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

Did your views of corrections change during your time employed?

Asked by K Roar almost 6 years ago

Not really.

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

Asked by Neal Bracken over 5 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 was interested in doing this sort of job at a juvi detention center. What kind of emotional mind frame do you go to work with? How do you set the boundaries between being stern yet compassionate?

Asked by Becky over 5 years ago

It used to be easier to answer when people in juvenile deterntion were actually young, minor offenders. Now they are mostly violent, serious criminals who happened to have been under age when they committed their crimes. The helpful-rehabilitative model is dead and stinking.

Yo why does there have to be cell mates. I would rather spend my prison sentence in the “hole” then with some random dude who for all I know could be in for raping another man or a serial killer.

Asked by Fountain over 5 years ago

Too many prisoners, not enough cells. It costs a LOT of money to build a prison cell and the taxpayers are not overly concerned with what prisoners want and don't want. Life is hard, it's harder in prison. Stay out of prison. It is a bad place, full of bad people, and they won't let you out to go bowling on Tuesday night. That being said they usually (but not always) put a prisoner on single-cell status after he kills one cellmate, so they hardly ever kill more than one. Hardly ever.

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

Asked by Rose over 5 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.

Do you think that felons and especially sexual offenders and murders should be able to vote?

Asked by Uncle Sam about 5 years ago

Not while they are in custody, no. Once they are out of the slammer and off of parole, yes.

What gender prison do Trans people go to?

Asked by Andy over 5 years ago

That is a good question and the issue is very much in flux right now, especially now that the courts are getting involved more and more. Under the old rules, at least in CA. it was simple. If your birth certificate said MALE and you had a penis you went to a male prison. Anything else was up for debate. Now the courts are in some jurisdictions mandating that prisoners be allowed to self-identify according to gender and the agencies housing them often are not permitted to question that self-identification. The matter will get messier before it is sorted out.