Correctional Officers

Correctional officers, also known as detention officers, generally work in prisons, jails, reformatories and penitentiaries, and may also work in courthouses or with the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Their job is to oversee, secure and control arrested individuals awaiting trial or those convicted and incarcerated.

What Are the Responsibilities of a Correctional Officer?

Correctional officers maintain security to prevent riots, disturbances, assaults and escapes. Their law enforcement jurisdiction is limited to the institution for which they work, but they also have limited law enforcement responsibilities or powers outside the institution.

While correctional officers work in a variety of criminal justice institutions, their basic responsibilities remain the same, including:

• Maintaining order;
• Preventing disturbances;
• Enforcing rules; and
• Ensuring the safety of other institutional employees and visitors.

To fulfill their responsibilities, correctional officers may be required to:

• Monitor inmate activities;
• Supervise inmate work assignments;
• Search for contraband (weapons or drugs);
• Settle disputes between inmates;
• End violent confrontations or fights between inmates;
• Enforce the rules through disciplinary action;or
• Inspect institution facilities for signs of security breaches.

How Are Performance and Training Requirements Established?

Most federal and state corrections departments base training and performance on guidelines established by the American Correctional Association and the American Jail Association.

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