What personal skills or qualities are needed to become a Correctional Officer?
A Correctional Officer is one who is engaged in overseeing, monitoring, and managing incarcerated individuals in local jails or larger prison systems. Sometimes called Detention Officers, Correctional Officers have a difficult job, depending largely on their particular assignment and location. Correctional Officers are responsible for maintaining inmate behaviors, preventing unrest or other disruptions, preventing escapes and escape attempts, and other similar duties. Sometimes, Correctional Officers are faced with life-or-death situations and choices; consequently, they need to be in top physical, emotional, and mental condition. Correctional Officers need to be strong-minded, self-assured, honest and genuine, in order to command the respect and control needed in the various venues they engage in. Correctional Officers are often required to have a Batchelor’s degree, and sometimes need to have had several years of experience dealing with individual counseling and similar duties. For m