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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Last Answer on February 10, 2022

Best Rated

What are your duties or responsibilities or your position? and skill and abilities required of a successful applicant

Asked by Ashlee over 9 years ago

Correctional Officer is an entry level position.  The principle skills you must have to GET the job are an adequate educational level, the ability to read and write decently and a satisfactory background.  Other skills you will be taught and develop as you go.  The general duties are to supervise and supply security / custody for prisoners. 

At the beginning of the year I got a MIP misdemeanor down in Florida but paid the fines and got it expunged off of my record. About a week ago I got another one in Michigan. Would this count as my second offense?

Asked by Rob Parker over 10 years ago

I have no idea what an MIP is.  My GUESS is that the answer is no, especially if you are correct and the record was EXPUNGED.  typically misdemeanors don't go away simply because you paid the fine, but I am not tha familiar with the law in Florida, or for that matter Michigan.  Sorry I could not be helpful. 

I have a Correction Service Technician (which oversees inmates household jobs are done correctly) selective interview in 2 days. What kind of questions should I expect? What kind of situation questions will likely be asked?

Asked by Robert Terry over 10 years ago

I have no idea what a Correctional Service Technician does or where they work.  I am guessing it is an entry level job so they may ask you questions within the field that fit into the MQs (minimum qualifications).  They are also likely to ask you questions about your general ideas re: interactions with inmates.  They may also be interested in your attendance and/or job preformance at a previous job or school and your communication skills, especially writing skills.  Wish I could be more helpful but I am having trouble visualizing the job.  It sounds like you will be functionally a supervisor-lead person for a crew of inmate janitors.

I don't know if you can answer this but I called a local police department about a noise complaint and the noise complaint went away. Will the police come and arrest me because the complaint went away?

Asked by Mason over 9 years ago

The chances that the police even responded to your noise complaint are almost zero in most towns, so they don't care one way or the other.  If you make a LOT of complaints and they mostly turn out to be bogus the cops might be irritated but under the circumstances I am completely competent that the local cops couldn't care less.  (My expertise here comes from being the guy making the complaints and not the guy responding to them.)

I used the wrong alias in my last question. Sorry.
I'm wondering if I should call the poilce or if anything is able to be dkne about my daughers father who sells pot and has guns? I don't want her going over there anymore.

Asked by lunav2012 over 10 years ago

Already answered two notches above.

Hello, what is your most and least enjoyable aspects of the job, and approximately what is the starting salary

Asked by new over 9 years ago

Least enjoyable aspect of the job was people on occasion trying to kill me.  Most enjoyable was general job satisfaction coming from doing a job that I was good at and that had social relevance and importance.  Pay started at about $1,000 per month, but that was 35 years ago.

Do I have a drivers license to be a correctional officer in South Carolina?

Asked by alias about 10 years ago

I have no idea.  However, in most states it is a peace officer position and virtually all peace officers have and need a driver's license.  So my educated guess is YES.