Correctional Officers and Jailers
Overview
SaveJob Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.
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.
Yearly Salary
| High: | $81K |
| Median: | $47K |
| Low: | $32K |
Demand
Core Tasks
- Conduct head counts to ensure that each prisoner is present.
- Inspect conditions of locks, window bars, grills, doors, and gates at correctional facilities to ensure security and help prevent escapes.
- 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.
- Guard facility entrances to screen visitors.
- Search prisoners and vehicles and conduct shakedowns of cells for valuables and contraband, such as weapons or drugs.
- Record information, such as prisoner identification, charges, and incidents of inmate disturbance, keeping daily logs of prisoner activities.
- Inspect mail for the presence of contraband.
- Search for and recapture escapees.
- Maintain records of prisoners' identification and charges.
- Use weapons, handcuffs, and physical force to maintain discipline and order among prisoners.
- Process or book convicted individuals into prison.
- Use nondisciplinary tools and equipment, such as a computer.
- Conduct fire, safety, and sanitation inspections.
- Participate in required job training.
- Supervise and coordinate work of other correctional service officers.
- Take prisoners into custody and escort to locations within and outside of facility, such as visiting room, courtroom, or airport.
- 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.
- Serve meals, distribute commissary items, and dispense prescribed medication to prisoners.
- Settle disputes between inmates.
- Take fingerprints of arrestees, prisoners, or the general public.
- Drive passenger vehicles and trucks used to transport inmates to other institutions, courtrooms, hospitals, and work sites.
- Counsel inmates and respond to legitimate questions, concerns, and requests.
- Investigate crimes that have occurred within an institution, or assist police in their investigations of crimes and inmates.
- Assign duties to inmates, providing instructions as needed.
- Issue clothing, tools, and other authorized items to inmates.
- Sponsor inmate recreational activities, such as newspapers and self-help groups.
- Arrange daily schedules for prisoners, including library visits, work assignments, family visits, and counseling appointments.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Public Safety and Security
83%
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.
English Language
81%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Law and Government
76%
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Administration and Management
71%
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
71%
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.
Computers and Electronics
69%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Psychology
69%
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.
Administrative
68%
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Education and Training
68%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Telecommunications
64%
Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Top 10 Skills
Active Listening
80%
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
80%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Social Perceptiveness
80%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking
78%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
75%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
73%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Coordination
70%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Persuasion
68%
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Active Learning
65%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Complex Problem Solving
65%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Comprehension
80%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
80%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity
80%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Deductive Reasoning
75%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
75%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Speech Clarity
75%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Near Vision
73%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Speech Recognition
73%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Selective Attention
68%
The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Written Comprehension
68%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Top 10 Work Activities
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
88%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
85%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
85%
Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Documenting/Recording Information
83%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Getting Information
81%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Training and Teaching Others
80%
Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
78%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
78%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
78%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
77%
Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Detailed Work Activities
- Count prison inmates or personnel.
- Inspect equipment to ensure safety or proper functioning.
- Maintain surveillance of individuals or establishments.
- Locate suspicious objects or vehicles.
- Search individuals for illegal or dangerous items.
- Guard facilities.
- Record information about suspects or criminals.
- Inspect cargo to identify potential hazards.
- Use weapons or physical force to maintain security.
- Operate computers or computerized equipment.
- Operate computer systems.
- Inspect facilities to ensure compliance with fire regulations.
- Inspect facilities to ensure compliance with security or safety regulations.
- Inspect facilities for cleanliness.
- Escort prisoners to courtrooms, prisons, or other facilities.
- Attend training to learn new skills or update knowledge.
- Serve food or beverages.
- Give medications or immunizations.
- Resolve interpersonal conflicts.
- Discuss performance, complaints, or violations with supervisors.
- Drive vehicles to transport individuals or equipment.
- Provide counsel, comfort, or encouragement to individuals or families.
- Counsel clients regarding interpersonal issues.
- Supervise inmate activities.
- Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
- Prepare activity or work schedules.
- Apprehend criminal suspects.
- Direct operations of correctional facilities.
- Collect information about clients.
- Investigate crimes committed within organizations.
Education
Interests
Realistic
77%
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
Conventional
68%
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
Social
56%
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Enterprising
46%
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
Investigative
25%
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
Artistic
15%
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.
Work Values
Support
86%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Relationships
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Independence
67%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Achievement
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Working Conditions
50%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition
43%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.