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 the average IQ of a criminal really 85?

Asked by Starfish Peppersocks about 5 years ago

That is pretty close. What used to be called DULL NORMAL or slightly below. Also as a group they are severely undereducated. About 10% total illiterate and about another 15% functionally illiterate, plus a fair number of monolingual non-English speakers.

What is your personal opinion of females being CO’s?

Asked by Peyton almost 5 years ago

Some are very good. Some are hopeless idiots. Most are in the middle. Just like males.

How to know if an inmate smuggled a phone tk talk to me ? He never said who he was. Just asked am I okay and said how u know its nto me. I called aagin few times. Voicemaik came phoen was dead after he said gotta go. Think its him idk

Asked by Deanna de over 5 years ago

Hard to say. Prison calls come from monitored phones and are collect. A recording say something like "Will you accept a collect call from an inmate at San Quentin State Prison" (or whatever). I don't know if jails do the same thing, but as far as I know jail calls are collect too. If it was not a collect call it was probably made on a smuggled cell phone, or possibly as three way connection from somebody else on the outside making the link-up.

What is the minimum age requirement? Under 18? 18+? 21+?

Then what would be a preferred age?

In addition to minimum age is there a maximum?

Asked by Peyton almost 5 years ago

Minimum age depends. As far as I know to be a peace officer in the U.S. you must be 21. Often they will hire you at 20 `1/2 so you are 21 when you actually get out of the academy and go to work. If you are a :"jailer" (non peace officer) you can be hired at 18 in most states.

What are types on inmates you will deal with?

Asked by Peyton almost 5 years ago

All kinds.

Do you need to go through any kind of academy?

Asked by Peyton almost 5 years ago

In Ca yes. I think it is 13 weeks right now. I suspect there is some sort of legally mandatory minimum training in all states for peace officers.

What do you think the scariest moment of your job was?

Asked by Muriel Baker over 4 years ago

I was in the middle of a couple of full-blown riots. That is kind of scary as you are never know if the riot is aimed at staff or other inmates.