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 specific role(s) do you see for a Correctional Counselor in the prison system? What attributes do you feel Correctional Counselors should have?

Asked by Neal Bracken over 9 years ago

They are primarily paper pushers.  They prepare board reports, pre-release reports and stuff like that.  Their principle attribute must be the ability to think critically and write clearly and concisely.  they must have a good understanding of "the system" and how it works.

How would you handle this situation? While making the rounds you discovered an inmate with a bloodied face. He said that he got hurt accidentally while fooling around (horseplay) with his cellmate?

Asked by Neal Bracken over 9 years ago

Call medical.  Get injured inmate out of the cell and get medical attention.  Do a detailed body search of both inmates.  Check especially for damaged knuckles and defensive wounds.  File appropriate report.  Refer to supervisor for possible Ad Seg placement.

I like a co but I'm not sure I be good for his job. I have past and I would not want to wast are time if it going to be a issue. In my past I been to prison and in known but he don't work where I went and I not on paper. I meat him at Walmart .

Asked by Offinder chick about 9 years ago

As far as I know there is no LEGAL problem with a Correctional Officer getting involved with an ex-felon AS LONG AS THAT EX-FELON IS NO LONGER ON PROBATION OR PAROLE.  Also of course you would, for practical purposes, have to let him know about your past.  It would be a problem for access for firearms and ammunition, assuming he owns a gun.  You are (presumably) prohibited from possessing or having access to guns or ammunition.  Whether there would be some informal kickback against him, that is another question altogether.

What if I'm going to prison in a steel chastity device w internal lock sealed shut w steel... Will I be wearing it prison or will it get cut off

Asked by Guy in chastity almost 9 years ago

My first guess is that this is a lame joke.  Assuming it is not. it will be removed unless it is somehow certified as a medical device.  Have fun dude. 

1. What did you like/dislike about your job?
2. Did you consider your job to be dangerous?
3. Would you recommend a career in corrections to a new criminal justice university graduate?
4. How would you say that your job "mattered" in the CJ process?

Asked by Tony over 9 years ago

I felt like I was preforming a valuable service for society at large, and I was fairly well compensated for it.  Yes, the job was dangerous.  Not ridiculously so, but you could not go thru the day with your brain on auto-pilot.  Even if you were careful you would, from time to time, find yourself in situations that got physical.  That's part of the job.  Yes, I would still recommend a job in that field.  It is much more "political" now than it was in my day, but I would still recommend it, just not as highly as I might have 15 years ago.  The job is definitely important in the whole process.  Assuming you allow that locking up bad guys is part of the process there must be somebody to both keep an eye on them and provide them with needed services.  Without that aspect the system would come apart fairly quickly.

I was arrested and taken to county jail at around 5 pm one day. I wss in holding, not yet "booked in". A bail bondsman was already there for me. As I was getting booked in and out simultaneously, an officer came to escort a prisoner from holding

Asked by V3ngeance over 9 years ago

Sorry, but I don't see a question there.  Hard to respond without a question to respond to.

Is it legal for a prison staff member to marry a prison inmate in the state of California?

Asked by Mean Joe Green over 9 years ago

As far as I know it is not ILLEGAL but it is highly questionable.  The staff member would be looked at very closely from a security standpoint, and the prisoner would be moved to anther prison due to security concerns.