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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455 Questions

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Last Answer on February 10, 2022

Best Rated

What do you do with the body alarms?

Asked by Whats up cuz over 6 years ago

Wear them, and push the button when it seems appropriate.

Keep a eye out I think there is a troll asking questions. Watch for the same writing styles, outrageous stories, asking the same questions over and over again, posting links, asking dumb and irrelevant questions, among other non sense.

Asked by Jessica almost 6 years ago

Sometimes Trolls can be fun.

What do you do in the case of fire, tornados, earthquakes, etc? What about different units or departments?

Asked by COVID-19 over 6 years ago

Don't get many tornados in CA. Fires are not too much of a problem, it is hard to burn reinforced concrete. Contents can make for a very smoky fire, bad for the guys in the cell, but its not like it will burn the building down. I was there for the World Series earthquake. We did a count right after to make sure nobody was injured, checked the fence for damage, then went on about our business. .

What is the worst thing about working in a prison?

Asked by Mason about 6 years ago

That is very hard to say as it is quite subjective. Some people just hated the feeling of being locked in. The noise could be bad. The constant undercurrent of hostility was bad for some people. Dealing with idiot staff, some of who were your boss, or dealing with really irritating inmates who didn't give a shit could also be bad. Its kind of all in how you look at it.

How do most people enter this career?

Asked by Beanie over 6 years ago

By taking a civil service exam. For some people it is the family business, some people are just looking for a steady job that isn't likely to go away. The structure appeals to some. Some people get off on thumping prisoners.

What do you guys do if there is a big fight, someone is being bullied, and other violent activities that happen in prison

Asked by Jim about 6 years ago

We hardly ever hear about bullying, so we seldom do anything about it.

Large fights we gas the crap out of them. It is hard to fight if you can't see and if you are puking your guts out. If that doesn't work we either shoot them or beat them with clubs. Both are effective.

Was there anyone you felt bad for in prison? Maybe someone who was just having a rough patch, someone who you did not think deserved to be in prison, someone who you thought or was innocent, or any other reason? Why or why not?

Asked by John about 6 years ago

The only one I felt even a little bit sorry for was a young fellow who was more than a little mentally deficient who had been manipulated by a older girl to kill a younger girl so the younger girl could not testify against the father in a child rape case. Other than that, not really. It is VERY HARD to get into prison. Almost nobody goes to the joint the first time around.