Divorce rates are as high as 47%. Supervisors of correctional officers – Similar to dispatchers, first-line supervisors of correctional officers experience a high level of stress, which makes them feel unhappy outside of work, including in their marriages. The divorce rate is 46.9%.

The job outlook projection for corrections officers is less favorable than the national average projection of 5 percent growth for all occupations. Generally speaking, police officers have higher earning potential. The 2018 median annual salary for police officers and detectives was $63,380, according to the BLS.

There were 113 correctional officer fatalities reported — the fatality rate was 2.7 per 100,000. On average 11 work-related fatalities were reported per year.

A career as a corrections officer can be stable, well-paying and rewarding. In addition, California has the highest annual mean wage out of all the states at $71,630, according to BLS data from May 2017. California also has the 2nd highest employment level of correctional officers in the U.S. with 36,730 jobs.

Furthermore, jail guards have a greater risk of chronic injury, high cholesterol, hypertension and heart disease compared to other law enforcement occupations. Work conflicts, fatigue, heavy workload and inadequate resources all contribute to stress among correctional officers.

Correctional officers should also possess the following specific qualities:

• Good judgment.
• Interpersonal skills.
• Negotiating skills.
• Physical strength.
• Resourcefulness.
• Self discipline.

According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, among occupational groups, only police experience more violent incidents at work than correction officers. For every 10,000 full-time COs, there were 254 workplace assaults and violent injuries reported in 2011 — 36 times the rate for all American workers.

Correctional Officers usually work an eight-hour day, five days a week, on rotating shifts. Because prison and jail security must be provided around the clock, officers work all hours of the day and night, weekends, and holidays. In addition, officers may be required to work overtime.

Officers can expect to work a rotating schedule to include weekends. Deputies typically work five days a week in eight-hour shifts, but the days off will vary. If the correctional facility utilizes 12-hour work days, corrections officers typically will do three days on and two days off.

Average salary for corrections officers. You’ve got a great new job with benefits. State Correctional Officers make $21.01 per hour, or $43,710 yearly. Federal Correctional Officers make $25.15 per hour, or $52,310 yearly.

Quality of Life Just getting used to one’s surroundings can be the hardest part of the first years in this profession. Experienced officers spend a lot of time with new officers showing them the ropes.

7 mistakes that rookie correctional officers consistently make

• Learn to say no. Officers who can’t say “no” are officers who will most likely fall prey to inmate manipulation first.
• Listen, don’t tell.
• Ask questions.
• Don’t make friends with inmates.
• Wrong preconceptions.
• De-escalation.
• Documentation.

Corrections Officers and PTSD As a result, COs have rates of post-traumatic stress disorder that are more than double the rate that military veterans experience. Spinaris found that 34 percent of corrections officers met the criteria for PTSD; by comparison, 14 percent of military veterans experience those symptoms.

Correctional officers are exposed to a high degree of stress every day. Working long shifts behind walls day in and day out can and does take a toll. Each aspect of the job, including inmate interactions, workplace environment and resulting home life, can contribute to the build-up of this stress.

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The Pros & Cons of Being a Correctional Officer

• Pro: Pay and Benefits. The average annual salary of a state correctional officer is $38,380 and $53,459 for Federal positions.
• Pro: Job Security.
• Con: Long Training.
• Con: Danger.
• Con: Poor Working Conditons.
• Con: Working Holidays and Odd Shifts.

The four work conditions offi- cers identified most consistently as causing stress are understaffing, overtime, shift work, and supervisor de- mands. Understaffing. Understaffing in a correctional con- text is a chronic condition in which there are not enough officers available to staff authorized posts.

Possible interview questions you may face

• Can you tell me something about yourself?
• Why do you want to work as a correctional officers?
• What do you want to achieve on this position?
• Have you ever been to prison?
• Can you tell me something more about your working experience?
• Have you ever worked with inmates?

Correctional officers typically do the following: Enforce rules and keep order within jails or prisons. Supervise activities of inmates. Inspect facilities to ensure that they meet security and safety standards.

Correctional officers are a vital part of the criminal justice system. States and the federal government employ correctional officers to work in prisons, where inmates serve longer sentences. Private prisons also employ correctional officers.

They can arrest you even if they do not have an arrest warrant, as long as they have probable cause or good reason to believe you committed a felony. (A felony is a crime of a more serious nature than a misdemeanor, usually punishable by imprisonment for more than a year.

Detention officers guard individuals who are awaiting trial, while correctional officers are in charge of people convicted of crimes. Some detention officers are responsible for supervising prisoners being transported between the jail and the courthouse.

In city and county jails, the correctional officer is also known as a jailer. Like all correctional officers, jailers are responsible for enforcing rules and regulations, monitoring and supervising the activities of inmates, and maintaining the security and safety of correctional facilities.

COs are usually in prison and DOs are in state jails. Correction Officers are COs and are mostly in State Prisons. Detention Officers are DOs and work in city/County jails.

This test is designed to assess the probability of success in performing various physical functions at the Academy and after graduation at your assigned institution or facility. To pass the PFT candidates must complete the course in 5 minutes and 5 seconds, or less.