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

Can a lieutenant ban someone from a prison with no real reason without the wardens consent.

Asked by Britt about 9 years ago

It would depend on the jurisdiction I expect.  The Watch Commander, who in California is a Lieutenant, has operational control of the prison during non-business hours.  I suspect it is the same in many other jurisdictions.  The watch commander can ban a visitor pending review by higher authority, though must have at least some sort of reasoning to do so and there would be paperwork attached to such an action .  Banning an employee from the grounds takes a higher authority than the watch commander (again in California.)

Do I have a drivers license to be a correctional officer in South Carolina?

Asked by alias about 11 years ago

I have no idea.  However, in most states it is a peace officer position and virtually all peace officers have and need a driver's license.  So my educated guess is YES. 

How have U.S. Supreme Court decisions about corrections impacted your job/your life?

Asked by EVJ about 11 years ago

Lately not much as I have been retired for close to ten years now.  The biggie in California is the population cap which has forced the state to release about 40,000 felons from custody.  The federal takeover of the inmate health care program has also caused operational problems within the department.

Thanks for reply! So is it better to make the rent payments, or would they just keep asking for more and/or not respect me? Rent payment goes into their commissary I assume? Just curious, no plans to go to prison.... :-)

Asked by Alex over 10 years ago

That would depend a lot on circumstances. 

What kind of physical test do i need to do when becoming a corrections officer

Asked by Tracy almost 10 years ago

Good question.  I don't have a good answer any more.  You need to meet the height-weight ratio.  There is no minimum height requirement, there may be a maximum one but I don't think so.  You need to have decent hearing and reasonable (but not perfect) vision without corrective lenses.  (You can't wear glasses under a gas mask and you need to be able to function while wearing one.)  I don't believe there is a color vision test.  I think there is a physical agility test, but I don't know what it is.  Sorry I couldn't be more help.

My husband was sentence to 24 months in prison , he's been very good never a problem. After serving 14 months ,court order , u.s Marshal's will be transporting him back to our home state. Why? Is this bad or good?

Asked by Nena over 9 years ago

Sorry, not by end of the business.  My GUESS is that it is a good thing and they are preparing to release him, maybe into some sort of a pre-release program, near his address of record.  That is, however, only an educated guess.  I have almost zero experience with the federal system which is apparently what you are dealing with.

I'm doing a research paper and was wondering what the process is to implement new alternatives for solitary confinement

Asked by jackie g about 10 years ago

For starters there is no "solitary confinement" in the California system, and has not been for something like 60 or 70 years.  There is, and has been "administrative segregation."  Inmates in Ad Seg are isolated from the General Population reasonably effectively, but not so much from each other.  They go to the yard (in compatible groups).  They are sometimes double-celled.  They go to medical appointments, legal appointments and visiting. 

I confess to not being 100% up on the actual process.  The department has to come up with something, they then run it by a pack of lawyers and other bottom feeders.  There is a public comment period where lots of people, including prisoners rights groups and anti-prison advocates, have their say.  There are then court challenges.  The unions for employees have some level of involvement as these changes will effect some legitimate collective bargaining issues.  The courts, usually federal courts, often have some say-so in procedural changes. 

What will almost certainly happen is that the period of time a person can be kept on Ad. Seg status without a relatively high level of review will be shortened, and the legitimate causes for keeping a person on Ad Seg for more than a very brief time will be restricted.  It isn't all skittles and beer.  Remember Hugo Pinell was murdered by other inmates after living for decades on Ad Seg status about two weeks after he was moved to general population.  I probably put as many people on Ad Seg status at their own request as I did against their wishes. 'The Prison rule book in California, Title 15 of the California Code of Regulations, is available on line.  It gives much of the criteria relating to Ad Seg placement.  It isn't secret.