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 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.

Is the average IQ of a criminal really 85?

Asked by Starfish Peppersocks almost 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 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.

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 are types on inmates you will deal with?

Asked by Peyton almost 5 years ago

All kinds.

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.