Correctional Officer Training

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), violent and property crimes are down. From 1998 through 2007, the violent crime rate in the U.S. decreased by 17.7 percent while property crime dropped by 19.5 percent. Still, the need for correctional officers is high. As the BJS notes, over 2,297,400 people were in federal, state and local custody as of June 30, 2009. That said, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) anticipates a nine percent growth for corrections officer jobs between 2008 and 2018.

Corrections officer training can help you prepare for a career in managing the country's prison and jail populations. College degrees, such as a degree in criminal justice, might help you to advance to higher positions in the field.

Overview of Correction Officer Training

Correction officer training should prepare you for corrections work at all levels: local, state and federal. Once trained, you could apply for a job as a corrections officer, jailer or bailiff. You could also specialize in a specific area in the field, such as juvenile or female corrections.

Advanced positions in corrections include:

• Correctional sergeant
• Superintendent of correctional facility
• Warden

Even in areas that do not require it, advanced corrections officer training might help you reach higher positions in your career.

Corrections Officer Training: Degrees and Coursework

All corrections employers require applicants have a high school diploma or GED and some require college degrees. To work for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, for example, you must have a bachelor's degree. Some state and local agencies require the completion of some college credits, in addition to mandatory correction officer training.

Degrees in criminal justice, social work or psychology augment correction officer training. Degrees can help prepare you for work as a correctional officer or help you advance to higher positions. For instance, some corrections officers complete bachelor's degrees to become probation officers, correction treatment specialists or correction health professionals. To become a correction health professional, you need to complete a degree in nursing, medicine or therapy.

For Bianca Harris of North Carolina, a bachelor's degree in criminal justice administration provided excellent corrections officer training. In June 2010, Harris was named the new warden at N.C. Correctional Institution for Women, the state's largest prison for female inmates. Harris was promoted to warden from the position of deputy warden, which she held for two years. Before this, Harris worked for fifteen years as a correctional officer.

No matter your background, when you land your first job you need to complete corrections officer training academy. Training is based on American Correctional Association and American Jail Association guidelines and focuses on institutional policies, regulations and operations, and custody and security procedures. Correctional officer training should include:

• Firearms training
• Chemical agents training
• Arrest and control techniques

Coursework should cover topics such as:

• Laws of arrest and constitutional rights of law
• Rules and concepts of evidence
• Rights of the confined
• Use of force and restraint devices
• Cell and prison searches
• Prison gangs

Correction Officer Career Outlook

As noted, the BLS predicts job growth for corrections officers between 2008 and 2018. If the predicted 9 percent growth is accurate, 48,300 new jobs should become available. In addition, job openings for corrections officers should rise because of employees transferring to other occupations or retiring.

According to the BLS, median salary for correctional officers and jailers in 2009 was $39,050, with a range between $25,960 and $64,850. Salaries ranged by levels of experience and employer. Specific mean wages by employer in 2009 were as follows:

• State government: $43,710
• Local government: $41,370
• Federal government: $52,310
• Facilities support services: $31,870
• Other residential care facilities: $22,130

For more advanced positions, salary rises. According to the BLS, 2009 mean salaries for first-line supervisors of corrections officers were $57,690. For probation officers it was $46,530.

Whatever your career goals, training through corrections officer schools can help you get started and possibly help you advance to higher positions.

Resources for Correctional Officers:

• American Correctional Association
• American Jail Association
• Bureau of Justice Statistics
• Bureau of Labor Statistics - Correctional Officers

Related Career Schools

Relevant Careers

• Correctional Officers and Jailers

Related Articles

• How to Become a Correctional Officer

• Criminal Justice Degree Requirements

• Criminal Justice Training

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