The upkeep of order in prisons is the responsibility of prison guards. They monitor the inmates’ activities and keep an eye out for potential threats. Inmates, visitors, and jail cells may all be searched for contraband such as narcotics or weapons. Additionally, they keep an eye out for any hints of violence or signs of escape in the facilities.
Read this article to know more about the prison guard salary.
Read: The Need To Get Paralegal Certifications
The Responsibilities of a Prison Guard
People working as prison guards frequently have the following duties:
- During shifts, keep an eye on the convicts’ behavior and activities.
- Make sure all convicts are present at all times and in the correct places.
- Check visitors and detainees for contraband such as drugs or weapons
- Examine jail cells for contraband and/or indications of an attempted escape.
- To protect all convicts, intervene in, stop, and prevent violent behavior.
What Do They Do?
The upkeep of order in prisons is the responsibility of prison guards. They coordinate inmates’ daily activities and keep an eye on their behavior and act to stop bad behavior. They may keep an eye on inmates at mealtimes, yard time, or when they are at work to make sure everyone is where they should be, and they record and look into any unusual conduct. In order to stop situations before they happen, prison guards should be able to spot early indications of malicious activity.
It is the duty of prison guards to keep dangerous contraband like narcotics and weapons outside of prison walls. They check visitors of prisoners to make sure no illegal materials are brought into the facility, and they also check incoming mail for harmful items. Additionally, they frequently and/or randomly search jail cells for contraband or indications of attempted escapes. They are in charge of enforcing penalties against violators and seizing contraband when it is found.
Additionally, prison guards are in charge of making sure that everyone inside the facility is safe, including the inmates, other guards, and themselves. They keep an eye out for warning signals of impending fights, riots, or other acts of violence and work to put an end to situations before they start.
Prison guards are responsible for putting an end to violent situations when they do happen. They may need to use non-lethal weapons like stun guns, nightsticks, or pepper spray to put an end to attacks and break up violent incidents.
Regular Work Hours
The majority of prison guard employment is full-time jobs. Prison guards do not follow a 9 to 5 schedule because they are required to stay on duty 365 days a year to watch over facilities and prisoners. As a result, prison guards can have to perform weekend and holiday schedules, as well as evening or late duties.
Common Employers
The majority of prison guards are employed by federal, state, or local governments and are stationed in prisons under their control. Some may be employed by institutions of correctional services, which provide prisons with guards.
Getting a Job as a Prison Guard
Typically, a high school diploma is the minimum educational requirement for employment in state or local prisons. However, there are age and citizenship criteria for prison guards. They typically need to be US citizens and either 18 or 21 years old. In addition, few prisons will hire new prison guard applicants who are older than 37, so those who want to work as prison guards should start out before that age.
On the other hand, federal prisons typically demand that prison guards hold a bachelor’s degree. Criminal justice, counseling, criminology, psychology, or justice administration are popular majors for aspirants to work as federal prison guards.
Additionally, some colleges could include a minor or concentration in corrections. Federal prison guards are required to have a degree and a few years of professional experience in law enforcement or counseling.
Although prison guards receive on-the-job training for their positions, having prior work experience in a comparable industry might make prospective applicants stand out when applying for open positions. Your prior experience in law enforcement, security, or counseling might demonstrate to potential employers that you have the qualifications needed to be a successful prison guard. To demonstrate your proficiency in handling and using firearms correctly and safely, formal weapons training and certification might be helpful.
Salary Information
You can not talk about a job or a career without looking at the pay that you will likely get from it. The national average is $45,320 and the national hourly average is $22.
How do Prison Guard Salary Rates Compare to those at other American Jobs?
According to the most recent data on employment across the country, prison guards can earn an average yearly wage of $45,320, or $22 per hour. It is therefore a salary above average. They can make as little as $32,960 per year, or $16 an hour, depending on the state you live in or whether you are just starting out.
How has the Growth of the Prison Guard Job Compared to that of other Occupations Nationwide?
For a total of 474,700 people employed in the career nationwide by 2024, 17,100 jobs will change. With a growth change of 3.7% over the following ten years, the career will grow at a below-average national rate.
