Online Criminal Justice Degree Earn a degree in criminal justice or security online in your free time. Criminal Justice, Public Safety, Info Security, Homeland Security and more. Click here!

Most correctional officers are employed in large regional jails or State and Federal prisons, watching over the approximately one million offenders who are incarcerated in Federal and State prisons at any given time. In addition to jails and prisons, a relatively small number of correctional officers oversee individuals being held by the Immigration and Naturalization Service before they are released or deported, or they work for correctional institutions that are run by private for-profit organizations. While both jails and prisons can be dangerous places to work, prison populations are more stable than jail populations, and correctional officers in prisons know the security and custodial requirements of the prisoners with whom they are dealing.

Criminal Justice College Earn your bachelor's degree in criminal justice from an accredited university. Classes are 100% online and flexible schedules are perfect for working adults. Click here!

Regardless of the setting, correctional officers maintain order within the institution, and enforce rules and regulations. To help ensure that inmates are orderly and obey rules, correctional officers monitor the activities and supervise the work assignments of inmates. Sometimes, it is necessary for officers to search inmates and their living quarters for contraband like weapons or drugs, settle disputes between inmates, and enforce discipline. Correctional officers periodically inspect the facilities, checking cells and other areas of the institution for unsanitary conditions, contraband, fire hazards, and any evidence of infractions of rules. In addition, they routinely inspect locks, window bars, grilles, doors, and gates for signs of tampering. Finally, officers inspect mail and visitors for prohibited items.

Criminal Justice Programs Do you want to serve and protect people? Interested in enforcing the law? Prepare yourself for work in law enforcement, corrections, investigations, juvenile law and security. Click here!

Correctional officers report orally and in writing on inmate conduct and on the quality and quantity of work done by inmates. Officers also report security breaches, disturbances, violations of rules, and any unusual occurrences. They usually keep a daily log or record of their activities. Correctional officers cannot show favoritism and must report any inmate who violates the rules. Should the situation arise, they help the responsible law enforcement authorities investigate crimes committed within their institution or search for escaped inmates.

In jail and prison facilities with direct supervision cellblocks, officers work unarmed. They are equipped with communications devices so that they can summon help if necessary. These officers often work in a cell block alone, or with another officer, among the 50 to 100 inmates who reside there. The officers enforce regulations primarily through their interpersonal communications skills and the use of progressive sanctions, such as loss of some privileges.

Criminal Justice Scholarships Get a free guide to criminal justice scholarships. Complete your degree online in as little as 13 months. Click here!

In the highest security facilities where the most dangerous inmates are housed, correctional officers often monitor the activities of prisoners from a centralized control center with the aid of closed circuit television cameras and a computer tracking system. In such an environment, the inmates may not see anyone but officers for days or weeks at a time and only leave their cells for showers, solitary exercise time, or visitors. Depending on the offender’s security classification within the institution, correctional officers may have to restrain inmates in handcuffs and leg irons in order to safely escort them to and from cells and other areas to see authorized visitors. Officers also escort prisoners between the institution and courtrooms, medical facilities, and other destinations outside the institution.

This information provided by: umsl.edu

Criminal Justice Jobs Become a cop! Get a free guide to criminal justice degrees. Click here!

The majority of jobs in the New York State Department of Correctional Services are filled by Correction Officers, who are required to pass a written Civil Service exam and undergo extensive medical, psychological, and background checks. Correction Officer positions are located throughout New York State in various facilities of the Department of Correctional Services. Correction Officers are responsible for the custody and security as well as the safety and well being, of criminal offenders in State Correctional Facilities.

Criminal Justice Career Links

Forensic Science
Forensic science (often shortened to forensics) is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to the legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or to a civil action.
A forensic scientist is first a scientist. When he applies his scientific knowledge to assist juries, attorneys, and judges in understanding science, he is a forensic scientist. Forensic scientists are thinkers, good with details, good with putting pieces of a puzzle together, and curious. Some scientists work in laboratories and some also go out to places where crimes are committed (crime scenes). Others teach in colleges and universities.
There are six general areas of forensic science.
· medical examiner,
· crime laboratory analyst,
· crime scene examiner,
· forensic engineer
· academic assistance - psychology
· technical assistance