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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455 Questions

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Last Answer on February 10, 2022

Best Rated

Is that a photo of you pointing the gun?

Asked by Tmore over 6 years ago

Yes. Colt 1917 cut down to round butt and 3" barrel.

How did you control people who where defiant and would put up a fight?

Asked by Reed over 6 years ago

If pushes comes to shove you push and shove. Or beat with a club. Or shoot. Use of force is not normally response #1, it causes way too much paperwork to do without good cause. But, if it comes down to it that's what we do.

Is it true that their letting some really bad people out of prison because of the virus? What do you think about this it made me really mad when I saw a child rapist went free because of it.

Asked by ASDF almost 6 years ago

Depends who you ask. If you were to ask Governor Newsom the people being let out early are all wonderful human beings who are only in prison for singing too loud in church. If you ask anybody else they would say something different. CA judges offenders for their most recent conviction offense. So a person can be a multiple convicted child molester, a murderer and a rapist and if his most recent conviction was for shoplifting they consider that person to be a low risk, non-violent offender. CA is strange.

Do inmates do nasty things to the food when they work behind the counter serving food?

Asked by Martian over 6 years ago

Not usually. Inmates have to eat the food. Somebody would snitch. Somebody would get thumped.

Was there anyone you did not like?

Asked by Hu? over 6 years ago

There are a great many people in the world I do not like. Since it is illegal to shoot them for being unlikable I just have to avoid them as much as I can.

Is there really any "correcting" in prison for the most part? I mean how do we get people justice and also get people the help they need so they wont do it again as soon as they get out of prison or later down the road even?

Asked by Diane almost 6 years ago

For the most part NO. We can not enforce correction on unwilling participants. Most criminals are criminals deliberately, they didn't accidentally fall in with a bad crowd or other crap. They made a conscious decision to adopt a criminal lifestyle. Once they get too old, or too tired, or get tired of the madness the system may be able to provide some useful tools for them to stay out of the slammer. They have to be interested in doing so on their own or it doesn't work.

What do you think of females in this job? I don't see a problem with it but some people seem to

Asked by Mia over 5 years ago

Some females do very well. Most do OK. Some are total loses. Rather like male employees. When I started (1986) women working in men's prisons were unusual but not prohibited. some of the dinosaurs had trouble with it, but not too many. I don't see a problem with it either.