Correctional Officer
Also known as Custodial Officer, Prison Officer. Correctional Officers are responsible for the custody, care and supervision of offenders in prisons and correctional centres.
What you will do
- observe the conduct, behaviour and activities of offenders to maintain control, discipline, duty of care and security
- ensure that offenders are treated professionally, humanely, with courtesy and respect
- maintain the safety and security of the environment by conducting regular searches, partols and inspections
- assist in the risk and needs assessments of offenders and have input into their case and sentence management
- provide councelling to offenders on mattters affecting their welfare, secuirty, behaviour and correctional routines
- assist and encourage offenders with their individual development and rehabilitation and act as a role model
- respond to emergency situations including offender conflicts, offender injury and medical crisis
- prepare a variety of workplace documentation and reports
- transport and escort offenders outside the correctional environment where required
- interact closely and communicate directly with offenders and a range of staff and associated professionals
You need to be
- sociable and enjoy working with people
- honest with high personal integrity
- a good communicator with strong interpersonal skills, including fairness, sensitivity and patience
- assertive
- self-disciplined
- responsible with a mature attitude towards managing people
- able to resolve conflict
- physically fit and emotionally robust
- able to stay calm in stressful situations
You will require
- Australian citizenship or permanent residency
- An Australian police clearance check
- a drivers licence
This job generally requires no specific education for entry. Practical skills and life experience are often more important than level of education.
Improve you chances by
- taking justice and social science subjects
- learning about the industry
- participating in community based volunteer programmes
What you will earn
Salaries vary between correctional organisations and generally range from $32,000 to $38,000 for an entry level Correctional Officer.
Long term possibilties
With further training and experience, a wide range of career opportunites are available within the custodial stream or the wider corrections and justice environments.
Watch a video about a Custodial Corrections Officer.
Download a case study about a Correctional Officer.
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