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”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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