Correctional Officer Questions

[LTZ C20]

Hey all, today I applied for a job as a Correctional Officer for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. I grew up in a law enforcement family. My father was a Sheriff's Deputy for about 15 years and my mother was a Police Officer for about 20 years. Growing up with that has instilled a law enforcement desire in the back of my mind. I decided that this would be a great opportunity to build for my future so that I can one day buy a house, my girlfriend and I can hopefully get married some day and we can start and support a family. Though playing with cars at the dealership has been fun and very rewarding, I believe this is better suited for me and cars can be a hobby. This whole process, if I am able to continue through each stage, could take up to a year to complete, so it's gonna be awhile. Now I just have to wait for a response to my application for the first step of the process.

Are there any members here who are correctional officers or who have family or friends that are? Any state is welcome, specifically California though, seeing as that's where I applied. I would like to hear your thoughts and opinions and anything else you want to share.

Thanks all!

[Stewart G Griffin]

So wait, are you a tech right now?

[Kren420]

I am not, but we have a medium security prison 10 minutes away from where I live.  I have done lots of work in there so have dealt with the correctional officers quite a bit.  Seemed like a very cool job I hope it all pans out for you.

[zieg85]

I know of a former one who was a supervisor, (higher ranked) and the pay is not that great for the danger involved.

[LTZ C20]

So wait, are you a tech right now?

Not exactly. My official title is Quality Control Advisor. I work with the techs to pinpoint the more difficult issues with cars, road test with them and customers to verify problems and road test vehicles after repairs to verify the problems are gone or if they are still there.

[LTZ C20]

I am not, but we have a medium security prison 10 minutes away from where I live.  I have done lots of work in there so have dealt with the correctional officers quite a bit.  Seemed like a very cool job I hope it all pans out for you.

Cool thanks. California currently has 34 institutions state wide, 30 or so are actual prisons, the rest are rehabilitation, vocational or some kind of training facility.

[LTZ C20]

I know of a former one who was a supervisor, (higher ranked) and the pay is not that great for the danger involved.

From what I have found, California's wages even for a new employee is pretty darn good. Having 34 locations you could work at, 100's of different positions to possibly work in.

[roundhouse]

Not sure why any one would want to go to prison every day ...
In my state the best way to get a probation or parole  officer job is to be a prison guard first


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[LTZ C20]

Not sure why any one would want to go to prison every day ...
In my state the best way to get a probation or parole  officer job is to be a prison guard first


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The possibilities inside corrections department are extensive. They have transportation, surveillance and threat analysis, investigations, K9 units, Critical Response Teams (basically a SWAT team in the prison), administration and rehab positions, assistant wardens and wardens, but that is just a few. A regular corrections officer is actually a prison guard, but the longer your there, you can promote, transfer to other facilities, try different jobs. You don't have to stay a guard forever. Here in CA, a corrections officer is actually a state Peace Officer, much like our Highway Patrol. Basically, prison guard is a start, after that there are all kinds of roads to take during a career. And a prison guard today is nothing like the prison guards in The Shawshank Redeption like people might imagine a prison guard used to be. You have to take a written knowledge test, there's physical training and tests, psychological evaluations, health tests and firearms/chemical agents training. I'm already very familiar with guns.

[roundhouse]

I've read the prison employees union on Cali has quite a bit of political clout and great pensions police fire and teachers are the only jobs left with decent retirement pensions


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[Irish_Alley]

I've been with Delaware's department of corrections for 8 years now. Granted Delaware doesn't have the gang problem as CA. And you have to be a little crazy to do it every day. And you can either be a nice guy (which I'll get to later) or you can be a hard as nails guy. Whichever you choose it will make your day, if you choose to be a hard butt you will have a rough day and possibility put yourself in danger and you have to earn the respect from the inmates and keep it. It's a constant mental game you have to play.

If you become a softy you won't have the respect from the inmates nor will you have it from your fellow brothers in blue. The inmates will pick you apart and will get what they want and when you finally tell them no, the inmates will be upset and it will only cause more problems for you and others.

When I first started I was a softy thinking the inmates were my friends. We call this manipulation, they even asked me to bring in drugs cause I was nice. I was in the lifers building and they didn't give me a problem so I was relaxed and was friendly to them but I was their main link to the outside and they tried me. After that it changed me and I knew I was just a "cop" and they used my niceness against me. I changed shifts and buildings to start over and became  a not so nice c/o.

After a year of that I changed prisons all together were I ran my own building and it was me vs 70. Usually 1vs 35 during chow and rec. But I ran it and I ran it the way I wanted, never had to get physical with anyone I have sprayed a few but never got into a fight with one. You have to think they can take you at anytime but you can't let that keep you from doing your job.

You will have a tough job and you can't go right in guns blazing you have to earn your respect just like the inmates earn theirs from each other. That badge on your chest doesn't mean they can't touch you and they will do what you want. You have to earn that and you will have to keep earning it everyday. Once you make yourself known you will get a younger knuckle head who will want to try you. And they love for c/me to lose their cool so they will try to make you snap. Don't give them that satisfaction

I recently changed buildings again cause the one that I ran became too boring, it was nice cause the inmates did what I wanted but I wanted another challenge. So I went to another building and they didn't want to do as I wanted cause I was new. So I found some rules in the rule book and used them to my advantage and played mental games with them. I told them no talking during chow and they said I was the only one who says that. It doesn't matter if you're the only one who says it it matters that you said it and they didn't listen. I know it may sound petty but if you have them listening to the small things you tell them you have control and it will be a easy day. But they have to listen and no matter what as long as your right stick to your guns it shows weakness if you back down.

One of the main thing is respect them cause they're human and I know I did some of the stuff they did when I was younger. It's kind of hard to do but in order to get respect you have to give it. But don't be the only one giving it. It's been a rough couple weeks when I started this new building but its a dorm setting with 70 inmates on bunk beds. But if I go on that quad they know how I am and they know if they listen to me I won't bother them. But something you will have to do if figure out who (inmate wise) runs the building and if you have to make an example out of them. One thing no one likes is being taken out of their comfort zone. His bed/room is his so if someone wants to show off you move them so you can look right them all the time.

You have to have fun and I love staring contest cause after about 10 second if they don't look away I will wink at them and you will get a reaction either you will call their bluff or its on lol. Sometimes I'll just ask them "are you OK?"
"Respect all, fear none"

[LTZ C20]

I've read the prison employees union on Cali has quite a bit of political clout and great pensions police fire and teachers are the only jobs left with decent retirement pensions


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There are alot of CDCR employees so ide imagine that if they say something political, they say it pretty loud and it's well heard.

[LTZ C20]

I've been with Delaware's department of corrections for 8 years now. Granted Delaware doesn't have the gang problem as CA. And you have to be a little crazy to do it every day. And you can either be a nice guy (which I'll get to later) or you can be a hard as nails guy. Whichever you choose it will make your day, if you choose to be a hard butt you will have a rough day and possibility put yourself in danger and you have to earn the respect from the inmates and keep it. It's a constant mental game you have to play.

If you become a softy you won't have the respect from the inmates nor will you have it from your fellow brothers in blue. The inmates will pick you apart and will get what they want and when you finally tell them no, the inmates will be upset and it will only cause more problems for you and others.

When I first started I was a softy thinking the inmates were my friends. We call this manipulation, they even asked me to bring in drugs cause I was nice. I was in the lifers building and they didn't give me a problem so I was relaxed and was friendly to them but I was their main link to the outside and they tried me. After that it changed me and I knew I was just a "cop" and they used my niceness against me. I changed shifts and buildings to start over and became  a not so nice c/o.

After a year of that I changed prisons all together were I ran my own building and it was me vs 70. Usually 1vs 35 during chow and rec. But I ran it and I ran it the way I wanted, never had to get physical with anyone I have sprayed a few but never got into a fight with one. You have to think they can take you at anytime but you can't let that keep you from doing your job.

You will have a tough job and you can't go right in guns blazing you have to earn your respect just like the inmates earn theirs from each other. That badge on your chest doesn't mean they can't touch you and they will do what you want. You have to earn that and you will have to keep earning it everyday. Once you make yourself known you will get a younger knuckle head who will want to try you. And they love for c/me to lose their cool so they will try to make you snap. Don't give them that satisfaction

I recently changed buildings again cause the one that I ran became too boring, it was nice cause the inmates did what I wanted but I wanted another challenge. So I went to another building and they didn't want to do as I wanted cause I was new. So I found some rules in the rule book and used them to my advantage and played mental games with them. I told them no talking during chow and they said I was the only one who says that. It doesn't matter if you're the only one who says it it matters that you said it and they didn't listen. I know it may sound petty but if you have them listening to the small things you tell them you have control and it will be a easy day. But they have to listen and no matter what as long as your right stick to your guns it shows weakness if you back down.

One of the main thing is respect them cause they're human and I know I did some of the stuff they did when I was younger. It's kind of hard to do but in order to get respect you have to give it. But don't be the only one giving it. It's been a rough couple weeks when I started this new building but its a dorm setting with 70 inmates on bunk beds. But if I go on that quad they know how I am and they know if they listen to me I won't bother them. But something you will have to do if figure out who (inmate wise) runs the building and if you have to make an example out of them. One thing no one likes is being taken out of their comfort zone. His bed/room is his so if someone wants to show off you move them so you can look right them all the time.

You have to have fun and I love staring contest cause after about 10 second if they don't look away I will wink at them and you will get a reaction either you will call their bluff or its on lol. Sometimes I'll just ask them "are you OK?"
"Respect all, fear none"

Irish, thank you! I was pretty sure we had one officer here, I thought it was you but wasn't sure. That is the exact answer I was looking for, an honest look into it from someone who is there everyday. I know growing up with and around cops has made me pretty tough and sometimes I can be a jack wagon. I try to be cool and nice with the techs at work, but when there's an issue and they act like 6 year olds, I can be a total hard ass and they hate that cuz I raise heck to make the situation right. It's not a prison, it's a shop, I understand that, but there are things that are correct and there are thing that are unacceptable, I don't tolerate the unacceptable. I always try and give them the benefit of the dought first tho, they are the professionals but some times we get a few that act like kids fighting over the last juice box lol. Bottom line is, there is the right way and there's the wrong way and we dedicate our work to the right way, not the half assed way. Maybe I'm wrong for that, maybe not, I don't know. Seams to work so far. Cars get fixed right and the customers are happy.

Thanks again for your awesome response and insight.

[Irish_Alley]

Most of the time it does feel like I'm watching 6 year olds. If you give them an inch they will take a mile and they will always take that mile. About one out of the group will say "hey you left this unlocked" or what ever. You will have honest inmates and you will have ones who are just waiting for you to turn your back. When I first started I would treat them all like honest but as time went by I saw more and more of them playing games. Again our prisons sent like overe there we have the bloods, some ms13, juggalos, might run into some skin heads but the biggest is the Muslims. Most time they will just fight it out with their fist. Over there you have all them biker gangs bloods and crips who will fight it out with shanks and blades.

[Irish_Alley]

Then you have dirty c/o that make the rest of us look bad. They break the rules just to make a few extra bucks but the cell phone or drugs they bring in give the inmates access to face book were they can find you and use that information to extort you or threaten your family. Then you have the c/o who only take the job to be able to tell others what do do and dare them to speak up. I see it even with officers who get rank just so they could tell officers what to do. I like to go to work and it runs smoothly I like for the inmates to keep noise low and I don't like to hear myself speak to them repeating myself everyday. Like I said before you have to be a little nuts to want to do this job cause you will see things and they will stick in your mind for the rest of your life.  I go in with a smile and want to leave smiling I don't enforce every little rule but then ones I enforce if they aren't followed I will speak up and let them know. Most times its just a game they play to see what they can do