New Jersey corrections officer

capital of Minnesota Leaders has been a New jersey place of department of corrections Officer (NJDCO) for over ten years. As a NJDCO, Pauls role and responsibility is to encounter the custody, safety and plow of criminal offenders confined in state correctional facilities (www.state.nj.us/corrections). It is his duty to ensure the safety and welf atomic number 18 of the staff and convict population, assist in the reconstructive efforts for those incarcerated individuals returning to the community and promote public support for the operation and objectives of the Department of department of corrections (www.state.nj.us/corrections).At the age of 25, Paul began his line of achievement with the Department of Corrections. earlier he became a full-fledge corrections office, he had to go done a screening process. The pre-employment screening is a four phase process that includes cream out an application, taking a video test, completing a ready reckoner background assessment, a g eneral and intensive background check, a medicine test, a written psych exam, a medical exam and a psych interview. If an interviewee induces through the screening successfully, next comes a 14 calendar week raising railway line at the academy and then an on the muse test finish (www.state.nj.us/corrections). The pre-employment screening is vigorous to discourage those who argon not serious rough making the Department of Corrections their career of choice.Once Paul successfully completed his screening, his on the job test period began in a younker facility. His eyes were opened to the harsh realities of his position when he was attacked by a 15 year-old inmate. Although, he was not seriously hurt, his perspective changed. Paul realized that to do his job to the best of his ability and to protect himself and his co-workers, he had to care for all inmates as dangerous, no matter what their age. Throughout the years, the dangers associated with his career choice were clearly seen. NJDOCs are often put in a variety of sticky situations.The ratio of officers to inmates is 1 to 3 (www.njpp.org/rpt_moneyfornothing). Since they are out-numbered, a NJDOCs goal is to stop potentially harmful situations in the beginning they happen. Paul learned many valuable techniques in his psychology classes during his 14-week raising process. (www.state.nj.us/corrections). It is so much easier to prevent situations from happening than to try to de-escalate a situation once it has started.Paul has found the most challenging survey of being a NJDCO is the caseful-to-face standard necessary. An NJDCO must assimilate a higher set of standards when the bars clang shut. A daily part of the job includes being taunted, called out of your name, and possibly attacked. Through all this, a NJDCO cannot retaliate. It is not the correction officers place to get hot or respond in kind. They must turn away when an inmate is purposely trying to rile them. If an officer hurts an inm ate or is caught abusing their authority, they get out be fired. The duty of a NJDCO is to up discipline the laws of the penal code and treat inmates with respect.NJDCOs spend time at lease forty hours a week with inmates. Officers get to know the inmates extremely hale and see facets of the human brainpower many people are unaware of. 40% of NJDOC offenders were convicted of a barbaric offense such as homicide, put forwardual assault, aggravated or simplex assault, robbery, kidnapping and other personal offenses (terrorist threats, coercion, larceny from a person, death by auto and negligent manslaughter) (www.state.nj.us/corrections).Dealing with inmates intimately is no walk in the park. Officer relationships with inmates use up gone from one extreme to another. Some officers invite been charged with bringing inmates contraband and others nominate been charged with assault on an inmate. The key to survival is finding the balance living in the diaphragm is an NJDCO off icers way.The department of corrections has a code of morals that must be adhered to if an officer is to furthest on the job. It is necessary to hold in confidence all information gained on the job, no gifts or services can be accepted from inmates or family members and no personal or financial gain is to be made that is in participation with duties or leave impair objectivity or judgment (www.state.nj.us/corrections). To mettle it up, be honest and do your job. Unfortunately, for some, thats easier said than done.The Department of Corrections has a Hearing Appeals Section and an Administrative Law/Civil date Litigation Section that compensates employee discipline/grievances and resolves cases against employees (www.state.nj.us/corrections). Whenever a corrections officer is face an ethical issue, representation is provided so that the officers rights are not violated.Of course, there are specific laws correction officers must obey and if they wittingly exceed the extent of their power then they can face a judge and possibly go to jail. The added stress of the job decreases the correction officers life span to 59 years (www.jrank.org). Therefore, it is necessary to have your guard up continuously if you want to make wise choices, get through the workday with your personal honor intact and live extended than what some researchers have predicted.The stress of the job has caused Paul to think position about moving into a contrastive area of law enforcement but this might require more training and schooling. As a corrections officer, his high school diploma was all he needed, along with being a US citizen, having a valid New Jersey drivers license, speaking English well and being able to handle the job physically and psychologically. Although he took extra courses during training, he does not deliberate that will be enough for a impartation to a different department. Paul has not investigated the move and after an especially hard day with the inmate s, he promises himself that he will.Prolonged linkup with inmates is the main difference between NJDCO positions and other law enforcement positions. Policemen and detectives, for example, investigate crimes and track criminals. They may have to face the individuals in court, but once they are locked up, their contact with the criminal is over. A NJDCOs contact with the criminal begins after the other law enforcement officers contact has ended and that contact lasts as long as the inmates sentence.For the first fewer years of his career, Paul found fulfillment on his job. He is avail his state, providing a needed assistance, protecting the residents of New Jersey and helping his ally officers. Now, he cant say that. The stress of not wise to(p) what will happen from day to day is extremely hard and the last few years have been a struggle. The constant hassle of the job has become overwhelming and is causing a strain on his marriage of 2 years. The fact that he cannot express w hy he dissatisfied and he does not want to talk about the job increases to the equalises frustration.Add the fact that he cannot talk about cloak-and-dagger information and the situation gets dangerous. Communication between Paul and his wife has gone from bad to worse. Because they are planning to have children, Paul recently transferred from the youth facility to a minimum security prison house. They are hoping this change will decrease his stress and ease the strain in their relationship. Paul believes the transfer will make a big difference in his placement and stress level, increasing his job satisfaction.In New Jersey, the Department of Corrections is made up of minimum, medium and maximum-security prisons. With 14 major institutions, including 8 potent prisons, 3 youth facilities, 1 female prison, and one prison for sex offenders, there were plenty of facilities for Paul to choose from. Moving to a maximum-security prison would have meant an increase in pay but for Paul, added money would have brought added stress. This wasnt the case when Pauls career began but today, the honorarium for a corrections officer is $43,000. The max amount for a old corrections officer is $65,000, achieved in nine step increments (www.state.nj.us/corrections).There are over ten different promotions useable to senior corrections officers, which include, underlying Transportation, Correction Staff Training Academy, Critical Incident Negotiation Teams, bonds Recruitment Unit and SRP Boot Camp. These are just some of the positions available to Senior Correction Officers (www.state.nj.us/corrections). Although, all officers go through rigorous training that includes coursework, most officers who move into higher positions have additional schooling. If things go well in his new position, Paul believes that one day, he may be ready to interview for one of the promotional positions.Paul believes the key to a successful career in the Department of Corrections is to walk on t he job daily with a mindset of integrity and tactfulness abstruse with firmness. Inmates are people, just like you, no matter what theyve done. An officer cannot undertake their crimes lightly but an officer must, to the best of their ability, treat them with respect. Then, do your job, have a life outside of work, leave your job at the opening and choose to be happy. That may be the key. Paul hopes it will be the key to his future happiness and the future happiness of his family.References2006. Retrieved April 3, 2007 from http//www.jrank.org.Forsberg, Mary E. currency for Nothing? The Financial Cost of New Jerseys shoemakers last Penalty. November 2005. Retrieved April 6, 2007 from http//www.njpp.org.New Jersey Department of Corrections. 1996. Retrieved April 3, 2007 from http//www.state.nj.us/corrections.