Correctional Officers

Correctional officers are responsible for the security of the penal institutions in which they work and the [Page 189]safety of the inmates housed within their walls. Their duties include enforcing the rules and regulations of the facility, responding to inmate needs, diffusing inmate conflicts, and supervising daily movement and activities within the institution.

As of June 2000, state and federal prisons employed 430,033 individuals. Nearly two-thirds of these people were involved in direct contact with the inmate population and responsible for their safety and security. These figures represent a 24% increase from the number of correctional staff since 1995. The greatest increases in correctional employment are found in private institutions (364%), followed by federal (32%) and state (18%) facilities (Stephan & Karberg, 2003).

The increased need for correctional officers is a direct result of the growing numbers of correctional facilities that have been established throughout the United States in the past few decades. In many communities, the new jobs that have been created represent previously unavailable employment opportunity, security, and stability. However, a career in corrections is not without its problems. Work as an officer is dangerous, given the population that they are responsible for supervising. A stressful work environment, burnout, and high attrition rates place a heavy load on the occupation. These factors, coupled with the intense growth of the industry, have left many prisons understaffed, which in turn can place officers who are working at the prison at risk. As of June 2000, the number of inmates to correctional officer ratio in federal facilities was 9:1, with state facilities reporting a 4.5:1 ratio (Stephan & Karberg, 2003). The demands of the job can also present strain for the personal life of the officer, as people are often forced to relocate based on job availability.