How To Become A Corrections Officer

by Barbara Bellesi

A corrections officer maintains security and order among the inmate population at a correctional facility at the federal, state, or local level.

How do I become a corrections officer?
The majority of correctional facilities in the United States require at least a high school diploma or GED for new hires. Supervisor positions in correctional facilities usually require some college credit, though previous work in law enforcement or time spent in the military are also desirable for employers. A corrections officer can earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or a related area and be a good candidate for a promotion to a supervisory position.

Most corrections officer jobs require just a high school diploma or GED for entry-level employees. The Federal Bureau of Prisons does require new hires to have earned a bachelor’s degree, though evidence of full-time experience in a counseling or supervisory capacity can also fulfill entry-level job requirements. Corrections officers must also be at least 18 or 21 years of age (depending on the state), a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and in good health.

Many individuals looking to pursue a career at a correctional facility often enroll in an associate’s or bachelor’s degree program in criminal justice. There are many liberal arts colleges and universities that offer undergraduate and graduate programs in criminal justice, as well as a number of community colleges. While some corrections officer jobs require some college work, most individuals who obtain an undergraduate or graduate degree are looking to advance to supervisor positions in a correctional facility at the local, state, or federal level.

What will I learn in corrections officer school?
In addition to degrees in criminal justice, federal, state, and a number of local level correctional facilities offer training programs that are in conjunction with the rules set by the American Correctional Association and American Jail Association. After the completion of coursework, students will be required to partake in weeks or months (depending on the level of the correctional facility) of on-the-job training under a seasoned corrections officer and a supervisor.

During this period of hands-on training, a corrections officer trainee will learn legal restrictions and interpersonal communication, both of which are vital when it comes to dealing with an often belligerent prison population. Additionally, trainees learn how to load and use firearms and become proficient in other self-defense skills.

If you wish to become a corrections officer at the federal level, you must complete 200 hours of training within your first year of employment. An additional 120 hours of training is logged at the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons training center in Glynco, GA shortly after you are hired by a federal corrections facility.

Corrections officers, particularly those in supervisory positions, also complete additional hours of continuing education while employed in order to keep up with the newest regulations, as well as be able to freshen up skills, such as firearm usage and self defense.