Correctional Officer
 

Is anyone here a correctional officer? Or know of someone who is a correctional officer and know their experience with being one? Is the job hard? How about the pay or shifts?

Does anyone know what you need to become a correctional officer? Highschool diploma, degree, etc? Is the job slack to get into?

I'm sure the requirements are posted in any job link with any of the correctional services.

There is also different types, provincial or Federal. Since jails are open 24/7 I'd imagine that the shifts very big time and when you start your probably working a lot of nights, weekends and holidays. I'm not stating a fact as someone who's done it but it would just seem likely.

My Aunts been doing it for over 20 years she'll get a pension unfortunately she also contracted tuberculosis from the jail which is something there is no cure for. She spends her days babysitting pedophiles and sex offenders in a halfway house now which means doing a bunch of days in a row followed by a bunch of days off. She did the parole officer bit for a while but she didn't like it.

What Quasi said. it's a 24/7 environment. Get used to missing family events, holidays, etc. You'll be in a "high risk" environment, depending on where you are placed at. And it is basically babysitting people who have had decision making rights revoked.

a couple friends parents do it and it seems like a pretty good job. one is a lady who works at mountain she makes pretty good money and dosen't mind the job at all. She just got promoted to the person who is in the gym and pretty much just signs out balls all day for 55,000 a year. she works 12 hours a day, IIRC it was like 4 days on then 4 days off.

I also am very interested in the job but unfourtently my father was in and out of prison since we has 18 and has been to most of the prisons in BC. I have heard that if one of your family members have been in that speicif prison then you can't work there. which makes total sense so im kinda fucked unless I wanna relocate.

I know 2 ppl who do this one doesnt like the job, the other doesn't mind it. The shifts are going to be messed up. Anything from working 2 day shifts and 2 night shifts, 4 days off. Your shifts include 8 hr shifts and 12hr shift rotation. But ya i heard at the provincial jail if you are new you are pretty much on call, so you dont have a set schedule.Other than that i heard its a chiller job.

Don't do it, I worked in Corrections for a couple months as an officer. One of the worst jobs of my entire life.

did you get raped?

BC or Federal Corrections?

whats the difference between BC or Federal Corrections? I'm planning either Fraser Regional Correctional Center, Surrey Pretrial or North Fraser Pretrial.

so if a family member has been in prison you can't apply for that specific prison? what if u were just visiting a friend? does that count too? but what does that have to do with anything? what if the person was there like 5 years ago?

if u don't mind me asking, how come? was it easy for you to get in though?

does anyone know why they require a class 5 to apply? what does that have to do with being a correctional officer?

but i heard that holiday is really good though?

I worked at North Fraser Pretrial. Wasn't too hard to get in, you have to do all the pre-recs and stuff which was a pain. Just wasn't a good environment to be honest with you, you're exposed to disease, and you're in a jail, who wants to be in a jail? You're on call, you don't know your sched either. Plus you're constantly watched by your superiors at all times of the day, you feel like a prisoner within the prison to your superiors, which is a horrible feeling.

You need a Class 5 because you would likely be driving on escorts to hospitals for inmates who need special aid, or court, although usually the Dep Sheriff would be driving.

Do you know if this is the same situation with VPD Jail?

haha, VPD jail has a more hazardous environment. I am sure you will learn a lot there, but you will also want to learn all that you can learn and get the heck out of there.

Things to note:

1. The pay isn't the greatest, probably starting in the low $40K area but I'm sure benefits are good.
2. Hours suck. Usually 4 on/4 off, 12hr shifts 1 month/8hr shifts next month
3. You're gonna get mind-fucked by inmates on a regular basis - threatened, offered bribes, manipulated, etc. So you better have a strong personality and be smart in dealing w/ people.
4. On night shifts, expect to be mind-numbingly bored.

If you want job security and a pension, I suppose it's a good option. I just couldn't deal with the repetition and environment.

is it mandatory for a class five? cuz i only have my L right now.

Why would you say VPD jail is more hazardous compared to other correctional facilities in BC?

if any, I would think VPD jail is less dangerous since they only house inmates who are sentenced to 2 years or under.

No, it's not, they are gonna allow you to slap a "L" sign on the back of a VPD vehicle, so that you can escort them to a medical facilitiy. :rolleyes:

Also, judging that you only have a "L", I will assume that you are still in your teens, good luck trying to get in while you have little life experience.

Dude, i'm over the age of their age requirement.

What about the people who don't have a licenses and isn't planning to get one?

Is anyone currently working at the North Fraser or Surrey Pretrial?

Simple, they don't become correctional officers. There's a reason why Class 5 DL is listed in their requirements.

1. I don't mind the pay, not planning to make it a career anyway.
2. That's how it is for most Law Enforcement jobs. I don't think I would mind it, it's not like you'll never get a weekend off.
3. Not worried, I've been working in the Downtown Eastside long enough to know what that feels like.
4. Great!

I've heard of several guys I know going from Corrections to Customs. I think it's more money and they seem to like it.

The good thing about 4 on/off, is 4 off part. You can get a lot done compared to a 2 day weekend. The 12 hour months can be a bitch by the 4th day.

Unfortunately, the CBSA is not recruiting for Lower Mainland anymore at the moment.