Job Description
A correctional officer’s work involves 4 main types of activities: guarding in detention centres, maintaining order in the detention centres, helping offenders to return to the community and working with offenders in the community.
Correctional officers work in detention centres, which are run by either the federal or the provincial government. Federal centres are called penitentiaries, while provincial centres are called jails, correctional centers or detention centres.
Correctional officers also work in probation offices helping offenders serving part of their sentence in the community.
Guarding in Detention Centres
An important aspect of a correctional officer’s work is making sure offenders don’t escape from a detention centre. There would be no point in having a detention centre if offenders could come and go as they please.
To carry out this task, correctional officers keep an eye on what goes on and make sure security systems work properly. Supervising offenders to prevent disturbances, rioting and escapes is an important part of their job. They also carry out routine searches to make sure nothing slips by unnoticed.
Correctional officers must have excellent observational skills so they can detect suspicious behaviour and stop dangerous objects from making their way through the detention centre’s gates.
To carry out this task, correctional officers keep an eye on what goes on and make sure security systems work properly. Supervising offenders to prevent disturbances, rioting and escapes is an important part of their job. They also carry out routine searches to make sure nothing slips by unnoticed.
Correctional officers must have excellent observational skills so they can detect suspicious behaviour and stop dangerous objects from making their way through the detention centre’s gates.
Maintaining Order in Detention Centres
Correctional officers also work to make sure things run as they should in detention centres and that offenders are safe. To prevent fighting or unruly behaviour, correctional officers strictly enforce the rules in detention centres. It is also their responsibility to escort offenders to and from detention centres and give them first aid treatment.
Helping Offenders Return to the Community
A correctional officer’s job is not all law and order as you might imagine. An equally important part of the job is working with offenders in detention centres to help them prepare for life back in the community. Correctional officers write reports about the behaviour of offenders who are serving sentences of 6 months or less. They evaluate the progress of offenders and work with other professionals at detention centres (doctors, probation officers, counsellors etc.) to develop a plan for an offender’s return to the community.
Working with Offenders in the Community
Where do correctional officers work?
Some offenders get to serve their sentence in the community rather than in a detention centre. But these offenders must still follow certain rules. For example, offenders under house arrest can only leave their houses for certain activities, such as getting groceries or going to work. They may also have to do community service.
Correctional officers help offenders follow the rules related to their sentence. They call or visit offenders on regular basis to make sure they are respecting the law, abiding by curfews and showing up for community service.
Some offenders are allowed to leave detention centres on “day parole.” The correctional officer assigned to these offenders sometimes coordinates with probation officers. Probation officers also supervise offenders serving part or all of their sentence in the community.
Correctional officers help offenders follow the rules related to their sentence. They call or visit offenders on regular basis to make sure they are respecting the law, abiding by curfews and showing up for community service.
Some offenders are allowed to leave detention centres on “day parole.” The correctional officer assigned to these offenders sometimes coordinates with probation officers. Probation officers also supervise offenders serving part or all of their sentence in the community.
Correctional officers work in detention centres, which are run by either the federal or the provincial government. Federal centres are called penitentiaries, while provincial centres are called jails, correctional centers or detention centres.
Correctional officers also work in probation offices helping offenders serving part of their sentence in the community.
