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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454 Questions

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Last Answer on February 10, 2022

Best Rated

In prison what would be the best way to avoid being some inmate's kid? Go for protective custody?

Asked by Neal Bracken over 6 years ago

Best way is to avoid prison. After that it becomes dicey. It depends a lot on which "group" you are in. You can join a gang that does not approve of such things and get some protection in exchange for your soul. You can go the "crazy" route and you MAY be left alone. You can request protective custody, but generally you can not STAY in PC because you are afraid somebody MIGHT rape you. Prisons are unpleasant places and contain many unpleasant people. Also, if you are big, mean and a proficient fighter that helps. Very few people can go that route successfully, but it does happen.

I know an educated man, wrongfully convicted. One particular CO is harassing him at every opportunity. Can this inmate do anything to improve relations? The inmate does not flaunt the rules and does not know why he has been targeted.

Asked by in Boston almost 7 years ago

My first response would to be that you are being jerked around by this "educated, wrongfully convicted" man.  As far as I know every modern penal system has a system where an inmate can complain about treatment by staff, and many have an Inspector General that can accept complaints that will be anonymous, at least to those the complaint is made against.  My GUESS, based on inadequate information, is that you are being manipulated by the prisoner.  I could be wrong.  I find it hard to understand WHY a prison staffer would deliberately harass an inmate who does not break the rules and does behave himself.  It is not impossible, but I find the premise to be highly questionable.  (Admittedly I may be prejudiced.)

Did you work with mostly male or female inmates

Asked by Ali over 6 years ago

Personally I worked exclusively with male prisoners.

Why did they choose corrections for a field of employment?

Asked by K Roar over 6 years ago

Who is "they?"

What happens when someone with a disability goes to prison?

Asked by 56 over 6 years ago

There are more and more disabled people entering the prison system. Obviously if a person has a severe disability and can not care for themselves they tend to be placed in a hospital setting. That being said there are a LOT of people in wheel chairs or with major hearing or vision problems who are in the prison system. Each person has to be evaluated on an individual basis. There have been cases of people who became fully disabled while in prison and who were placed in a rehab facility under guard until the system could come up with something to do with them.

I'm a small 5' women and I was wondering if It would be appropriate for me to become a CO

Asked by Rose about 6 years ago

Don't see why not. There were several small women where I worked. There are issues. One is that most of the prisons are designed for someone about 5-7 or taller. being able to shoot out of a tower can be a challenge (not that you do much of that). Also, doing something like count can be challenging because the cell windows are designed for someone taller. I know one small woman who had a milk crate on a dog leash. At count time she pulled it around with her like a foot stool. Stop. Step up on crate. Count the cell. step down. go to next cell. repeat 132 times. it worked. GO FOR IT.

Have you ever seen mistreatment or even abuse by staff to inmates?

Asked by Cain almost 7 years ago

Inappropriate treatment, yes. Abuse, no. I wrote two people up over the years for it. I am sure it happens more than that, but people who are going to beat on prisoners tend to do it when nobody is looking.