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

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 almost 12 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.... 

I was asked many question and thought that many were very inappropriate to me and had nothing to do with the situation at hand.. the officer asked me if I knew what hand the guy was using to touch himself why would that matter?

Asked by Victimized almost 12 years ago

Like I said, I have never been a street cop.  I suppose it might make a difference if they thought you were lying, or if they wanted to tell how solid a witness you were.  Maybe he is a confirmed left-hand weenie wacker and if you say he was using his right that would tend to indicate you were lying.  I very honestly don't know the answer.

Is there a difference between working in a Max security prison vs. a minimum security prison, in terms of officer safety?

Asked by CO2015 about 11 years ago

Sort of.  Max prisons have better internal security procedures.  Inmates are allowed relatively little unescorted movement.  There is usually better visual coverage, camera coverage or gun coverage in Max prisons.  There is a better staff to inmate ratio.  However, that being said, the clientel is typically more violent too.  I am sure there is some metrics on it, but I don't know off hand what they are. 

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

Asked by lily almost 12 years ago

Yes.  Very much so.

We're having a surprise guest police speaker at my school tomorrow for my drivers Ed class. What would be some questions I could ask him/her ?

Asked by Mercedes over 10 years ago

I have never been a street cop so I am not sure I can help much.  Since you are dealing with Drivers Ed you might ask him/her about the department pursuit policies.  That should be moderately interesting.

Would you agree that a life prison sentence isn't really going to "correct" anybody? (Nothing against the correctional officers that run the prison, I'm just saying that when someone is sentenced to life, they aren't going to be "corrected.")

Asked by 123 about 12 years ago

The system can not, and does not "correct" behavior.  If all goes well, at some point in his/her life the prisoner decides to get their act together.  At that point whatever rehabilitative programs may be available will have the opportunity to work.  The idea that incarceration, in and of itself is a rehabilitative exerience is a myth.  Most life prisoners do have the opportunity to get out, eventually.  At that point they may be too old, too infirm, or too tired of the life and will go striaght.  Or not.  Prisons keep prisoners from committing crimes against the general public while they are encarcerated.  That is all that can be realistically expected. 

how are stauatory rape and sexual offenders in general usally treated..are they housed seperatley or general pop at first..can they request PC ? and what is PC like as far as privlages etc

Asked by steve about 11 years ago

In days gone by sexual offenders were treated very badly by most of the population.  There are now so many of them that the only ones who have a very hard time are child molesters (baby rapers).  Anybody can request PC for pretty much any reason.  They may, or may not, get it.  There are a couple of housing units around the state that house only sex offenders, they mostly get along with each other.  PC is mostly called "special needs" now days.  The department often changes labels to pretend problems no longer exist.  The main problem with PC is that they can not mix freely with GP prisoners.  Most of them like it just fine that way.  Other than that they have the same privileges as other inmates with the exception of some jobs, depending on the nature of their offense and the nature of the job.  (This is a bit of an oversimplification.  Custody classification and job assignment regulations is actually fairly complex and my knowledge base is stale.)