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

What’s your opinion on auditors?

Asked by Cale over 5 years ago

An auditor is someone who borrows your watch to tell you what time it is and then charges you for the service. OK, that is an oversimplification. If you have a proper admin. set-up where people are doing their job your need for audits should be small and seldom. That being said an occasional audit does serve to keep the people who should be on their toes actually on their toes. They are a pain but an occasionally necessary pain.

What do you feel when an innocent person get locked up or even executed?

Asked by Neal Bracken over 6 years ago

I feel bad about it for at least 15-20 seconds. Sometimes longer.

When you where around a really horrible person convicted of the worse crimes there are. Could you feel something really bad about them or sicking?

Asked by Merry over 6 years ago

After a while you sort of get numb to the gross and disgusting things people are capable of doing to each other. Sad, but true.

If you where not a Correctional Officer what job could you see yourself doing?

Asked by Question to all almost 6 years ago

Before that I worked for the DMV giving driving tests. It was OK but working at the prison was safer.

Have you ever beat up a inmate before?

Asked by Good little dude about 6 years ago

Before what?

Do you have to be 21’or can you be 18? Also is there a old age limit?

Asked by Mike over 5 years ago

In Ca you can be HIRED to be a peace officer at 20 1/2 but can not actually start work until age 21. When I started there was a maximum age limit of 35 to begin training. There was no mandatory retirement age. The max age limit to start went away while I was working but MAY have since been reinstated. There is still no max age that I am aware of, but few stay beyond 55 or 60 as there is little or no financial benefit from doing so and the job is somewhat physical.

Did you have the same, less, or more power then a regular police officer? Where you a sworn peace/police/law enforcement officer? Could you arrest someone out side of the system? Thanks!

Asked by Francis about 6 years ago

We are peace officers under a different section of the penal code than "street cops." Our authority is limited to the course of our employment, which is, generally speaking, persons and locations under control of the department. We could arrest a person who interfered with, say for instance, the transport or medical treatment of a prisoner off grounds.