Correctional Officers and Jailers

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Also known as:
Certified Detention Deputy, Convict Guard, Correction Officer, Correctional Guard, Correctional Sergeant, Detention Deputy, Detention Officer, Jail Guard, Juvenile Corrections Officer, Penal Officer

See all Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security Careers.

ABOUT CORRECTIONAL OFFICER OR JAILER CAREERS

Video transcript

Correctional officers ensure the security and safety of our nation's correctional facilities at the local, state, and federal levels. They are the men and women who are responsible for guarding people who have been arrested or who have been convicted of a crime and sentenced to serve time in a correctional institution.

Duties include supervising inmate activities and maintaining good order, searching prisoners and their cells for weapons, drugs, or other items that may be forbidden, and occasionally breaking up fights between prisoners. Officers must even be prepared to respond to riots or hostage situations. Strength, good judgment, and the ability to think and act quickly are indispensable, while strength of character may be the most important personal trait of all.

Correctional officers have a great deal of power over the lives of inmates, so they must have the ability to be firm and fair at all times. A prison environment can be stressful and demanding; nevertheless, with integrity, communication skills, and the ability to keep pressure situations under control, correctional officers will continue to be key to the effective operation of our nation's prison system.

SNAPSHOT

Guard inmates in penal or rehabilitative institutions in accordance with established regulations and procedures. May guard prisoners in transit between jail, courtroom, prison, or other point. Includes deputy sheriffs and police who spend the majority of their time guarding prisoners in correctional institutions.

Leadership	HIGH
Critical decision making	HIGH
Level of responsibilities	HIGH
Job challenge and pressure to meet deadlines	HIGH
Dealing and handling conflict	HIGH

Competition for this position	MED
Communication with others	HIGH
Work closely with team members, clients etc.	HIGH
Comfort of the work setting	HIGH
Exposure to extreme environmental conditions	LOW
Exposure to job hazards	LOW
Physical demands	LOW

Daily tasks

Participate in required job training.

Use weapons, handcuffs, and physical force to maintain discipline and order among prisoners.

Assign duties to inmates, providing instructions as needed.

Settle disputes between inmates.

Search prisoners and vehicles and conduct shakedowns of cells for valuables and contraband, such as weapons or drugs.

Conduct fire, safety, and sanitation inspections.

Provide to supervisors oral and written reports of the quality and quantity of work performed by inmates, inmate disturbances and rule violations, and unusual occurrences.

Record information, such as prisoner identification, charges, and incidents of inmate disturbance, keeping daily logs of prisoner activities.

Monitor conduct of prisoners in housing unit, or during work or recreational activities, according to established policies, regulations, and procedures, to prevent escape or violence.

Inspect conditions of locks, window bars, grills, doors, and gates at correctional facilities to ensure security and help prevent escapes.

Serve meals, distribute commissary items, and dispense prescribed medication to prisoners.

MAIN ACTIVITIES

Getting Information	Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Documenting/Recording Information	Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others	Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems	Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Processing Information	Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE

Public Safety and Security	Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Law and Government	Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
English Language	Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Clerical	Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Administration and Management	Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Customer and Personal Service	Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Psychology	Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Transportation	Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

TOP SKILLS

Social Perceptiveness	Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking	Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening	Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Monitoring	Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Critical Thinking	Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension	Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Coordination	Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Persuasion	Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.