Traits That Would Make You A Great Prison Officer

Being Physically Strong

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As a prison officer it is very important to be able to look after yourself when it comes to having physical contact with inmates. Who knows who you could be overseeing; you might be required to restrain particular inmates or respond to some other physically challenging situations.

Keeping An Open Eye

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Unsurprisingly, as an officer you must be able to keep your eyes on every ongoing within the walls of the prison. You'll have to watch out for anyone acting suspicious and be able to act quickly to prevent situations like fights or breakouts from occurring. You should be able to discern innocent behaviour from the suspicious.

Having Good Interpersonal Skills

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A prison officer must be able to use their voice in order to get their points across, they have to be able to show their authority over the inmates whilst not causing themselves any problems in the future. One wrong word to one wrong person and they could find themselves in all sorts of trouble.

Being Able To Negotiate

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If an officer does find themself in an alarming situation, then it might be an essential trait to be able to use their voice to negotiate with an inmate. We are all aware that some inmates are only out to cause harm so being able to negotiate your way out of a sticky situation could only serve you well.

Developing A Professional Relationship With The Inmates

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In some, if not most situations, an inmate won't be aggressive towards an officer, so being able to develop a positive professional relationship will further mitigate any dangerous situations an officer might find themselves in. Get to know the inmates, any hobbies or skills they have and use them to your advantage.

Developing A Professional Relationship With Other Officers

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Being a prison officer can be quite a lonely job, so it would be best if you were able to create a working relationship with the other officers. In an establishment full of dangerous and carefree people it can't hurt to have some friendly faces in the form of your co-workers and they might even be more likely to help you in a rough situation.

Having Strong Moral Judgement

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It is important for a prison officer to be morally strong, and they can't be susceptible to not following the proper procedure or following the protocols. The moral judgement will allow them to not be swayed by certain inmates who may be skilled in persuasion. This will help avoid dangerous situations.

Being Emotionally Stable

Image Source: National Institute Of Corrections

This isn't to suggest that prison officers have to be emotionally vacant but they can't allow any emotions they may have to overcome them when it comes to certain situations. This could be sadness at the stories of their prisoners or maybe anger as some inmates may be out to get a reaction.

Remain Self-Disciplined

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One thing's for sure, if an officer can't remain self-disciplined then it is only gonna lead to disaster. You can't be lured in to making any mistakes and being self-disciplined means that you will be able to stick to all the rules and regulations that the prison system requires you to be.

Great Communication

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Communication is key when it comes to any job, even when it comes to working as an officer in the prison system. This means you need to be able to communicate with prisoners, in a clear and concise manner and you also need to communicate directly and diplomatically with your peers.

Excellent Writing Skills

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As a prison officer it is important to be able to write concise information in to your documents. Documentation is an essential thing that needs to be done as a prison officer in order for the legal system to proceed with cases related to the inmates within the prison you are working in.

Good Problem Solving Skills

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A good prison officer has to be good at evaluating any situations at hand, being able to understand the different directions that a particular problem might be heading. This means they need to be able to assess and brainstorm strategies, working out which one will lead to the correct solution.

Being Decisive

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As an officer you will be posed with some difficult decisions that have to be made, some with uncertain results. However, there is no time to be undecisive and you have to be able to process information quickly weighing up all your options. And this all has to be time restrained to make sure you aren't wasting time.

Remain Resilient

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Source: The Denver Post

Everyone makes mistakes in all works of life, and this doesn't change as an officer. But you have to be able to learn from these mistakes and setbacks to develop yourself as a person and an officer. This will only strengthen you as a leader and probably assist you in many other aspects outside your work life.

Be Selfless Within Your Work

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As an officer, you are not the most essential part of the system and the ongoings don't revolve around you. So make sure to put the needs and interests of others in front of yours. And don't let any of the power you may have boost your ego too much, don't be the bad guy!

Keep Dedication Levels High

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Being a prison officer can be a very time-consuming and emotionally draining job. But working hard every day to be the best you can be, ensuring inmates are following the rules and keeping the facility safe, will instil confidence in yourself and the confidence of others around you.

Don't Become Too Involved With The Inmates

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Like I said before, you should be emotionally stable, as much as you can be, on the job. This remains especially when it comes to your relationships with the inmates. Use your head, some inmates will genuinely appreciate the manner you treat them with whilst others will take advantage.

Remain On The Ground And Realistic

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It's important that you don't lose your head, or gain too much of an ego. After all, you're a prison officer not a billionaire, your job means you aren't more important than anyone else and you all have your roles within the institution. Don't get too far ahead of yourselves and remain grounded.

Keen Investigative Skills

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Sometimes something dodgy might be going on around the prison so you'll need to keep a keen eye on things. If the dodgy ongoings are hidden you might need to get your inspector on and investigate secretly. This means you need to be skilled in a number of traits to assist in any inestigation.

Knowledgeable About The System

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As with any job, understanding and being knowledgeable about the system is essential and will only make your job easier in the long run. Having greater knowledge will only make it simpler for you to communicate and get your points across, whilst also assisting you in your decision making.

Remaining Professional

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Professionalism is one of the key components in an elite level prison officer. The honor, moral integrity and dedication all creates this professional triangle that means you are likely to work to your optimum potential. An unprofessional officer is more likely to make dangerous mistakes!

Keep Your Patience

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Being tolerant and patient is also a key component as a prison officer. There will be times when an inmate is trying to test your patience, but if you pass an early test then you might be leading yourself down a dark alley where they'll think they can manipulate you in the future. Don't let them get to you!

Don't Have Any Prior Convictions

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It's likely that, if in your younger years, you had any run ins with the law then you'll struggle to make it as a prison officer, as you probably wouldn't be allowed. Background checks being pulled by your higher-ups will be extensive and you will be scrutinised. This varies state by state but you should be careful!

Look After Your Money

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Despite the obvious reasons, like running in to financial problems at home with rent and food etc., having financial issues can cause you to become less reliable. Especially if these issues arise from gambling, some organisations may see this as you being someone more likely to be bought or take bribes.

Being Physically Fit

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Although this does mean remaining a natural weight, not overweight or underweight, it also means avoiding things that can cause you to be more unfit like smoking or drinking too much alcohol. You must be able to pass fitness tests regularly to remain in place as a prison officer.

Keep A Positive Social Media Presence

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Social media is becoming more and more important in the interviewing process, and they'll also keep an eye on you after you have been employed. They'll be keeping an eye out for any inappropriate posts or any associations with current or former criminals. Be careful what you post at the very least!

Remaining Calm When Stressed

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You can become easily stressed or overwhelmed in a job like a prison officer, after all there is a lot of pressure on you in the workplace. However, if you let this stress overcome you then you might make some bad decisions with terrible consequences. Maybe test out some relaxation techniques.

Remain Objective

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Correctional officers can't be playing favourites with inmates or other officers and everyone has to be treated equally. Make sure that everyone is being scrutinised, whether this be inmates or fellow officers, this will only lead to a safer and more well-respected institution being ran.

Become First-Aid Trained

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First-aid training is essential for an officer, and you are likely to be forced to do this during your training. You might be tasked with a number of tasks, ranging from small injuries like cuts and grazes to horrendous injuries resulting from fights or breakouts where inmates may have got their hands on weapons.

Staying Impartial

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You must remain neutral and impartial with the inmates within your prison, no matter how horrific the crimes they've committed. Alongside this, even if an inmate makes a mistake and they've been well-behaved besides this you can't turn a blind eye, all rule violations must be reported.