Correctional Officers and Jailers
Supervising internees and managing military detention and confinement operations directly supports civilian prisoner custody and supervision work.
How to prepare: Compare your education and service record with a target agency's academy entry criteria, planning for the typical high school diploma, academy training, and facility-based on-the-job training route. Qualifications vary by state and agency: some states require certification, minimum ages commonly range from 18 to 21, and federal entry may have a maximum age; the Bureau of Prisons requires a bachelor's degree or several years of experience providing counseling, assistance, or supervision.
What the civilian work involves
- Conduct head counts to ensure that each prisoner is present.
- 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.
- Search prisoners and vehicles and conduct shakedowns of cells for valuables and contraband, such as weapons or drugs.