They typically aren’t sworn, they are paid the least usually, they are chronically short with forced overtime, the barrier to entry is the lowest in the field, and are generally strung along with false promises to keep them working in a building filled with misery and hate.
The chronic short staffing is insane. We can’t keep people. My department pays really well, we are sworn, we have a lot of opportunity for career mobility, but it is just SO HARD to keep people.
They ran out of the OT budget, so we are being asked to pick up shifts for comp time. It would be completely unsustainable for everyone to be earning 40 + hours of comp time a month and never get to use it, so they just informed us that we have to work with what we got and they won’t be scheduling in people for extra shifts anymore. Being short staffed is my least favorite thing about the job b
Every November / December when everyone with seniority is on vacation anyway, they’re trying to get us to burn the time that doesn’t roll over. Last year they ended up paying out a bunch of time which was cool but I can’t imagine is very healthy for the budget lol
I was pregnant last year so I used every last bit of it. Now that I’m back I’ve only accumulated like 20 hours total, so the comp time issue actually might be a benefit to me. But in general it’s completely unsustainable and I’d rather just get paid.
The low pay isn't universal. In my state, (Rhode Island) corrections is the highest base pay you can make in the field, outside of the State Police and a few municipalities. With forced overtime, it's often the most.
Last year, the Boston Globe did an article on the top 100 highest paid RI state employees and 10 were correctional officers. No other law enforcement agencies even made the list, except for the Chief of the State Police. These were 10 normal CO's just raking in mounds of overtime, including one who made over 225k.
Bro you should cross the border into MA and get on the road as a cop. Lots of places in SE Ma where you could easily make $150k+ and work when you want to instead of being forced when you don’t want to.
I live north of Boston and have taken the civil service a couple of times. I’ve been passed over due to better candidates. Is most of SE Ma civil service or do they have different entrance exams?
Most of SE MA is non-civil service at this point. All of the cape besides maybe a couple towns are non-civil service. The bigger towns, I.e. Plymouth, wareham, middleborough, etc, are still in the state system, but look at the smaller towns and I’m sure you’ll have success.
If you put yourself through an academy, as much as that sucks for 5 months, I 1000% guarantee you that you will find a job unless you have some legit disqualifiers.
I was in corrections for a brief stint. They let go my entire class a little over a month before probation was up. Also had 3 escapees and multiple seasoned staff bringing in contraband.
I'd love to hear what would draw you to a career where you're surrounded by various incarcerated criminals in an enclosed space on a daily basis. I can tell you with full confidence that it's not for me, but there are others that seems to love it.
The inmates generally arent the problem. Yes they are often assholes, yes they can be violent. But they are doing exactly what they are supposed to do. 99% of the bitching that goes on in a correctional facility involves the administration. I've never been in another occupation where the employees actively hate their employer as much as they do in corrections.
I was juvenile corrections for a while, so my answer will probably be different than adult corrections, but I liked helping kids in dark places. I was never judgemental to what landed them there. I'd just be an ear to listen to their stories about their fucked up parents. Our facility leaned heavily on evidence base practices that made us more like a counselor than a corrections officer, which was up my alley as I did a lot of social work before that job. That's not to say we didn't have an escalation of force policy, but they're kids, not adults. And that's not to say some kids weren't straight up shitty kids or dangerous. But I liked their approach to handle those situations.
But being able to use some verbal judo to stop two kids who are about to throw fists was really satisfying. Being able to connect with a kid and see them make behavioral progress was really satisfying. The problem was when they got out they just returned to the same environment that put them there in the first place, so it felt like a lot of our work was for nothing. Also, we would occasionally see kids who figured their shit out and would return as adults to apologize for the stunts they pulled. That was the cherry on top.
I left that job, though, because as others have pointed out, we were constantly short staffed and I was mandated a lot. I was shown an unattainable carrot and told to go get it. I was forced to move to 12 hour shifts from 8 hour shifts, which wasn't working for my family. I had a director of the drug rehab side of our facility put me on blast for something I didn't do, then was forced to put out an apology because he was wrong and my supervisor showed him proof of me doing the right thing. I loved that supervisor and I kind of miss him. I felt a lot of retaliation from that department after that incident though. It was just time for me to move on.
I worked in corrections for a total of 3 months, couldn't last any longer.
It's not jail, it's a daycare center for adults.
You do their laundry, you give them food, you make sure they have clothes, you make sure their rooms are clean, you make sure they take their meds, eat food, and have toilet paper.
You are pretty much a room service/daycare worker. You are not enforcing any laws, you will only enforce rules that admin comes up with to justify their desk jobs, rules that are so petty and non-consequential that only irritate COs and Inmates alike.
You will constantly be watched, by inmates, your co-workers, and the chain of command. You are constantly under Big Brother type of watch. Everything you do is judged, and every small mistake you make is addressed.
You will be told you will have to do other people's jobs for them, such as the nurses. If a nurse doesn't check their mouth for pills or gives meds to the wrong inmate because she forgot to check ID or didn't update her list, guess who gets in trouble? You do!
While cops go through extensive FTO training and academy, you will have 6 to maybe 12 weeks max of training in total, and be expected to run a housing unit all by yourself. They will not give you any psychology training or communication training either.
Lastly, it's only you, a can of OC (If you can carry it), and 60 or more individuals who are some of the worst people society has to offer. I'm talking rapists, chomos, murderers, gang members, thieves, drug addicts etc. Again, it's only you and them. If at any moment they decide to get rid of you, nothing can stop it, by the time help arrives you will be going to the hospital or coroner's office.
Also, they can get rid of you in other ways, such as accusing you of bringing in contraband or threatening to do something to someone. Depending on you chain of command you may end up on the other side of the equation.
Question on the last bit. Wouldn't a lot of it end up being "he said she said" game? I mean granted inmates will gather others to lie but what if the truth was never that? What if I were to never smuggle contrabands or threaten others?
Honestly, do some research on the agency/facility you are applying to. If it’s private jail/prison I wouldn’t even bother personally. If it’s state DOC find out what security level it is and if it’s in a rural small town vs an urban center. If it’s a county sheriff do some digging and see how the culture is there. If it’s BOP be prepared to eat a lot of shit and be ready to work hard. Find out if there’s a union. Each facility runs their scheduling differently and standards are all over the place from agency to agency. They don’t all suck and you will know if it’s not for you pretty quickly.
State DOC is typically not as bad as county jail and less intense than BOP just depends on the state. My advice is go for it but try not to start in housing, work hard and get as much training in as you possibly can. Get all your weapons qualifications and figure out how to get on your supervisors good side asap.
Kansas is going to be decent.
It may be she said or he said or it may come down to the investigator's feelings.
But what you gotta keep in mind is your investigators will most likely be from outside the agency. They will look through camera footage, watch you work, watch your interactions with inmates, and examine every single detail of your work ethic and schedule while on job. Depending on their findings they may take your side or inmate's side. If you break policy or they see you may have broken policy the odds will be vastly against you. Inconsistency and favoritism is a big one.
It may be something that everyone does but it's technically against policy. It may be something you wouldn't even think was against policy.
There is a reason why alot of COs land behind bars.
I’ve had inmates lie and say I threatened them when they’re the ones who threatened me (It was an empty threat to provoke me but a threat nonetheless) and the higher ups damn near fired me. The next day I heard another officer say the exact words I was falsely accused to the same inmates and nothing happened to them. That was the moment I knew I needed to find a different place to work, that and at the camp I work at, the upper staff just kinda make the rules up as they go. I’m tired of coming in each day to a different set of rules that I’m supposed to enforce depending on who’s working that day and the lack of communication within the prison.
Rant over.
This is all true. I started with just me running a unit of 60, one pod officer watching 4 units, 1 prowl officer per 2 units. OC, cuffs, gloves, doing cell inspections alone, in cells, going to codes, breaking up fights, health emergencies. Money in my agency is at least good for what we do, got myself into A&D and a few interesting secondary duties, with some OT get close to 90k, my supervisor did 120k last year.
BUT
A ton of new hires have no idea or experience reinforcing boundaries. They call inmates 'bro' and have no idea what to do with inter personal pressure or stressors. They fold for inmates, and then look at solid officers like they are fools or tryhards, and use ChatGPT to write reports. From five years ago, there are fewer and fewer people I trust to have my back.
I think half a million Americans go to prison each year, god knows how many go to jail a year.
There's a strong anti-police sentiment in the U.S. already, and the folks who have the displeasure of serving time typically tend to not think fondly of most officers or deputies.
Then they get out and share their experiences. You probably wont remember the dozen times officers set restraints a little looser than they shouldve, but you definitely would remember the one time you were sprayed for acting out.
If you want to use real numbers. 500k of 300 million is equivalent to less than a percent. God knows if you quadruple that total you get 4 percent at most.
Imagine if 90% of your bosses approved and respected your job.
I think there are a couple perspectives that add to this
From the perspective of typcial law enforcement (i.e. patrol), They're typically the least trained, lowest paid, easiest to get hired on with, are almost always short staffed with high levels of burnout, and many states have little to no certifications or qualifications required to work in a jail, which attracts less than ideal candidates sometimes. My sheriff's office jail always seems to create its own problems that it then calls patrol deputies to come fix. It just doesn't give a good impression.
From the public perspective, it's a job that is rarely seen or spoken about unless you end up in jail or prison for any length of time. When I worked corrections, it wasn't uncommon for people to think all I did was locked people in a cell and fed them bread and water every now and then. Now couple that with popular TV shows that depict beating inmates as an every day thing along with a general misunderstanding of what corrections does, and you have much of the public that doesn't have a good view of corrections.
I actually say that people have the wrong idea too. Granted, there are few of those actually who are relating to gangs and probably making someone their prison bitch, but 90% of the time people told me that they'll respect you if you respect them back. Just don't let them use you for favors and etc. I agree wholeheartedly.
I'm not sure 10% is an appropriate number. After working in 3 prisons and a jail, I can't say I've ever met someone who was part of a gang. That's not to say all CO'S are good. There are bad people in every profession. As a cop, I've arrested bankers for fraud and theft charges, doctors and teachers for sex crimes, etc. Corrections is no different than any other job. There are good and bad.
But you mention a good point. Corrections is a job. Most likely those CO's just want a quiet shift where they do their job and go home. The phrase in the prisons was "give respect, get respect". That phrase served me well in corrections and I still have that philosophy now that I work patrol.
In corrections, the key is to be confidant, be understanding, and be helpful, but do not be stupid or a pushover. Just do your job and go home.
Oh wow. Thanks for that. I love people as my motto was to love not hate, but it just kinda plants the wrong idea for me when everyone tells me all the scary things. I know I am the enforcer (as I was in this current job as well lol) and definitely be consistent. I know I'm a little soft-sided with this job but I definitely would know my consequences of saying yes and bending the rules within the prison. Think I'll do great.
Sheriff Offices #1 jail recruitment strategy: “Do a couple years in the jail, prove you’re good at it, and we will sponsor your academy and move you to patrol.” All the while, the recruit says, “Hell yeah! Let’s do it,” and a couple years go by and the same recuit becomes the salty detention deputy who has a .00001% chance of ever moving to patrol. 😂
Heard about that. Honestly not the worst thing compared to idiots mixing cleaning chemicals or rotten dead body. I guess I should check for STD afterwards but still. Yuck!
Eh. Honestly dead bodies aren’t as bad because they aren’t throwing their stink onto you.
Fighting someone covered in shit is my own personal hell. I hope I never have to do it, but it happens pretty frequently.
I’ve worked crime scenes where the smell was stuck in my nose for days. I’d still choose that over some of the smells we have at the jail.
I’d rather fight a shit slinger than listen to a grown adult bitch and whine and try to blame someone else for why they are in jail. “This is so unfair. They had no reason to kick down my door. I’m going to talk to a lawyer and have all of your badges”. Well you had 1000 grams of meth and were selling it out of a house beside an elementary school….The whining drives me crazy.
I work in a level 5 maximum security facility and can say that I actually really enjoy it. Even with the recent uptick in staff assaults and ridiculous security overhauls from toxic legislation.
Do admins always have your back? No. Is turn over so bad that you have 1 year in FTOs with limited experience training new hires? Yes. Are the rates of compromised staff going up due to dynamic security requirements? Yes.
But if you’re a adrenaline junky who knows how to throw down, have comprehensive reading and writing skills and have the physical abilities to be a disciplined leader in an environment of sheer chaos; it just might be the job for you!
That’s just not true, you don’t need a title or rank to be a leader. Leaders are people who have the discipline, intellect and comprehensive analysis to make sound decisions that lead to success. That can be accomplished at any level in the chain of command and will garner respect from both your peers and your subordinates…. Change that perspective brother even if you’re only leading yourself, don’t be shy to go it alone and stand your ground (not when you’re literally in ad seg/MCU/RHU/closed custody etc etc)
Never worked corrections but a buddy of mine did before coming to LE. Pay is awful, schedule is awful, OT is awful, you have to be wired all the time to avoid looking weak and being taken advantaged of, the disrespect is awful, the prison cocktails are awful/a bio hazard, your family becomes a target if an inmate has connections outside and doesn’t like you, etc etc. The list goes on but it just boils down to bad pay for too much risk.
I think it entirely depends on where you work. I work at our county jail and we are sworn deputies. We get paid 70-95k a year. We have an extensive 6 months academy that also prepares you for patrol, and after some time at the jail you can apply to move to patrol, intake, court or wherever.
I like the floors. I like the constant business. It is exhausting. It is mentally draining. You are up close and personal with some really messed up people who have done horrible horrible things, or would be much better served in a hospital than a jail. It’s a complicated job if you take it seriously. Legislation has effectively wiped out the majority of mental health facilities and halfway homes, so the majority of our inmates are addicted.
Some days it really feels like I’ve helped some one. Some days I come home exhausted to the point of tears. But I work with some great people, I make great money, and I get to work in a secure facility without having to be out on the road.
It’s 100% what you make of it (if they pay you. If they pay you shit it is 100% not worth it)
So I live in a little more "rural" than big city. This town has the high cost of living with shit pay still, majority being, leeching off of military personnels that come and go. They're offering me $26.13 hourly as entry (which IDK if they are only doing so in retrospect to salary or if it's actually hourly wage). They offer great benefits on start, as this is a state prison as well. Only thing I keep asking is if it's really worth it because I want to have expensive hobbies too, like my own guns, maybe a cool car with big engines, etc. Is it worth the shit I'll be facing daily?
It depends where you want this job to lead you. It certainly isn’t going to fund a lavish life style but if it’s an experience you want to have, it’s not a terrible job. But that’s all it is. A job. And if you’re choosing between 0 dollars and $26 an hour, you might as well start somewhere right?
Check out r/personalfinance though because expensive hobbies get old fast. Having a fat retirement account is way more fun.
I was a former CO and I wouldn’t do it, pay is not the greatest. Couple things I took away from the job was how to interact with felons, using verbal judo with these guys. One positive though is that it helped me to get hired into parole with the same DOC and they’re helping me get POST
You really learn how to speak to criminals in jail in their own language (so to speak). Especially with regard to de-escalation after day shift tossed someone’s cell and they take it out on you after you relieve them. Verbal judo becomes key there and you will master it. It’s probably the biggest thing anyone can take away and apply into an LE career after being a CO.
100%! we had a lot of COs that were senior to me who didn’t have a clue how to de escalate a situation and use said verbal judo. I never believed in escalating a situation that didn’t require it. A lot of the inmates respected me for it.
I was County, so I did it all, started in the jail, booking, courts, transports and road. And I will say that courts or transport was my favorite. Being stuck in the jail all day, every day that’s a hard no from me. But I did my time managing detainees.
I worked in our county jail while I attended the academy. It’s not a bad job and I wouldn’t trade my time in there for anything. I highly recommend young officers do a few months in the jail before hitting the road.
You get comfortable being outnumbered, learn how to talk to people (criminals), and have personal experience with all the county regulars before you even hit the road.
I never had any desire to work in corrections. But back when I was trying to get hired in law enforcement, the competition was insane and eventually I looked elsewhere. I wanted to get some related experience while I waited for a job offer.
I had some experience dispatching, so I applied for a dispatch position at my local sheriff's office. They offered me a spot in the county jail instead. I took it, happy to get whatever experience I could.
I wasn't expecting much, but I loved it. It was similar to Patrol in some ways. I liked a lot of the people I worked with (COs, not inmates, although some of the inmates were truly decent people). Morale was terrible and the majority of COs despised the sheriff for a few good reasons. But it was an enjoyable job to work.
Eventually I got that Patrol job offer I had been working toward, and I left the jail. But I've always said I would go back in a heartbeat if policing didn't work out.
In most states, corrections is very low paid (some states pay minimum wage), it’s not sworn, has a very low bar for entry (no felons and you can own a gun), and you’re stuck in a building with the worst society has to offer for your work day.
Some states like California have made it more lucrative by paying more and professionalizing corrections. It’s actually a decent gig in my state. The correctional deputies in a bordering county earn a max of $150,000 a year and are fully sworn peace officers.
It's not as negative as a lot of people chalk it up to be. As cliche as it is to say; it is what you make of it. If your training is good during your academy, you will have something to take pride in and learn a couple new skills if you take it seriously.
With that being said, it takes a special type of person to work a jail/prison for a prolonged period of time. It wears on you being around all the worst of society if you let it.
As a Deputy who started in the jail... I'd say skip the jail if you can and go straight for patrol if you want to or have the ability to.
Corrections can be a great stepping stone into patrol or a great job all on its own depending on the department, just like any LE job (some have great benefits/culture etc.).
I think anybody writing it off either had a shitty experience with it or has never worked in it.
I kind of miss the people I used to work with at my previous corrections jobs. I’m in the process of getting hired on after academy in my state and hopefully I’ll have awesome coworkers again, but we will see.
I love when we hire former corrections officers. They tend to be really on the ball and we don't have to teach them to do a good search. And, if you can handle the stress levels of being locked in a concrete box all day with people who are messed up to actually get sent to prison, dat cop life gonna be fine for you probably.
Worked the jail for 4.5 months and it was brutal. Like the other commenter said, it’s daycare for adults. Would I do it again , HELL NO but it was one of the funnest jobs I’ve had
The sentiment that it’s not that bad when you treat them with respect not only isn’t fact, but inmates are just a piece of a huge puzzle.
Things vary from facility to facility, etc but some significant factors are- short staffing, admin, general safety, money, shift work schedule, physical activity, being surrounded by negativity, crisis situations, death, exposure to bodily fluids, negative public perception, plus so many others.
Usually people choose it to get their foot in the LE door, decent to good pay/benefits, pensions.
I mean that was also the intent. If I do like the place, yeah maybe, but I want to branch to others. I may not be sworn but hey least I got some experience on my resume, you know?
I’m a cop. My adult son has sort of idolized me his whole life. But he’s not me and for whatever reason his physical fitness has always kind of sucked…at least when he was 14 and older. Also, he wasn’t keen on post secondary education. He doesn’t have the patience for it. He was working at a convenience store for a year or so after high school and didn’t seem to have a lot of options. I recommended he apply to a corrections job. He got it, went to their short day academy and by 20 years old he had a job with a decentish wage, no cost medical insurance and a 25 year no age retirement. His supervisors love him because he shows up on time, is methodical in his work and treats the inmates with respect. He always tells me “Dad, I don’t love it…but I like it ok”. He gets unlimited overtime and the kid finances his whole life and has his weekends off so he can hang with his social groups. A few years in and he is up for promotion. He doesn’t pretend to be a cop. He’s getting close to meeting the physical standards and he would certainly be a solid candidate if he does. Honestly, he doesn’t want to do that. He actually wants to take the firefighter CPAT!😂 (That was my first career). That’s a long way of explaining, corrections can be a decent start or for some even a career. I think I’d hate it. But it could be worse.
Hey, for me as someone's child who also was turned down (about going CO), I know that my parents would be disappointed, but to be honest, I want to be able to live life to the full. I'm sure you'd agree corrections are where all the nastiest and the meany people go, but honestly? Unless if they give me a reason to fight back (which is striking me first) then I'll treat them with respect. That's my head space for the job.
My kid likes it enough. Now it’s important I think to note, it’s a jail that doesn’t do “direct supervision”, that is, the COs aren’t in the pods with the inmates all day.
Corrections officers and probation/parole and not the same as traditional law enforcement like police and sheriffs. They play a role in the criminal justice system, but on the backend after cops/deputies have done the investigations, made the arrests and gone through court. They are specialized security guards (sorry, just my opinion).
I was a CO for a county jail that was used for holding transfers to a prison, so a mix of everyone.
Jail was 55 miles away from home, so 110 miles a day travel - Right when the Ukraine war started and gas prices sky rocketed.
They sold the promise of the lateral program from CO to Police Officer after a year of hire, and partial gas reimbursement if over 50 miles. Decent sign on bonus
Academy was with state police, in fact the PT standards were pretty much on par with the state since you attended the academy with them you had to be able to keep up, we did all of our drill days with them and we would separate for classroom.
After I graduated the academy I did my month of training at the facility where they all laughed about the lateral program when mentioned saying that doesn’t exist (it was the only reason I took the job) and that they are severely understaffed so if I had a family or a dog at home - good luck.
I toughed it out looking towards the bright side and promises, come to find out they got rid of the lateral program, and the partial gas reimbursement.
Worked 3-4 forced 16 hour shifts a week, sometimes I’d just sleep in my car and go back in if I was forced because it made no sense to drive two hours home to sleep for a couple hours to come back.
All of the staff were miserable, but already had 10-15 years under their belt so they are pushing through the storm but that also made nobody fun to interact with. Inmates are inmates but they were often treated like trash without reason because of the pressure and lack of leadership from the administration.
The best part of the job was interacting with the inmates, not all people are good but not all people are bad.
Left after 3 months minus the academy time due to the fact that I knew I would get sucked in eventually and push aside my actual goal and be telling someone new the same sob story I heard 30 times about being there for 15 years so there’s no reason to change now.
Pay was decent, on par but a little less then county officers. But with the drive, fuel, insane amounts of overtime I was making a little more then minimum wage.
Well, it sucks.
Setting aside the usual problems you would expect, also consider that your coworkers will mostly be morons and/or crooks themselves. If you have half a brain, expect yourself to be the smartest officer in the housing unit at any given time.
For me, the schedule was the killer, but we didn't have set shifts. I worked swing shifts that didn't actually have a true set rotation.
I think the nature of it also tends to lend itself more to it being a toxic environment.
Also, think of it this way, of all the people a patrol officer may interact with, you're typically getting the worst say 10% of who they deal with, in a confined space.
It's isn't necessarily THAT bad, but I definitely don't miss it.
As someone in corrections, we are the red headed step children. Especially if your local jail type corrections. I’ve been on the road and worked inside of a jail. In the jail you get terrible treatment from inmates, terrible treatment from admins, the public either hates you or don’t think about you. I had a dispatcher tell me one time that we aren’t real law enforcement. Our own deputies are told to not spend too much time with us.
As a corrections officer you are everything under the sun. You are a cop, an investigator, a baby sitter, a janitor, sometimes a cook, a bus driver, a taxi driver, etc.
I’ve been spit on, punched in the face, been in more fights than I can count, I’ve had someone overdose and die in my arms. And did it all, most of it as a supervisor, making about $6 less than any other cop, deputy, or dispatcher.
Some officers also treat you like trash. Not all of them. Some are great. Some of my best friends work at local departments who I met while working.
Remember, you’re dealing with all of the most dangerous people in your county and you are equipped with the bare minimum in order to do so. We are given 1 taser to share with the entire facility. No mace unless you buy it. In my 4 years, we’ve had one defensive tactics. And we used to all wear stab vest (which we had to buy ourselves) but this year they banned them because apparently we were “too bold” with them. Whatever the fuck that means.
r/securityguards maybe a better place to ask if you are dead set on going into corrections. Because we do have a lot of correctional officers in that subreddit a lot of times it may be a contract position that goes through a private security company in some areas. Like someone else in this said they are not sworn law enforcement officers in some jurisdictions and sometimes are more akin to private and contract security than they are at law enforcement. Not trying to discredit this subreddit for having information because in some places they are sworn law enforcement I'm just giving you another place you can go ask your questions.
Its really all what you make of it. Ive been a CO for 6.5 years. I really dont mind it. Some people cant leave the job at work and bring it home with them. If you can separate the job from home life and not take anything personal from the inmate side youll be fine. Learn NO lol, and yes dealing with admin is worse then dealing with the inmates as some have stated.
If you plan to go to the road ultimately, I would steer clear of corrections. That was my plan originally when I started in corrections, and I wish I would’ve just skipped it and went straight to the street.
There are some transferable skills like talking to people, being in high stress situations, making split second decisions, learning to talk to people, etc. but you can still learn those on the road without doing corrections.
Corrections is INCREDIBLY frustrating in so many ways, and eventually you kind of just feel like a glorified babysitter for people who are the effective equivalent of small children who can’t self regulate and know how to make knives. That’s very oversimplified, but that’s how I felt after a few months on the job and it kind of never went away. Everyone is entitled, it’s always someone else’s fault, most of them never learn from their mistakes, you’ll see the same faces come back to prison every few months, you’ll get EXTREMELY frustrated with our justice system in every imaginable way and there’s nothing you can do about it. It’s an inherently negative environment, and if you don’t get really good at compartmentalizing, it can get to you fast.
None of this is unique to corrections, and you’ll find a lot of this is the same on the road, but my point is if you’re going to deal with similar BS either way, start where you actually want to be rather than starting somewhere else just because they’re the first agency to give you a formal job offer. That’s what I did and I wish I would’ve just waited for one of the other departments to call me and give me an offer.
Corrections is also perpetually understaffed almost anywhere you go. WAY worse than any other agency I’ve ever seen, and it’s mostly across the board. You may find some small rural county jails that stay well staffed, but largely you’re looking at a lot of OT and not having any staff.
It’s a cool job, you will learn a lot, but if it’s not your end goal and you’re just trying to use it as a stepping stone, my argument is to just skip it and try to hit the road first instead. I’ve met a lot of cool people, I made a lot of great friends from coworkers, I’ve got TONS of crazy stories that nobody would believe if they’d never seen it, but I’d still argue that unless you really want to do corrections specifically, find something else.
Florida Mortality Study: Florida Law Enforcement and Corrections Officers Compared to Florida General Population
Florida State Lodge, 2011
On average, law enforcement and correctional officers died 12 years earlier than the general population. In other words, law enforcement and corrections officers lived 62.4 years compared to 74.2 years for the general population.
A lot of COs don’t even get to enjoy retirement, if they make it there. I went the fed route as it’s, comparatively, a lot less stress.
the one thing about corrections that is a total deal breaker is the facilities you serve at.
its just so depressing i cant imagine how much you would have to pay me to stick around that.
and that before talking about having to work with the absolute shittiest human beings you could ever find under your care
Depends where you work at. We had a co make around 320k last year
At least where I work, there is a lot of flexibility, and you can pretty much get any day off you need through shift swaps. There is a lot of different jobs and promotions available. It’s just finding the right job for you
Before I went to the streets I worked in a state prison. Hated that job. A lot of the co’s are lazy and some are worse than the inmates.
Forced ot and driving an hour and a half in my own car a day.
They typically aren’t sworn, they are paid the least usually, they are chronically short with forced overtime, the barrier to entry is the lowest in the field, and are generally strung along with false promises to keep them working in a building filled with misery and hate.
100% this. Source: former CO, current cop
The chronic short staffing is insane. We can’t keep people. My department pays really well, we are sworn, we have a lot of opportunity for career mobility, but it is just SO HARD to keep people. They ran out of the OT budget, so we are being asked to pick up shifts for comp time. It would be completely unsustainable for everyone to be earning 40 + hours of comp time a month and never get to use it, so they just informed us that we have to work with what we got and they won’t be scheduling in people for extra shifts anymore. Being short staffed is my least favorite thing about the job b
There’s nothing quite like earning 40+ vacation days a year between annual, administrative and comp but struggling to burn 20.
Every November / December when everyone with seniority is on vacation anyway, they’re trying to get us to burn the time that doesn’t roll over. Last year they ended up paying out a bunch of time which was cool but I can’t imagine is very healthy for the budget lol I was pregnant last year so I used every last bit of it. Now that I’m back I’ve only accumulated like 20 hours total, so the comp time issue actually might be a benefit to me. But in general it’s completely unsustainable and I’d rather just get paid.
sounds like that would impact your personal security at some point too
The low pay isn't universal. In my state, (Rhode Island) corrections is the highest base pay you can make in the field, outside of the State Police and a few municipalities. With forced overtime, it's often the most. Last year, the Boston Globe did an article on the top 100 highest paid RI state employees and 10 were correctional officers. No other law enforcement agencies even made the list, except for the Chief of the State Police. These were 10 normal CO's just raking in mounds of overtime, including one who made over 225k.
Right next door to you. Supervisors make 100k just for walking in the door. Not including OT, roll call, education, shift diff.
>With forced overtime Always a good sign...
Bro you should cross the border into MA and get on the road as a cop. Lots of places in SE Ma where you could easily make $150k+ and work when you want to instead of being forced when you don’t want to.
I live north of Boston and have taken the civil service a couple of times. I’ve been passed over due to better candidates. Is most of SE Ma civil service or do they have different entrance exams?
Most of SE MA is non-civil service at this point. All of the cape besides maybe a couple towns are non-civil service. The bigger towns, I.e. Plymouth, wareham, middleborough, etc, are still in the state system, but look at the smaller towns and I’m sure you’ll have success. If you put yourself through an academy, as much as that sucks for 5 months, I 1000% guarantee you that you will find a job unless you have some legit disqualifiers.
Can I PM you?
Sure
Done
how bad are the factilities though?
I was in corrections for a brief stint. They let go my entire class a little over a month before probation was up. Also had 3 escapees and multiple seasoned staff bringing in contraband.
I'd love to hear what would draw you to a career where you're surrounded by various incarcerated criminals in an enclosed space on a daily basis. I can tell you with full confidence that it's not for me, but there are others that seems to love it.
The inmates generally arent the problem. Yes they are often assholes, yes they can be violent. But they are doing exactly what they are supposed to do. 99% of the bitching that goes on in a correctional facility involves the administration. I've never been in another occupation where the employees actively hate their employer as much as they do in corrections.
You must have worked for the same agency as me. You described it to a T.
Facts
Except one week a year you get free ice cream sundaes and a burger!!!!!
And you know what? It really makes me feel appreciated.
Would saying "I hate myself and love the physical and mental stress" work? I also am a caffeine junkie with cool sunglasses.
>"I hate myself and love the physical and mental stress" This is motivational.
All you need is a nicotine addiction and you will have checked all the boxes.
I was juvenile corrections for a while, so my answer will probably be different than adult corrections, but I liked helping kids in dark places. I was never judgemental to what landed them there. I'd just be an ear to listen to their stories about their fucked up parents. Our facility leaned heavily on evidence base practices that made us more like a counselor than a corrections officer, which was up my alley as I did a lot of social work before that job. That's not to say we didn't have an escalation of force policy, but they're kids, not adults. And that's not to say some kids weren't straight up shitty kids or dangerous. But I liked their approach to handle those situations. But being able to use some verbal judo to stop two kids who are about to throw fists was really satisfying. Being able to connect with a kid and see them make behavioral progress was really satisfying. The problem was when they got out they just returned to the same environment that put them there in the first place, so it felt like a lot of our work was for nothing. Also, we would occasionally see kids who figured their shit out and would return as adults to apologize for the stunts they pulled. That was the cherry on top. I left that job, though, because as others have pointed out, we were constantly short staffed and I was mandated a lot. I was shown an unattainable carrot and told to go get it. I was forced to move to 12 hour shifts from 8 hour shifts, which wasn't working for my family. I had a director of the drug rehab side of our facility put me on blast for something I didn't do, then was forced to put out an apology because he was wrong and my supervisor showed him proof of me doing the right thing. I loved that supervisor and I kind of miss him. I felt a lot of retaliation from that department after that incident though. It was just time for me to move on.
I worked in corrections for a total of 3 months, couldn't last any longer. It's not jail, it's a daycare center for adults. You do their laundry, you give them food, you make sure they have clothes, you make sure their rooms are clean, you make sure they take their meds, eat food, and have toilet paper. You are pretty much a room service/daycare worker. You are not enforcing any laws, you will only enforce rules that admin comes up with to justify their desk jobs, rules that are so petty and non-consequential that only irritate COs and Inmates alike. You will constantly be watched, by inmates, your co-workers, and the chain of command. You are constantly under Big Brother type of watch. Everything you do is judged, and every small mistake you make is addressed. You will be told you will have to do other people's jobs for them, such as the nurses. If a nurse doesn't check their mouth for pills or gives meds to the wrong inmate because she forgot to check ID or didn't update her list, guess who gets in trouble? You do! While cops go through extensive FTO training and academy, you will have 6 to maybe 12 weeks max of training in total, and be expected to run a housing unit all by yourself. They will not give you any psychology training or communication training either. Lastly, it's only you, a can of OC (If you can carry it), and 60 or more individuals who are some of the worst people society has to offer. I'm talking rapists, chomos, murderers, gang members, thieves, drug addicts etc. Again, it's only you and them. If at any moment they decide to get rid of you, nothing can stop it, by the time help arrives you will be going to the hospital or coroner's office. Also, they can get rid of you in other ways, such as accusing you of bringing in contraband or threatening to do something to someone. Depending on you chain of command you may end up on the other side of the equation.
But SO’s SWEAR that this experience will make you better on patrol!!!
It will make you a good hotel attendant
Question on the last bit. Wouldn't a lot of it end up being "he said she said" game? I mean granted inmates will gather others to lie but what if the truth was never that? What if I were to never smuggle contrabands or threaten others?
Honestly, do some research on the agency/facility you are applying to. If it’s private jail/prison I wouldn’t even bother personally. If it’s state DOC find out what security level it is and if it’s in a rural small town vs an urban center. If it’s a county sheriff do some digging and see how the culture is there. If it’s BOP be prepared to eat a lot of shit and be ready to work hard. Find out if there’s a union. Each facility runs their scheduling differently and standards are all over the place from agency to agency. They don’t all suck and you will know if it’s not for you pretty quickly.
It is under state DOC and says there are three classes of maximum, medium, and minimum. I'm assuming this means I'm gonna work hard? lol
State DOC is typically not as bad as county jail and less intense than BOP just depends on the state. My advice is go for it but try not to start in housing, work hard and get as much training in as you possibly can. Get all your weapons qualifications and figure out how to get on your supervisors good side asap. Kansas is going to be decent.
It may be she said or he said or it may come down to the investigator's feelings. But what you gotta keep in mind is your investigators will most likely be from outside the agency. They will look through camera footage, watch you work, watch your interactions with inmates, and examine every single detail of your work ethic and schedule while on job. Depending on their findings they may take your side or inmate's side. If you break policy or they see you may have broken policy the odds will be vastly against you. Inconsistency and favoritism is a big one. It may be something that everyone does but it's technically against policy. It may be something you wouldn't even think was against policy. There is a reason why alot of COs land behind bars.
Wow that's severely unfair.
Its jail. You are serving time just as they are, but you are held to a much higher standard.
I’ve had inmates lie and say I threatened them when they’re the ones who threatened me (It was an empty threat to provoke me but a threat nonetheless) and the higher ups damn near fired me. The next day I heard another officer say the exact words I was falsely accused to the same inmates and nothing happened to them. That was the moment I knew I needed to find a different place to work, that and at the camp I work at, the upper staff just kinda make the rules up as they go. I’m tired of coming in each day to a different set of rules that I’m supposed to enforce depending on who’s working that day and the lack of communication within the prison. Rant over.
I've been told many times I don't belong in corrections.... all of those who had the audacity to run their mouths like that at me can go eat a dick
If you like the job, you like the job. Nothing wrong with that. I didn’t like it so I left.
Basically my situation. Was a C/O, now Police
This is all true. I started with just me running a unit of 60, one pod officer watching 4 units, 1 prowl officer per 2 units. OC, cuffs, gloves, doing cell inspections alone, in cells, going to codes, breaking up fights, health emergencies. Money in my agency is at least good for what we do, got myself into A&D and a few interesting secondary duties, with some OT get close to 90k, my supervisor did 120k last year. BUT A ton of new hires have no idea or experience reinforcing boundaries. They call inmates 'bro' and have no idea what to do with inter personal pressure or stressors. They fold for inmates, and then look at solid officers like they are fools or tryhards, and use ChatGPT to write reports. From five years ago, there are fewer and fewer people I trust to have my back.
I think half a million Americans go to prison each year, god knows how many go to jail a year. There's a strong anti-police sentiment in the U.S. already, and the folks who have the displeasure of serving time typically tend to not think fondly of most officers or deputies. Then they get out and share their experiences. You probably wont remember the dozen times officers set restraints a little looser than they shouldve, but you definitely would remember the one time you were sprayed for acting out.
If you want to use real numbers. 500k of 300 million is equivalent to less than a percent. God knows if you quadruple that total you get 4 percent at most. Imagine if 90% of your bosses approved and respected your job.
Prison is a punishment. Yes, you'll be getting paid more than the inmates, but it's still a punishment.
I think there are a couple perspectives that add to this From the perspective of typcial law enforcement (i.e. patrol), They're typically the least trained, lowest paid, easiest to get hired on with, are almost always short staffed with high levels of burnout, and many states have little to no certifications or qualifications required to work in a jail, which attracts less than ideal candidates sometimes. My sheriff's office jail always seems to create its own problems that it then calls patrol deputies to come fix. It just doesn't give a good impression. From the public perspective, it's a job that is rarely seen or spoken about unless you end up in jail or prison for any length of time. When I worked corrections, it wasn't uncommon for people to think all I did was locked people in a cell and fed them bread and water every now and then. Now couple that with popular TV shows that depict beating inmates as an every day thing along with a general misunderstanding of what corrections does, and you have much of the public that doesn't have a good view of corrections.
I actually say that people have the wrong idea too. Granted, there are few of those actually who are relating to gangs and probably making someone their prison bitch, but 90% of the time people told me that they'll respect you if you respect them back. Just don't let them use you for favors and etc. I agree wholeheartedly.
I'm not sure 10% is an appropriate number. After working in 3 prisons and a jail, I can't say I've ever met someone who was part of a gang. That's not to say all CO'S are good. There are bad people in every profession. As a cop, I've arrested bankers for fraud and theft charges, doctors and teachers for sex crimes, etc. Corrections is no different than any other job. There are good and bad. But you mention a good point. Corrections is a job. Most likely those CO's just want a quiet shift where they do their job and go home. The phrase in the prisons was "give respect, get respect". That phrase served me well in corrections and I still have that philosophy now that I work patrol. In corrections, the key is to be confidant, be understanding, and be helpful, but do not be stupid or a pushover. Just do your job and go home.
Oh wow. Thanks for that. I love people as my motto was to love not hate, but it just kinda plants the wrong idea for me when everyone tells me all the scary things. I know I am the enforcer (as I was in this current job as well lol) and definitely be consistent. I know I'm a little soft-sided with this job but I definitely would know my consequences of saying yes and bending the rules within the prison. Think I'll do great.
I'd rather be the one putting them behind bars, not the one securing them.
Sheriff Offices #1 jail recruitment strategy: “Do a couple years in the jail, prove you’re good at it, and we will sponsor your academy and move you to patrol.” All the while, the recruit says, “Hell yeah! Let’s do it,” and a couple years go by and the same recuit becomes the salty detention deputy who has a .00001% chance of ever moving to patrol. 😂
Honestly it's not that I'd want patrol. It's more about how much this job can do for me.
I personally wouldn’t spend my work hours in a prison/jail surrounded by the worst of our society. But that’s just me.
My brother-in-law’s father works at a county jail. He said when inmates start throwing feces at the COs they often find better jobs and move on.
Heard about that. Honestly not the worst thing compared to idiots mixing cleaning chemicals or rotten dead body. I guess I should check for STD afterwards but still. Yuck!
Eh. Honestly dead bodies aren’t as bad because they aren’t throwing their stink onto you. Fighting someone covered in shit is my own personal hell. I hope I never have to do it, but it happens pretty frequently. I’ve worked crime scenes where the smell was stuck in my nose for days. I’d still choose that over some of the smells we have at the jail.
I’d rather fight a shit slinger than listen to a grown adult bitch and whine and try to blame someone else for why they are in jail. “This is so unfair. They had no reason to kick down my door. I’m going to talk to a lawyer and have all of your badges”. Well you had 1000 grams of meth and were selling it out of a house beside an elementary school….The whining drives me crazy.
I work in a level 5 maximum security facility and can say that I actually really enjoy it. Even with the recent uptick in staff assaults and ridiculous security overhauls from toxic legislation. Do admins always have your back? No. Is turn over so bad that you have 1 year in FTOs with limited experience training new hires? Yes. Are the rates of compromised staff going up due to dynamic security requirements? Yes. But if you’re a adrenaline junky who knows how to throw down, have comprehensive reading and writing skills and have the physical abilities to be a disciplined leader in an environment of sheer chaos; it just might be the job for you!
I've never been a leader but I'm definitely the type to talk with people. Think I'll enjoy.
That’s just not true, you don’t need a title or rank to be a leader. Leaders are people who have the discipline, intellect and comprehensive analysis to make sound decisions that lead to success. That can be accomplished at any level in the chain of command and will garner respect from both your peers and your subordinates…. Change that perspective brother even if you’re only leading yourself, don’t be shy to go it alone and stand your ground (not when you’re literally in ad seg/MCU/RHU/closed custody etc etc)
Never worked corrections but a buddy of mine did before coming to LE. Pay is awful, schedule is awful, OT is awful, you have to be wired all the time to avoid looking weak and being taken advantaged of, the disrespect is awful, the prison cocktails are awful/a bio hazard, your family becomes a target if an inmate has connections outside and doesn’t like you, etc etc. The list goes on but it just boils down to bad pay for too much risk.
I think it entirely depends on where you work. I work at our county jail and we are sworn deputies. We get paid 70-95k a year. We have an extensive 6 months academy that also prepares you for patrol, and after some time at the jail you can apply to move to patrol, intake, court or wherever. I like the floors. I like the constant business. It is exhausting. It is mentally draining. You are up close and personal with some really messed up people who have done horrible horrible things, or would be much better served in a hospital than a jail. It’s a complicated job if you take it seriously. Legislation has effectively wiped out the majority of mental health facilities and halfway homes, so the majority of our inmates are addicted. Some days it really feels like I’ve helped some one. Some days I come home exhausted to the point of tears. But I work with some great people, I make great money, and I get to work in a secure facility without having to be out on the road. It’s 100% what you make of it (if they pay you. If they pay you shit it is 100% not worth it)
So I live in a little more "rural" than big city. This town has the high cost of living with shit pay still, majority being, leeching off of military personnels that come and go. They're offering me $26.13 hourly as entry (which IDK if they are only doing so in retrospect to salary or if it's actually hourly wage). They offer great benefits on start, as this is a state prison as well. Only thing I keep asking is if it's really worth it because I want to have expensive hobbies too, like my own guns, maybe a cool car with big engines, etc. Is it worth the shit I'll be facing daily?
It depends where you want this job to lead you. It certainly isn’t going to fund a lavish life style but if it’s an experience you want to have, it’s not a terrible job. But that’s all it is. A job. And if you’re choosing between 0 dollars and $26 an hour, you might as well start somewhere right? Check out r/personalfinance though because expensive hobbies get old fast. Having a fat retirement account is way more fun.
Very fair and valid point with the financial advice.
I was a former CO and I wouldn’t do it, pay is not the greatest. Couple things I took away from the job was how to interact with felons, using verbal judo with these guys. One positive though is that it helped me to get hired into parole with the same DOC and they’re helping me get POST
You really learn how to speak to criminals in jail in their own language (so to speak). Especially with regard to de-escalation after day shift tossed someone’s cell and they take it out on you after you relieve them. Verbal judo becomes key there and you will master it. It’s probably the biggest thing anyone can take away and apply into an LE career after being a CO.
100%! we had a lot of COs that were senior to me who didn’t have a clue how to de escalate a situation and use said verbal judo. I never believed in escalating a situation that didn’t require it. A lot of the inmates respected me for it.
I was County, so I did it all, started in the jail, booking, courts, transports and road. And I will say that courts or transport was my favorite. Being stuck in the jail all day, every day that’s a hard no from me. But I did my time managing detainees.
I worked in our county jail while I attended the academy. It’s not a bad job and I wouldn’t trade my time in there for anything. I highly recommend young officers do a few months in the jail before hitting the road. You get comfortable being outnumbered, learn how to talk to people (criminals), and have personal experience with all the county regulars before you even hit the road.
I never had any desire to work in corrections. But back when I was trying to get hired in law enforcement, the competition was insane and eventually I looked elsewhere. I wanted to get some related experience while I waited for a job offer. I had some experience dispatching, so I applied for a dispatch position at my local sheriff's office. They offered me a spot in the county jail instead. I took it, happy to get whatever experience I could. I wasn't expecting much, but I loved it. It was similar to Patrol in some ways. I liked a lot of the people I worked with (COs, not inmates, although some of the inmates were truly decent people). Morale was terrible and the majority of COs despised the sheriff for a few good reasons. But it was an enjoyable job to work. Eventually I got that Patrol job offer I had been working toward, and I left the jail. But I've always said I would go back in a heartbeat if policing didn't work out.
In most states, corrections is very low paid (some states pay minimum wage), it’s not sworn, has a very low bar for entry (no felons and you can own a gun), and you’re stuck in a building with the worst society has to offer for your work day. Some states like California have made it more lucrative by paying more and professionalizing corrections. It’s actually a decent gig in my state. The correctional deputies in a bordering county earn a max of $150,000 a year and are fully sworn peace officers.
There are inside people and there are outside people. Most people aren’t both. Two totally different jobs
It's not as negative as a lot of people chalk it up to be. As cliche as it is to say; it is what you make of it. If your training is good during your academy, you will have something to take pride in and learn a couple new skills if you take it seriously. With that being said, it takes a special type of person to work a jail/prison for a prolonged period of time. It wears on you being around all the worst of society if you let it. As a Deputy who started in the jail... I'd say skip the jail if you can and go straight for patrol if you want to or have the ability to.
Corrections can be a great stepping stone into patrol or a great job all on its own depending on the department, just like any LE job (some have great benefits/culture etc.). I think anybody writing it off either had a shitty experience with it or has never worked in it. I kind of miss the people I used to work with at my previous corrections jobs. I’m in the process of getting hired on after academy in my state and hopefully I’ll have awesome coworkers again, but we will see.
I love when we hire former corrections officers. They tend to be really on the ball and we don't have to teach them to do a good search. And, if you can handle the stress levels of being locked in a concrete box all day with people who are messed up to actually get sent to prison, dat cop life gonna be fine for you probably.
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My toddler is better behaved than 90% of our inmates, but the inmates will listen to instructions 90% more than my toddler so… yeah. Pretty much.
In my city corrections is same pay basically as cop. And unlimited overtime basically. Just depends if you want to babysit shit heads everyday.
Worked the jail for 4.5 months and it was brutal. Like the other commenter said, it’s daycare for adults. Would I do it again , HELL NO but it was one of the funnest jobs I’ve had
The sentiment that it’s not that bad when you treat them with respect not only isn’t fact, but inmates are just a piece of a huge puzzle. Things vary from facility to facility, etc but some significant factors are- short staffing, admin, general safety, money, shift work schedule, physical activity, being surrounded by negativity, crisis situations, death, exposure to bodily fluids, negative public perception, plus so many others. Usually people choose it to get their foot in the LE door, decent to good pay/benefits, pensions.
I mean that was also the intent. If I do like the place, yeah maybe, but I want to branch to others. I may not be sworn but hey least I got some experience on my resume, you know?
I’m a cop. My adult son has sort of idolized me his whole life. But he’s not me and for whatever reason his physical fitness has always kind of sucked…at least when he was 14 and older. Also, he wasn’t keen on post secondary education. He doesn’t have the patience for it. He was working at a convenience store for a year or so after high school and didn’t seem to have a lot of options. I recommended he apply to a corrections job. He got it, went to their short day academy and by 20 years old he had a job with a decentish wage, no cost medical insurance and a 25 year no age retirement. His supervisors love him because he shows up on time, is methodical in his work and treats the inmates with respect. He always tells me “Dad, I don’t love it…but I like it ok”. He gets unlimited overtime and the kid finances his whole life and has his weekends off so he can hang with his social groups. A few years in and he is up for promotion. He doesn’t pretend to be a cop. He’s getting close to meeting the physical standards and he would certainly be a solid candidate if he does. Honestly, he doesn’t want to do that. He actually wants to take the firefighter CPAT!😂 (That was my first career). That’s a long way of explaining, corrections can be a decent start or for some even a career. I think I’d hate it. But it could be worse.
Hey, for me as someone's child who also was turned down (about going CO), I know that my parents would be disappointed, but to be honest, I want to be able to live life to the full. I'm sure you'd agree corrections are where all the nastiest and the meany people go, but honestly? Unless if they give me a reason to fight back (which is striking me first) then I'll treat them with respect. That's my head space for the job.
My kid likes it enough. Now it’s important I think to note, it’s a jail that doesn’t do “direct supervision”, that is, the COs aren’t in the pods with the inmates all day.
Corrections officers and probation/parole and not the same as traditional law enforcement like police and sheriffs. They play a role in the criminal justice system, but on the backend after cops/deputies have done the investigations, made the arrests and gone through court. They are specialized security guards (sorry, just my opinion).
I was a CO for a county jail that was used for holding transfers to a prison, so a mix of everyone. Jail was 55 miles away from home, so 110 miles a day travel - Right when the Ukraine war started and gas prices sky rocketed. They sold the promise of the lateral program from CO to Police Officer after a year of hire, and partial gas reimbursement if over 50 miles. Decent sign on bonus Academy was with state police, in fact the PT standards were pretty much on par with the state since you attended the academy with them you had to be able to keep up, we did all of our drill days with them and we would separate for classroom. After I graduated the academy I did my month of training at the facility where they all laughed about the lateral program when mentioned saying that doesn’t exist (it was the only reason I took the job) and that they are severely understaffed so if I had a family or a dog at home - good luck. I toughed it out looking towards the bright side and promises, come to find out they got rid of the lateral program, and the partial gas reimbursement. Worked 3-4 forced 16 hour shifts a week, sometimes I’d just sleep in my car and go back in if I was forced because it made no sense to drive two hours home to sleep for a couple hours to come back. All of the staff were miserable, but already had 10-15 years under their belt so they are pushing through the storm but that also made nobody fun to interact with. Inmates are inmates but they were often treated like trash without reason because of the pressure and lack of leadership from the administration. The best part of the job was interacting with the inmates, not all people are good but not all people are bad. Left after 3 months minus the academy time due to the fact that I knew I would get sucked in eventually and push aside my actual goal and be telling someone new the same sob story I heard 30 times about being there for 15 years so there’s no reason to change now. Pay was decent, on par but a little less then county officers. But with the drive, fuel, insane amounts of overtime I was making a little more then minimum wage.
Well, it sucks. Setting aside the usual problems you would expect, also consider that your coworkers will mostly be morons and/or crooks themselves. If you have half a brain, expect yourself to be the smartest officer in the housing unit at any given time.
For me, the schedule was the killer, but we didn't have set shifts. I worked swing shifts that didn't actually have a true set rotation. I think the nature of it also tends to lend itself more to it being a toxic environment. Also, think of it this way, of all the people a patrol officer may interact with, you're typically getting the worst say 10% of who they deal with, in a confined space. It's isn't necessarily THAT bad, but I definitely don't miss it.
As someone in corrections, we are the red headed step children. Especially if your local jail type corrections. I’ve been on the road and worked inside of a jail. In the jail you get terrible treatment from inmates, terrible treatment from admins, the public either hates you or don’t think about you. I had a dispatcher tell me one time that we aren’t real law enforcement. Our own deputies are told to not spend too much time with us. As a corrections officer you are everything under the sun. You are a cop, an investigator, a baby sitter, a janitor, sometimes a cook, a bus driver, a taxi driver, etc. I’ve been spit on, punched in the face, been in more fights than I can count, I’ve had someone overdose and die in my arms. And did it all, most of it as a supervisor, making about $6 less than any other cop, deputy, or dispatcher. Some officers also treat you like trash. Not all of them. Some are great. Some of my best friends work at local departments who I met while working. Remember, you’re dealing with all of the most dangerous people in your county and you are equipped with the bare minimum in order to do so. We are given 1 taser to share with the entire facility. No mace unless you buy it. In my 4 years, we’ve had one defensive tactics. And we used to all wear stab vest (which we had to buy ourselves) but this year they banned them because apparently we were “too bold” with them. Whatever the fuck that means.
r/securityguards maybe a better place to ask if you are dead set on going into corrections. Because we do have a lot of correctional officers in that subreddit a lot of times it may be a contract position that goes through a private security company in some areas. Like someone else in this said they are not sworn law enforcement officers in some jurisdictions and sometimes are more akin to private and contract security than they are at law enforcement. Not trying to discredit this subreddit for having information because in some places they are sworn law enforcement I'm just giving you another place you can go ask your questions.
Because living with the skells is looked at pretty low.
Its really all what you make of it. Ive been a CO for 6.5 years. I really dont mind it. Some people cant leave the job at work and bring it home with them. If you can separate the job from home life and not take anything personal from the inmate side youll be fine. Learn NO lol, and yes dealing with admin is worse then dealing with the inmates as some have stated.
If you plan to go to the road ultimately, I would steer clear of corrections. That was my plan originally when I started in corrections, and I wish I would’ve just skipped it and went straight to the street. There are some transferable skills like talking to people, being in high stress situations, making split second decisions, learning to talk to people, etc. but you can still learn those on the road without doing corrections. Corrections is INCREDIBLY frustrating in so many ways, and eventually you kind of just feel like a glorified babysitter for people who are the effective equivalent of small children who can’t self regulate and know how to make knives. That’s very oversimplified, but that’s how I felt after a few months on the job and it kind of never went away. Everyone is entitled, it’s always someone else’s fault, most of them never learn from their mistakes, you’ll see the same faces come back to prison every few months, you’ll get EXTREMELY frustrated with our justice system in every imaginable way and there’s nothing you can do about it. It’s an inherently negative environment, and if you don’t get really good at compartmentalizing, it can get to you fast. None of this is unique to corrections, and you’ll find a lot of this is the same on the road, but my point is if you’re going to deal with similar BS either way, start where you actually want to be rather than starting somewhere else just because they’re the first agency to give you a formal job offer. That’s what I did and I wish I would’ve just waited for one of the other departments to call me and give me an offer. Corrections is also perpetually understaffed almost anywhere you go. WAY worse than any other agency I’ve ever seen, and it’s mostly across the board. You may find some small rural county jails that stay well staffed, but largely you’re looking at a lot of OT and not having any staff. It’s a cool job, you will learn a lot, but if it’s not your end goal and you’re just trying to use it as a stepping stone, my argument is to just skip it and try to hit the road first instead. I’ve met a lot of cool people, I made a lot of great friends from coworkers, I’ve got TONS of crazy stories that nobody would believe if they’d never seen it, but I’d still argue that unless you really want to do corrections specifically, find something else.
Florida Mortality Study: Florida Law Enforcement and Corrections Officers Compared to Florida General Population Florida State Lodge, 2011 On average, law enforcement and correctional officers died 12 years earlier than the general population. In other words, law enforcement and corrections officers lived 62.4 years compared to 74.2 years for the general population. A lot of COs don’t even get to enjoy retirement, if they make it there. I went the fed route as it’s, comparatively, a lot less stress.
the one thing about corrections that is a total deal breaker is the facilities you serve at. its just so depressing i cant imagine how much you would have to pay me to stick around that. and that before talking about having to work with the absolute shittiest human beings you could ever find under your care
Depends where you work at. We had a co make around 320k last year At least where I work, there is a lot of flexibility, and you can pretty much get any day off you need through shift swaps. There is a lot of different jobs and promotions available. It’s just finding the right job for you
Before I went to the streets I worked in a state prison. Hated that job. A lot of the co’s are lazy and some are worse than the inmates. Forced ot and driving an hour and a half in my own car a day.