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.

SubscribeGet emails when new questions are answered. Ask Me Anything!Show Bio +

Share:

Ask me anything!

Submit Your Question

454 Questions

Share:

Last Answer on February 10, 2022

Best Rated

Ok. I am in California San Joaquin county to be exact.

Asked by Shanellica about 7 years ago

As I said the state of CA does not discriminate against the FAMILIES of convicts in their hiring.  You COULD be hired by the state as a Correctional Officer.  They might take a little closer look at your background than they would other applicants and you would not be able to work at the prison where your husband is housed.  Again I am assuming you are talking about working for the STATE as a STATE CORRECTIONAL OFFICER and not for a county.  There is a difference between JAIL and PRISON.   There are differences between STATE civil service and COUNTY civil service.  There are 58 counties in CA and I am not closely familiar with their hiring standards.

Are there cameras in prison parking lots? If so, does it cover the entire parking lot and enough to see license plates and faces? Just something I'd like to be aware of, I know many grocery stores do.

Asked by Mike over 7 years ago

The California prisons I am familiar with did not have outside surveillance on a routine basis when I retired nearly 13 years ago.  There is, however, no legal prohibition against doing so.  Were I setting up such as thing I would do it on the entrance road(s), which are usually very defined and limited.  You would get better utility for money spent that way. 

I'm currently going under the process of becoming a CO but my question is will I be disqualified due to the fact that my fiance is in prison . ?

Asked by tina about 7 years ago

Not in California.  Might in other jurisdictions.  Also you would almost certainly NOT be able to work in whatever facility your fiancé is locked up in as that is an obvious security issue.  If you fail to report the relationship and they find out about it later that could get you fired.

My fiance was sentenced to eight years they which really becomes 4 after his 7 months he served in county. His projected release date was 1/23/2021 but her just got a 2f5 job so whats his actual release date

Asked by Skyechick30@yahoo.com about 7 years ago

Sorry, but I am unfamiliar with that term.  Therefore I can't help you.  His counselor should be able to tell you what is going on, or at least tell him and he can tell you.  Sorry.

Do you know much about the school to prison pipeline? Have you worked with functionally illiterate inmates? What is communication like between inmates?

Asked by Rebel almost 8 years ago

A significant percentage of inmates are either totally illiterate or functionally illiterate.  Possibly as much as 25%, certainly at least half that.  Inmates manage to communicate between one another without that much difficulty, mostly verbally or even non-verbal "body language" communication.  There is also a significant number of non-English speaking inmates in the system. The phrase "school to prison pipeline" generally refers to people dropping out of school and ending up in prison.  There is also a "books not bars" undercurrent, at least in CA, that assumes (incorrectly) that making school more available to people will mean less people in prison.  There is MANDATORY k-12 education in California and most other states as far as I know.  You have to work REAL HARD to be kicked out of the system.  You don't have to work that hard to stay in and at least TRY to get an education.  In my experience most people in prison have CHOSEN to be there.  They have deliberately adopted a criminal lifestyle for whatever reason.  That reason does not, generally speaking, include lack of educational opportunity (IMHO). I admit it is something of a chicken and egg thing, but I believe that the criminal mindset and lifestyle pushes the education problem, not the other way around..   

Yes , correct it would be a state correctional officer and yes he is in prison. I think I will be working at a jail. Thanks for the answer it was very helpful.

Asked by Shanellica about 7 years ago

Generally speaking state correctional officers work in PRISONS, not JAILS, though there are exceptions to this.  Generally speaking State correctional officers work for the state, jail officers work for cities or counties.  That is certainly true in CA, though there is a bit of spillover in certain re-entry facilities.  You are unlikely to be assigned to one of those as a newbie.  Good luck.  I hope it works for you.

I'm wanting to pursue a career in the DOC as some sort of counselor or case manager. I have two pen pals who are in different states than I, whom I've grown close to. Would I be allowed to work in the DOC while having those pen pals?

Asked by Lauren almost 7 years ago

Each system has its own rules about such things.  As long as they are not actual relatives and you disclose the relationship I would be very much surprised if it would present any problem.