Correctional officer jobs are essential to the health of the County Sheriff’s Correctional department. Without these properly trained employees, the foundation of society could break down. It is imperative to ensure order is achieved day to day in the jail system. It is necessary to keep the officers, inmates and civilians safe and secure.
The day to day duties that need to be performed include conducting thirty minute checks, maintaining order, ensuring no escapes and providing inmate security. Periodic checks throughout the day are necessary to make sure all inmates are accounted for, they are where they should be, and that they are not in danger from another inmate or themselves. Keeping order in the building is needed for obvious reasons such as the safety of the officers. Inmate security is also a key point as far as for their safety and keeping them behind bars for the safety of the outside world.
More specifically, a correctional officer must closely monitor the inmates’ day to make sure they receive the daily meals and report to work if they hold a job in the jail. There are also court dates which the inmates must attend to move their case along so that they are released or moved to a different, sometimes permanent location for a sentence or parole. Detainees receive time out of their cell for recreation and must be moved to and from their cell by an officer.
There is a good deal of paperwork for the officers to fill out each day. Forms must be completed for inmate movement, whether it be to court, a doctor appointment, or for visitation. Each officer is usually responsible for a tier or section of the building, with at least one other officer as a partner. They must work together and share information to complete all paperwork for filing records and for the officers on the next shift.
There are also specialty areas in the building for high profile detainees who could pose a safety risk. Officers with specialized training work in teams of four or more in these areas and documentation is much more detailed. Telephone calls and even shower time is documented, and complete files are kept for each individual. Inmates in these areas are only allowed out of their cells for an hour each day.
Lacking this order, the well-being of citizens and prisoners could be at risk. A correctional officer job is essential because of the also vital need of housing for detainees to protect the community. Whether they are awaiting a jail sentence or already serving time, they must be contained in a secure environment with trained professionals to guard them.
Leave Your Comments