Correctional Officer

Correctional Officer

Bob Walsh

Stockton, CA

Male, 60

I worked for the California state system, starting as a Correctional Officer and retiring as a Lieutenant in 2005. I now write for the PacoVilla blog which is concerned with what could broadly be called The Correctional System.

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Last Answer on February 10, 2022

Best Rated

How long does it usually take for a contraband watch

Asked by Jay Jay over 10 years ago

Back when i was working, it usually ran three shifts.  If they were absolutely positive the guy had something it could run as long as nine shifts.  That was unusual, it gets expensive.

I'm in the deep stages to becoming a CO, I have a speech disorder (slight stutter) which I let them know about in the original application. Will this be an issue later in the process? Will restrictions be applied to the task I'll be able to perform?

Asked by cesar about 10 years ago

The real problem will be if it slows you down much, especially on the radio.  If it does it could become a serious issue.  Some people their stutter becomes worse when they become nervous, or frightened, or otherwise stressed.  As far as I know there is no such thing as a no-radio position.  I would be much more concerned about that than about a slight stutter in face-to-face confrontations. 

Hello. I am a student doing research on prison overcrowding and its effect on drugs. In your experience, how does a prison environment affect one’s relation to drug use? Is it positive, negative, or neutral? And what do individuals abuse most?

Asked by Rosalie over 10 years ago

In my experience, neutral.  Druggies still use in prison.  Drugs are easy to get in prison.  They are about 4X more expensive than on the street, but are still easy to get.  A recent mainstream news report just released a report on that subject in fact.  It said that, when tested in June of last year, 23% of the prisoners tested came up positive for illegal drugs and 30% of the sample refused to be tested, even though the sampling was anonymous and there was no way to connect the samples back to an individual person.

I've been wanting to apply at the jail in my county and I won't lie. I'm scared to do it. Not because I'm scared of being hurt or anything like that. I'm just scared I won't be very good at it. Should I give it a go in your expert opinion?

Asked by James over 10 years ago

That depends on why you don't think you will be good at it.  The skill set to do the job can be developed with no problem as long as you have average intelligence and a decent educational backgrounds.  You do have to be able to read (things like job descriptions and operational procedures are important, and you have to be able to read them to follow them).  Also some people just do not like the environment, being physically locked into a closed-up building really bothers some people.  Also some people really don't want to deal with the shift work.  As long as these are not issues for you I would be inclined to give it a go.  If it turns out that you don't like it you can walk away, its not like the Army and you are in for three years whether you like it or not. 

Do you think the courts have been too intrusive in the operations of jails?

Asked by lily over 10 years ago

Yes.  Very much so.

My boyfriend quit after 1 week after the academy as a C/O if he changes his mind later is he rehirable?

Asked by Mel over 10 years ago

Probably, though they might be uninterested in investing a full 14 weeks in someone who bails after only one week.  Depends a lot on why he left and how hard up the department is for people.  Presumably he already passed the background or he wouldn't have been in the academy.

I just finished the academy about a month ago but unfortunately I had to leave my first prison because of personal reasons. I resigned and was not fired. I'm I eligible for rehire?

Asked by Question guy over 10 years ago

Generally speaking yes, depending on the exact reason why you left.  If you wait too long they have to do a whole new background on you.  (If you quit because you don't like shift work or you "don't like other people telling you what to do" you are probably SOL.)  However they might decide you are not worth the trouble, though after investing all that academy training in you they might give it a go, again depending....