List the benefits associated with a prison job.
List the drawbacks of working in prisons.
Describe your thoughts on what it would be like to work in a prison and if you might consider a career in prison. Why or why not?
Overview
The minimum age for work as a corrections officer is 18 years old. A high school diploma is also required. For many months, newly recruited correctional officers attend a training academy to learn about facility operations and to acquire skills such as self-defense. If you want to work for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, you must have a bachelor’s degree or previous full-time work experience in a closely comparable profession. Certain positions, such as prisoner transport and extradition, may additionally need the completion of a Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) program as well as a law enforcement certification.
Correctional officials, including jailers, are paid by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual pay of correctional officers and jailers is $43,540 as of May 2017, implying that half earn more and half earn less. All vocations have a median salary of $37,690. In addition to generating more than the national average wage, correctional officer perks might include medical and dental insurance, retirement plans, overtime and shift differential compensation, and paid military leave.
To recognize cops for their community service, several businesses give police discounts. Correctional officers who have been trained as law enforcement officers may be eligible for such vendor discounts, depending on their employer’s policy for accepting police discounts or other advantages that are not available to other employees.