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A corrections officer, prison officer, correction officer, correctional officer, detention officer, prison guard or prison warder is a person charged with the responsibility of the supervision, safety and security of prisoners in a prison or jail. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ...
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These officers are responsible for the care, custody, and control of individuals who have been arrested and are awaiting trial while on remand, or who have been convicted of a crime and sentenced to serve time in a prison or jail. They are also responsible for the safety and security of a correctional facility. Most prison officers are employed by the Federal or State Government, City, or County, though some are employed by private companies. There are approx 500,000 correctional officers employed in the United States. In most jurisdictions corrections officers are empowered with limited powers or full powers of arrest. Look up trial in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
A prisoner who is denied, refused or unable to meet the conditions of bail, or who is unable to post bail, may be held in a prison on remand until their criminal trial. ...
A prison is a place in which people are confined and deprived of a range of liberties. ...
United States
Duties The duties of a Correctional Officer often include maintaining order within the institution, enforcement of the facility rules and regulations, search of inmates and their living quarters for contraband like weapons or drugs, writing reports on any inmate misbehavior and transportation of inmates to hospitals,courts or other correctional facility's. Working in a correctional institution can be stressful and hazardous. Every year, correctional officers are injured in confrontations with inmates. Correctional officers may work indoors or outdoors. Some correctional institutions are well lighted, temperature controlled, and ventilated, but others are old, overcrowded, hot or cold, and noisy. Correctional officers in many areas work an 8-hour day, 5 days a week, on rotating shifts. Because prison and jail security must be provided around the clock, officers work all hours of the day and night, weekends, and holidays.
Maintaining a safe and secure environment does not come without certain challenges. Prison is a controlled environment, often inmates will attempt to disrupt that environment. This can/may result in a use of physical force and or use of "less lethal" weaponry.
Different agencies have divided inmates to different security levels. The crimes an inmate commits prior to being incarcerated , as well as their behavior, disciplinary record, and risk of being assaulted by other inmates will usually determine what level they are placed at a prison . While all agencies are different in how they approach these levels, here is an unofficial breakdown:
Minimum / Level 1
No fence or an unpatrolled perimeter. May be allowed work release or furloughs. Some agencies allow these inmates to drive vehicles dependent on their job assignment. Inmates in this category are typically in for money laundering or other electronic cash crimes.
Low - Medium / Level 2 - 3
Enforced perimeter, usually allowed to leave the facilty escorted by Correction Officer's in the result of a close family member's death (to attend the funeral). Usually have access to some sort of "in-prison" store that inmates can buy any number of approved items (with some limits) at. Inmates are locked in a cell or dormitory every night until beginning of business the following day. This level of inmate is usually in for non-violent drug offenses or crimes with the theft of paper money or goods.
High / Level 4
This level varies greatly dependent on the agency. May be able to attend a family funeral under certain circumstances. There is an "in-prison" store, but is more limited than the low/medium levels. Typically this inmate is in for violent physical crimes that may or may not have resulted in death.
Maximum / Level 5
Typically, this inmate has committed one or more murders , other violent crimes or high level drug dealing. Or, they have ordered the killing of a person or persons. Some institutions have implemented a "23 in / 1 out" rule. This means inmates have limited contact with other inmates and are rotated for one hour out of their cell recreation each day.
Supermax / Death Row / Special Closure/ Administrative Maximum (Ad Max)
The 23/1 rule is in effect. Generally these inmates have committed mass murder, political based crimes, or other serious crimes and/or have continued their violent behavior once in prison. The "in-prison" store will generally only supply condiments.
Juvenile Offenders
Juvenile Offenders that have committed non-violent crimes are not convicted or incarcerated. Juveniles are adjudicated to a correctional center after being deemed delinquent as opposed to guilty, where education and rehabilitation are a primary focus. Generally, in adult prisons, all inmates must work. In juvenile centers, education is a primary goal. Juvenile offenders that commit violent crimes, or are convicted as an adult; will be convicted, sentenced and incarerated. "Adult convicted" juveniles are sometimes housed away from a general inmate population.
Juvenile Corrections Juvenile corrections has gone through a major overhaul in the past 15 years. Ending in late 1990; juvenile corrections was summarized as "institutions that house juvenile offenders." For example: juveniles convicted of truancy and juveniles convicted of rape may be on the same yard. On top of that, many states recognized some inmates as juveniles up to the age of 21. It was possible to have a violent 20 year old and a non-violent 12 year old housed together. Starting in 1990, many states overhauled their juvenile corrections system, going to a more rehabiltative environment. The new system has also eliminated juveniles with violent crimes, with most of thosed being tried as adults. Truancy is a term used to describe any intentional unauthorized absence from compulsory schooling. ...
Juvenile corrections is a law enforcement "hot spot" for gang intelligence.
Slang terms Correctional officers are known by many slang names, such as - Prison Guard
- Jail Guard
- Boss
- Chiefs
- Yard Dogs (Arizona)
- Cops
- Screw
- Hack
- CO's
- Police
- Bulls
- "Guv"
- Warden
- Turnkeys
- Popo
- 5-0
- Jailer
- Badge
...
See also Correctional Service of Canada is a Canadian government agency of public safety responsible for the incarceration and rehabilitation of convicted criminal offenders in Canada. ...
This is a listing of past and present correctional facilities run by the provincial government in Ontario, Canada. ...
DOCS logo. ...
Monroe County Sheriffs Office Corrections Emergency Response Team A Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT), or Special Emergency Response Team for Correction is a team of specialist law enforcement officers in the United States tasked with responding to incidents,riots,cell extractions or disturbances in prisons, possibly involving uncooperative or...
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