Title: What is a Correctional Officer
Headings: What is a Correctional Officer?
What is a Correctional Officer?
Featured Programs:
Correctional Officers as Safety Facilitators
Ensuring the Security of Detention Facilities
The Correctional Officer’s Role in Inmate Rehabilitation

Content: Searching prison cells and vehicles that come and go from the prison compound to isolate and confiscate potential weapons also helps ensure team safety. Correctional officers are routinely involved in these measures to limit the likelihood that inmates could come into contact with dangerous items that could be used to cause injury or death. Inmate safety – The third safety responsibility is that of the inmates. The pressures of imprisonment can contribute to depression, anger or hopelessness, and correctional officers must recognize the signs of trouble before they lead to a violent altercation or suicide. If the signs of despondency appear it is the responsibility of officers to notify mental health counselors or take more active steps like putting an inmate under suicide watch. Efforts are also made to segregate inmate populations as needed to better ensure the protection of inmates that are at higher-risk of being assaulted, victimized or targeted for assassination. In some instances, this may mean keeping rival gang members from sharing communal areas at the same time. Ensuring the Security of Detention Facilities
Maintaining the jail or prison is of paramount importance. Any breach in prison security may allow contraband drugs, weapons or communication devices into the facility, which may contribute to more violence. Most importantly, any compromise of the prison’s borders may allow prisoners to escape and harm others in the community.