Postal Letter

Is a Career in corrections for me?

I am currently working for FedEx and have always wanted a career in criminal justice. Either as a police officer, corrections officer, customs officer. Something like this. There is a prison the next town over that is a med security women's facility. But i am having a hard time making a decision. How can I tell if this is the job for me? Should I just find a job where I can have more time to go to the gym and then try for the police? Whats it like working in a women's facility?

Public Comments

1. Since you live near a prison, you can contact the warden to ask for an "informational interview" where you can ask questions and see what it might be like to work there. When you call, be sure to tell the person you are interested in pursuing a career in criminal justice and would appreciate 15 minutes of time to learn more about it from a person who has experience. It is important to develop a list of questions to ask. Write them down in a notebook and bring it with you to your meeting. You can include questions like the ones you asked here. Other good questions are: What type of educational background is preferred? Are there entry-level positions within the system which would give me first-hand experience? What do you look for in a new employee? What are the most frequent reasons cited when people leave this field? Hope this helps. Good luck!
2. Mel M has a done a great job of answering your question. I was going to say something very similar, but he/she said it better than I could have.
3. I work for a department of corrections and Wardens are very busy people, you probaly won't even get through on the phone much less be able to schedule 15 minutes to talk about if corrections is right for you or not. A warden will probably just refer you to a recruiter. I had to make the same decision, what it came down to for me was knowing what I was dealing with. On the street you face the constant unknown, any idiot could have a gun and a reason to blow you away. You never know who are the average citizen's who are looking to you for help, or that guy with the gun. In a prison they are all that guy, you know who you're dealing with and they don't have guns, maybe a crudely fashioned stabbing or slicing weapon, while you have all of the same equipment and training as a street cop. Hope this helped.