation's jails hold 700,000 on any given day, and process over 12 million people over the course of a year. The need for new corrections officers is constant.
A correctional officer provides security for both jails and prisons, and prevents inmate disturbances, escapes and assaults. Although a law enforcement job, the corrections officer has no legal jurisdiction outside of the jail or prison.
In addition to maintaining order, a corrections officer has multiple responsibilities, many of which provide valuable experience and training should officers choose to pursue other criminal justice careers. Examples of correction officer job responsibilities include:
Correctional officers work unarmed, either in teams of two or alone, with communications devices for backup. As a single correctional officer may supervise 50 to 100 prisoners, he or she must have excellent interpersonal communication skills in order to maintain a safe and secure environment. Correctional officers in maximum security prisons monitor cell blocks using security cameras.
Jails and prisons need round-the-clock security. A correctional officer works eight hour shifts five days a week, and may work weekends, night shifts and holidays. Paid overtime offers correctional officers an opportunity to increase their earnings.
Employment opportunities for correction officers are extremely good. A combination of retirements, longer jail sentences, less parole and the sheer size of prison populations means there is more of a demand for correctional officers than other criminal justice jobs.
On average, correctional officers have an annual income of $35,760. The lowest 10 percent earn less than $23,600, with the highest paid receiving $58,580 a year. Average income depends, in part, on whether or not the law enforcement job is at the federal, local or state level:
A high school diploma or GED is required for all correctional officer positions. State and local agencies require at least some college education, but often accept military training or experience in another law enforcement job as an equivalent.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons requires the following of its correctional officers:
In addition, federal and state departments require a certain level of physical fitness and overall health. Federal and state departments also offer training specific to the correctional officer position.
Like many jobs in criminal justice, a correctional officer must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident at least 18 to 21 years old and have no history of felony convictions.
The logical advancement path for a correctional officer is promotion to correctional sergeant, a law enforcement job that supervises correctional officers. From correctional sergeant promotion is possible further up the administrative ladder, with some correctional officers rising as high as warden.
Correctional officers may also choose to pursue different criminal justice careers. Some move on to a law enforcement job such as police work. Others transfer to administrative positions working with law enforcement public records. Still others move to criminal justice jobs such as probation or parole officers.
Individuals interested in criminal justice jobs in the penal system should check their state's Department of Corrections Web site for further information (simply type your state's name and "department of corrections" into your search engine: for example, "New Jersey Department of Corrections").
Two organizations in particular are of note to anyone considering correctional officer careers: