Correctional Officers & Jailers
Correctional Officer, Corrections Officer (CO), Detention Officer, Jailer
- Conduct head counts to ensure that each prisoner is present.
- Inspect conditions of locks, window bars, grills, doors, and gates at correctional facilities to ensure security and help prevent escapes.
- Monitor conduct of prisoners in housing unit, or during work or recreational activities, according to established policies, regulations, and procedures, to prevent escape or violence.
Knowledge
Safety and Government
- public safety and security
- law and government
Arts and Humanities
- English language
Business
- customer service
- management
Engineering and Technology
- computers and electronics
Skills
Basic Skills
- keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
- listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Social
- understanding people's reactions
- changing what is done based on other people's actions
Problem Solving
- noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Abilities
Verbal
- communicate by speaking
- listen and understand what people say
Ideas and Logic
- notice when problems happen
- make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
Attention
- pay attention to something without being distracted
- do two or more things at the same time
Endurance
- exercise for a long time without getting out of breath
Personality
People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
They do well at jobs that need:
- Self Control
- Integrity
- Stress Tolerance
- Attention to Detail
- Adaptability/Flexibility
- Cooperation
Technology
You might use software like this on the job:
Data base user interface and query software
- 3M Electronic Monitoring
- Microsoft Access
Presentation software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
Spreadsheet software
- Microsoft Excel
Education
usually needed
Job Outlook
Explore More
- Bailiffs
- First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers
- First-Line Supervisors of Police & Detectives
- Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers
- Probation Officers & Correctional Treatment Specialists
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