Correctional Personnel Roles

Conover’s purpose in writing this book not only to share his experience as a correctional officer but to also help readers get beyond the stereotype of the brutal guard seen on television and rumors but to see correctional officers as individuals, offering us a chance to understand

Journalist, Ted Conover expresses an interest in writing a book about the lives of prison guards by proposing to the New York Department of Correctional Services to interview corrections officers, but his access is denied. He then decides to immerse himself into the culture and apply for a correctional officer position. After a brief training, Conover is randomly assigned to Sing Sing as a “newjack” or a rookie, to one of the most infamous maximum security male prisons in the United States. He meets other officers with goals of becoming involved in law enforcement; ex-military looking for a demanding, disciplined and tactical position; and those who just need a steady job with dependable benefits for their families. Some of these individuals are frantic enough to commute hours on end to make a living wage.

Created and established as one of the most superior facets within the United States criminal justice system, the Federal Bureau of Prisons is an agency that derives from the United States Department of Justice. Originating from the federal law enforcement agency sector, this system is accountable for a vast array of administrative duties pertaining to, but not limited to, commissioning the aspects of the federal prison system. Erected in 1930, the Bureau of Prisons was invoked as a means of mandating a feasible endeavor to conducting regulations and governing all federal penal correctional institutions. As the rapid evolution stemming from its formation excelled at an alarming rate, the agency that comprised of 11 operated facilities quickly evolved to 114 prisons in addition to 6 regional offices, and a headquarter. However, regardless of the agency’s levels of encroachment, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats has without a doubt summoned a more keen sensibility towards this monstrosity of dynamics that has embedded itself into the very core of the United States foundation.

I believe that it is dire for criminal justice professionals to know and understand the history of the field of corrections to promote progressive change and enhancement. It is simply impossible to progress without knowing where the system has failed or faltered. I find this essential in a field that directly influences and affects humans. Professionals in the field of criminal justice are not only responsible for meeting the needs and desires of law-abiding civilians, but they are, more critically, responsible for responding to and reprimanding lawbreakers.

At any given time, a single corrections officer, can expect to be outnumbered by upwards of 400 inmates (Conover, 2011). It can be chilling to work in the midst of hundreds of inmates, some of which initiate attacks and inappropriate relationships. However, other issues have impacted the psychological health and physical safety of the staff. Detrimental factors have included heavy workloads, the prisons physical structure, and a lack of support from both peers and superiors. Each workplace issue has been in addition to role problems, specifically role ambiguity and role conflict (Schaufeli & Peeters, 2011). It is believed that anyone of these undesirable facets of prison should be enough to deter the public from attempting to enter such

Upon the successful completion of academy training, recruits are sworn in as correctional officers and given their individualized positions. The final phase is a probationary period of considerable months or years working under a senior correctional officer who meticulously oversees performance and daily duties of the new personnel, usually in minimum-security populations; to restrict liabilities of unseasoned officers to high-risk populations (COEO, 2016). This eases the transformation process from adapting to varying prisoner interactions from minimum; medium, to high risk corrections safer (COEO, 2016). Procedure, protocol and policy training is a vital part of correctional personnel careers, most facilities mandate a minimum number of standard training hours that every correctional personnel has to complete annually while employed (COEO,

Training is how employee’s learn about the job and they also learn with continuous training, but corrections have cut the budget in such a way that the training of officers have been shorten or don’t provide the necessary training in order to prepare them for all of the situations in which they will encounter, this will put their lives at risk. The administration and state legislature have traded the safety of it employees for saving money. In a study by Kelly Dial showed, “In sum how emotional dissonance, role conflict, task control and direct contact with inmates are linked to correctional job stress” (Dial.2010). When officers and administrations are educated and trained they are less likely to be stress and will be able to handle any situation they may be caught in. In this line of work it is important that the employees are well trained in the new techniques and the latest information so they will be greater informed than the inmates they are guarding. According to Gary Cornelius, “Training must be dynamic and should discuss issues that are extremely important to correctional Staff. Knowledge keeps us safe; knowledge keeps us skilled” (Cornelius.2012). By training officers, it will give them the knowledge to the best job they can because they have receive the appropriate training to handle

Correctional Officers play a very vital role in the criminal justice field. Their jobs are very dangerous when dealing with inmates that are in jail and prisons. ”The

Correctional officers or prison guards: these classifications are used to identify those in authority in institutions throughout the world. Correctional institutions in the United States are formulated on fairness and productivity, and the administrators within the institutions are held at the highest responsibility to see fit the safety and wellness of inmates during their time of rehabilitation. However, with the vast exposure of insubordination overtime, prison guards are being targeted as the true criminals. In certain cases, correctional officers are abusing their authority and neglecting inmate’s constitutional rights. This misconduct has tainted the integrity of correctional officers throughout much of the United States. Evidently, I will further demonstrate the unlawful misconduct among those in positions as correctional officers, the reason for their misconduct, and their effects on inmates.

A correctional professional is a person of high moral standard or should be. They should have personal integrity and desire to do the job to the best of their ability (Schmalleger & Smykla, 2015). From my personal experience working 10 years with the TDOC, I would say this scenario can go several ways. Personally, if it were my coworker I would point out that I have noticed the behavior and that it is against the rules and tell them they should stop before things get out of hand. And I would hope they would heed my warning. A very few of the inmates are generally sorry for whatever they did and are just trying to be nice and would never expect anything in return. A much larger number would continue giving gifts that would get more complex or start providing services. Whether that means they offer to clean the officer’s office or have a little chat with another inmate who may be causing the officer problems. Things can escalate to the point the inmate wants you to bring them stuff or do other things that you definitely shouldn't do. Also, it crosses the staff/inmate line. There is also, of course, the code of conduct that employees sign when they hire on (Tn.gov). The first standard says that an employee will act

A Corrections Officer has many duties to consider as they manage the activities of inmates. They are charged with the responsibilities of conducting head counts, monitoring recreational activities, and supervising their work assignments while maintaining a safe environment ensuring the welfare of those who are incarcerated in the correctional facility and employed there, as well as protect the safety of the public communities. They are investigators trained to search for illegal or prohibited goods smuggled into the institution, respond to riots, transport inmates and write reports. Although the job of an officer is challenging still the manner in which they ought to interact with the inmates should exemplify a standard of discipline that displays ethical professionalism, and respect at all times.

First of all, I concluded that being a correctional officer was more challenging than being a police or lawyer because they are exposed to offenders all day on a daily basis and are prone to danger from fights and attacks from resentful, angry, or frustrated inmates. The media portrays them as mean people, but dealing with felons and maintaining order in such a large facility is a huge task for them. I also realized that this profession is not as highly regarded as working in the police force, and most of the staff is overworked, underpaid, and unmotivated. It is unfortunate that they are equally, if not more exposed to danger as police officers, yet their work goes unrecognized. After my interview, I also concluded that people who commit the most serious offenses can also reform their behavior and transform into useful members of society provided they get proper guidance. This conclusion reaffirmed my previous notion that prisons can also work as rehabilitative and not punishment

The United States Criminal Justice system had been established in order to help keep citizens in line. The use of laws and morals, in which are still evolving today, but is important to the early foundations of this system. The Criminal Justice system has dealt with issues from what is seen as right or wrong. These principles became a huge part of human culture, a way of life, and are seen as an essential aspect of the Criminal Justice system. A commonly known quote “an eye for an eye”, in which became the standard that was adopted in the court systems. The issues of racism and gender roles have shaped our system especially in policing. Three parts of this system can be summoned into policing, courts, and corrections, these three merge and

I agree with your discussion, supervisors plays vital roles in the positive or negative ethic and morals training within a correctional facility. The officers and inmates both feed from the good or bad re-enforcement from their superiors, if at anytime, bad behaviors are being observed by inmates and or staff members and not positive re-enforced at that same time; supervisors pose a risk to inmates and staff members to the same behaviors observed. It is the supervisors responsibilities to ensure that the staff are following rules and regulations in order to keep conflict and confusion down within the correctional setting.

Can you clarify on the degree in which prison officials have to be responsible for? Prison officials have other daily duties that they have to carry out during their shift. Prison officials are there to inmate’ supervision, prison orders. They are not there to babysit inmates and their “toys”.