Will “Prison 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 Guard
• Police Matron
• Police Detention Attendant
• Penal Officer
• 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 “Prison Officer”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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