Will “Penal Officer” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

Job Description

Guard inmates in penal or rehabilitative institutions in accordance with established regulations and procedures. May guard prisoners in transit between jail, courtroom, prison, or other point. Includes deputy sheriffs and police who spend the majority of their time guarding prisoners in correctional institutions.

Job Details

• The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 33-3012.00
• The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 46,750.00
• The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 22.00
• Currently, there are 431,600 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Correctional Officers and Jailers”.

Also Known As…

• Correctional Officers and Jailers
• Jailor
• Jailer
• Jail Officer
• Detention Officer
• Detention Deputy
• Deputy Jailer
• Custody Assistant
• Corrections Officer (CO)
• Correctional Sergeant
• Correctional Officer
• Youth Corrections Officer
• Turnkey
• Station Jailer
• Security Officer
• Reformatory Attendant
• Prison Officer
• Prison Guard
• Police Matron
• Police Detention Attendant
• Patrol Conductor
• Matron
• Juvenile Detention Officer
• Jailkeeper
• Jailer/Training Officer
• Jail Guard
• Immigration Services Officer
• Immigration Guard
• Guard
• Gate Watchman
• Gate Watch
• Gate Guard
• Gang Pusher
• Deputy
• Custodial Officer
• Cottage Supervisor
• Cottage Parent
• Cottage Master
• Corrections Specialist
• Corrections Sergeant
• Corrections Corporal
• Correctional Lieutenant
• Correctional Guard
• Correctional Captain
• Correction Officer
• Convict Guard
• Community Services Officer
• Civilian Jail Officer
• Certified Detention Deputy
• Booking Officer

Tasks for “Penal Officer”

• Take prisoners into custody and escort to locations within and outside of facility, such as visiting room, courtroom, or airport.
• Participate in required job training.
• Use nondisciplinary tools and equipment such as a computer.
• Investigate crimes that have occurred within an institution, or assist police in their investigations of crimes and inmates.
• Settle disputes between inmates.
• Conduct fire, safety, and sanitation inspections.
• Drive passenger vehicles and trucks used to transport inmates to other institutions, courtrooms, hospitals, and work sites.
• Search prisoners and vehicles and conduct shakedowns of cells for valuables and contraband, such as weapons or drugs.
• Inspect conditions of locks, window bars, grills, doors, and gates at correctional facilities to ensure security and help prevent escapes.
• Guard facility entrances to screen visitors.
• Conduct head counts to ensure that each prisoner is present.
• Provide to supervisors oral and written reports of the quality and quantity of work performed by inmates, inmate disturbances and rule violations, and unusual occurrences.
• Sponsor inmate recreational activities such as newspapers and self-help groups.
• Search for and recapture escapees.
• Assign duties to inmates, providing instructions as needed.
• Arrange daily schedules for prisoners including library visits, work assignments, family visits, and counseling appointments.
• Use weapons, handcuffs, and physical force to maintain discipline and order among prisoners.
• Issue clothing, tools, and other authorized items to inmates.
• Inspect mail for the presence of contraband.
• Serve meals, distribute commissary items, and dispense prescribed medication to prisoners.
• Monitor conduct of prisoners in housing unit, or during work or recreational activities, according to established policies, regulations, and procedures, to prevent escape or violence.
• Process or book convicted individuals into prison.
• Counsel inmates and respond to legitimate questions, concerns, and requests.
• Record information, such as prisoner identification, charges, and incidences of inmate disturbance, and keep daily logs of prisoner activities.
• Supervise and coordinate work of other correctional service officers.
• Maintain records of prisoners' identification and charges.

Related Technology & Tools

• Radio frequency identification RFID devices
• Personal computers
• Air-supplying respirators
• Cut resistant gloves
• Laptop computers
• Riot protection helmets
• Metal handcuffs
• Firefighting respirators
• Data collectors
• Hearing protection plugs
• Protective gas masks
• Law enforcement handguns
• Law enforcement flashlights
• Leg irons
• Emergency fire extinguishers
• Desktop computers
• Upper body armor
• Mobile radios
• Law enforcement shotguns
• Tablet computers
• Tactical riot shields
• Prisoner transport belts
• Expandable batons
• Protective safety glasses
• Law enforcement rifles
• Electroshock weapons
• Stab proof vests
• Surveillance cameras
• Emergency fire hoses
• Lower body armor

• 3M Electronic Monitoring
• Web browser software
• Guardian RFID
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Access
• Corrections housing software
• Jail management software