Correctional Officers and Jailers
Complete Correctional Officers and Jailers career guide. Discover required skills, average salary, day-to-day responsibilities, interview tips, and resume templates.
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What Does a Correctional Officers and Jailers Do?
Guard inmates in penal or rehabilitative institutions in accordance with established regulations and procedures. May guard prisoners in transit between jail, courtroom, prison, or other point. Includes deputy sheriffs and police who spend the majority of their time guarding prisoners in correctional institutions.
Day-to-Day Responsibilities
- 1Conduct head counts to ensure that each prisoner is present.
- 2Inspect conditions of locks, window bars, grills, doors, and gates at correctional facilities to ensure security and help prevent escapes.
- 3Monitor conduct of prisoners in housing unit, or during work or recreational activities, according to established policies, regulations, and procedures, to prevent escape or violence.
- 4Search prisoners and vehicles and conduct shakedowns of cells for valuables and contraband, such as weapons or drugs.
- 5Guard facility entrances to screen visitors.
- 6Record information, such as prisoner identification, charges, and incidents of inmate disturbance, keeping daily logs of prisoner activities.
- 7Inspect mail for the presence of contraband.
- 8Maintain records of prisoners' identification and charges.
Required Skills
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Social Perceptiveness
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Coordination
- 3M Electronic Monitoring
- Adobe Acrobat
- Corrections housing software
- Guardian RFID
- Jail management software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
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Correctional Officers and Jailers FAQs
What skills do I need to become a Correctional Officers and Jailers?
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Key skills for Correctional Officers and Jailers include Monitoring, Active Listening, Social Perceptiveness, Speaking, Critical Thinking. Strong foundational knowledge in your field plus continuous learning is essential.
How much does a Correctional Officers and Jailers make?
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Correctional Officers and Jailers salaries vary based on experience, location, and employer. Visit our salary guide section for detailed compensation data.
What does a Correctional Officers and Jailers do day-to-day?
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Guard inmates in penal or rehabilitative institutions in accordance with established regulations and procedures. May guard prisoners in transit between jail, courtroom, prison, or other point. Includes deputy sheriffs and police who spend the majority of their time guarding prisoners in correctional...
How long does it take to become a Correctional Officers and Jailers?
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The path to becoming a Correctional Officers and Jailers varies. Many enter the field with a bachelor's degree (4 years) plus 1-3 years of entry-level experience, though bootcamps and self-study routes are increasingly common.
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