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 do you write a report writing if you a prison officer

Asked by Paul almost 9 years ago

A proper police report is very much like a proper news story.  Who, what, where, when why (if known) and how.  Most of them have a boilerplate appearance to them because of this, but we are not talking about literature here.  We are talking about imparting needed information in a clear, straight-forward fashion.    i.e.     On Tuesday, January 5, 2016, at approximately 0900 hours, while working Tower 9 over the yard gate during morning yard release, I observed an inmate later identified as Smith `A12345 attack and stab an inmate later identified as Jones B54321.  I immediately picked up my weapon (identify weapon specifically) and fired one round striking inmate Smith In the chest, ending the attack on Jones.            there would be a lot more information but that is the general idea.  Kind of like Joe Friday.  Learning how to write a decent report is a huge advantage to an officer.  The academy spends a lot of time teaching people how to do it.  .              

what would you do if someone tried to escape? and what would you do if someone escaped?

Asked by dylan almost 9 years ago

If someone tries to escape we shoot at them.  If they do actually escape we pursue them, go to places they are likely to be (mothers house, girlfriends house, etc) and otherwise try to catch them. 

if someone gets caught bringing in contraband to the prison how long does it take them to get charge

Asked by Be over 8 years ago

It varies TREMENDOUSLY from one jurisdiction to another.  Could take days, weeks or even MONTHS depending on circumstances.

I have a boyfriend in prison in fl and I've applied to be a correctional officer. Will they make me stop visiting him if I take the job?

Asked by Julia over 8 years ago

I am unfamiliar with the laws and rules in Florida.  If I were to GUESS the answer is no, but you can count on them looking very closely at your background for the job, especially if he is gang involved as they will assume that you to are gang involved.  Also of course assuming they approve you you would not be able to work at the facility where he is locked up.

Can a corrections officer date a former inmate still on probation? They did not meet while she was an inmate. it was 2 years after the fact. and they did not even know each other while she was incarcerated.

Asked by Gina almost 8 years ago

The law, and administrative rules, will vary from place to place.  In California, and I suspect most states, the relationship would have to be reported both to the probation officer and to the officer's chain of command.  It would be at best seriously frowned on and likely prohibited.  A person on parole or probation is still under the jurisdiction of the department and is under constructive custody if not actual custody.  Any personal relationship, especially a sexual one, could be considered to be coercive. 

Is there a way to look up where a CO works? I'm trying to find my sisters dad, we havnt had any contact with him in 10-12 years and I have some questions.

Asked by Synthia over 8 years ago

I don't know.  In California the state maintains a web site that can tell you what job an individual person has with the state, but not necessarily the location.  There are 33 prisons in CA so you would have to call each individual prison and check with the personnel office.  At least in CA the information is not confidential.  Other employers might have different ways of doing things.  Now days there are lots of commercial web sites that can locate an individual for a modest fee, so as long as you have a name and an approximate age or birth date it shouldn't be that hard.

How would you handle a situation involving a prisoner who has told you he was raped?

Asked by Neal Bracken over 8 years ago

Turn it over to the Investigative Services Unit and/or medical department to gather evidence, and file an incident report.