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.
I felt like I was preforming a valuable service for society at large, and I was fairly well compensated for it. Yes, the job was dangerous. Not ridiculously so, but you could not go thru the day with your brain on auto-pilot. Even if you were careful you would, from time to time, find yourself in situations that got physical. That's part of the job. Yes, I would still recommend a job in that field. It is much more "political" now than it was in my day, but I would still recommend it, just not as highly as I might have 15 years ago. The job is definitely important in the whole process. Assuming you allow that locking up bad guys is part of the process there must be somebody to both keep an eye on them and provide them with needed services. Without that aspect the system would come apart fairly quickly.
Share Answer: 
They are primarily paper pushers. They prepare board reports, pre-release reports and stuff like that. Their principle attribute must be the ability to think critically and write clearly and concisely. they must have a good understanding of "the system" and how it works.
Share Answer: 
As far as I know it is not ILLEGAL but it is highly questionable. The staff member would be looked at very closely from a security standpoint, and the prisoner would be moved to anther prison due to security concerns.
Share Answer: 
Generally speaking state correctional officers work in PRISONS, not JAILS, though there are exceptions to this. Generally speaking State correctional officers work for the state, jail officers work for cities or counties. That is certainly true in CA, though there is a bit of spillover in certain re-entry facilities. You are unlikely to be assigned to one of those as a newbie. Good luck. I hope it works for you.
Share Answer: 
Small Website Owner
What made you go the entrepreneur route after college instead of a typical job?
Dry Cleaner
Why do dry cleaners have autographed pictures on their walls?
Inner City English Teacher
What was the saddest student journal entry you've read?
As far as I know there is no LEGAL problem with a Correctional Officer getting involved with an ex-felon AS LONG AS THAT EX-FELON IS NO LONGER ON PROBATION OR PAROLE. Also of course you would, for practical purposes, have to let him know about your past. It would be a problem for access for firearms and ammunition, assuming he owns a gun. You are (presumably) prohibited from possessing or having access to guns or ammunition. Whether there would be some informal kickback against him, that is another question altogether.
Share Answer: 
My first guess is that this is a lame joke. Assuming it is not. it will be removed unless it is somehow certified as a medical device. Have fun dude.
Share Answer: 
Generally speaking no one. Most posts-work areas have staff bathrooms. It is sort of an OSHA thing. If you have a job assignment that allows or requires you to move around a lot (like yard officer) you just wander over to the staff bathroom while you are wandering around your area. It is a good idea to let a co-worker know if you are disappearing into the head for a while in case something jumps off while you are there so they are not worried about where you are when they count noses, but that's about it usually.
Share Answer: 
-OR-
Login with Facebook (max 20 characters - letters, numbers, and underscores only. Note that your username is private, and you have the option to choose an alias when asking questions or hosting a Q&A.)
(A valid e-mail address is required. Your e-mail will not be shared with anyone.)
(min 5 characters)
By checking this box, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to Jobstr.com’s Terms and Privacy Policy.
-OR-
Register with Facebook(Don't worry: you'll be able to choose an alias when asking questions or hosting a Q&A.)
Browse Jobs
Host a Q&A
Search
Submit Your Question
Host a Q&A
Last 7
