Female Corrections Officer?

Question

I just finished a six year enlistment in the military and I am considering being a corrections officer but honestly I worry about being scared of the inmates. I know that you can't be scared or they will know it. My question is.... is it a terrifying job. I really want to begin a law enforecement career and work on degrees in Forensics and Crime Scene investigation. From the research I have done, corrections officers suffer less work related fatalities than police officers. I'm not afraid of the job..... I'm afraid of being afraid. Any female CO's out there I could use some advice.

Answer 1

I am a former female correctional officer. As a matter of fact, I was one of the first female officers in an all male correctional facility back in the 80's. I worked in a medium security federal facility. The inmates were housed dormitory style and there were no cells/bars to separate me from them for the most part. There were cells in segregation, but the rest of the prison was open.

If you are afraid, I would suggest starting in maybe a female minimum security federal facility, such as the type Martha Stewart was in. While violence certainly can occur in ANY facility, it is less likely in this type. I agree that inmates, male or female, will sense your fear and exploit it. You must be confident, always aware of your surroundings and vigilant. To this day I do not sit in a room where I cannot see the door, nor with my back to the door.

The advantage to female correctional officers, I believe, is that we tend to resolve issues more with interpersonal communications skills than with physical strength. And inmates can and will respond to that. If you decide to pursue this career step, be sure you are absolutely fair, follow the rules and apply them evenly to all inmates. If you bend the rules for one, another will find out and exploit that "violation." Be on your toes and it can be a fun and rewarding job.

Answer 2

I have known a a few female CO's. One that I knew was a professor in college, she got stabbed after only 2 weeks, and then quit because she thought that another guard had set her up.

Depends on the facility how bad things will be. I know in one facility in MD called Jessup cut that at least 3 rapes against employees happen every year, with some of them being male employees as well as female.
There is a real danger of rape at some facilities, while at others if a male prisoner assualted you he would be in more trouble from the other inmates than he could handle.

Another problem is some prisoners will take a cup and fill it with various body fluids and feces and then take it and fling it on you as you walk by.

The biggest overall complaint though was lack of pay for the amount of danger involved.

Overall a police officer gets paid more and has a better career ladder. I think most police fatalities are traffic related rather than crime related as well.

Answer 3

I am a male Corrections/Police officer. I enjoy working with most of the Females that I am with. It can be very stressful, but on the other hand, after my shift is done 90% of the time, I'm headed home. When I work the road, I might have an OUI stop 10 minutes before my shift is through and have to do an arrest and then get home late. The pay stinks, but I like the job.
I thought I would use the Jail as a stepping stone to a full time road job, but I am going to stay where I am. Excellent benefits, and there are always criminals, so I know I'll always have a job. JOIN AND GET CERTIFIED THROUGH ACA!!!
A lot of people say" Go Patrol, but that's from people who haven't done either profession.
Thanks for your military service. I did 10 years Army.

Answer 4

If you fear "bad" people then I am sorry but being a CO or a Cop is NOT for you. You have to deal with the worst of the worst.. I was a MP for 8 years and I have had to sit and talk to rapists, child molesters, drug dealers, murder suspects you name it. It's something you deal with every single day. If you are going to be scared of these people dont' do the job. And you also have to understand that as a CO you won't be carrying a weapon like you would if you were a police officer. And there are probably less fatalities with CO's that police officers because there are more cops out there who are dealing with crazy *** people who have weapons and adrenaline flowing.

I hate to say it hun but I don't think this is your line of work. It's takes a special type of person to deal with it.

Answer 5

I am not a corrections officer, but I was an Extradition Agent. The first thing I am going to say to you is this....if you fear inmates or criminals, do not get into that line of work. You are correct when you say that they will pick up on it, and then your life may be put on the line. I transported many many inmates, some serving life sentences for murder. However, I will tell you that from my own experiences, I found that as long as you treat them with respect, you will get it back in return. You must also keep in mind that in most prisons, especially in Federal Prisons, the inmates are on lock-down 23 hours a day and are not let out for that 1 hour all at once. And usually when there is contact with inmates, there is more than one officer there. No one is going to send one female officer out on her own in the middle of 100 inmates.
It is a great job, but you have to be alert and ready for anything. It's okay to be scared, but not to the point of it costing you your life. If you are going to work on Forensics and Crime Scene Investigation, get your degree and start out with Forensics. Then go on from there to Investigations. But keep in mind, you will have to work your way up the ladder and it will take time, as well as time working with criminals. Good luck to you.

Answer 6

Why be a CO? Get out on the street as a cop, it's a little less scary. People on the street have something to lose, people already incarcerated have nothing to lose. Also cops make a lot more than the average starting CO. Plus 6 year military and degrees in that CJ stuff, you're should be a shoe in.