You might have to take some shit, but you don’t have to eat it. Or in normal person terms Small issues will happen but worry about the large ones. Inmates test every new jack to see what they can get. Nothing personal, just the way it is.

I had a friend join the Job a few years ago. I remember her telling me she was terrified at the thoughts of working on the floor. To see her now you would think she was a 20 yr veteran. She runs her own landing and the inmates jump when she roars. After her first few weeks when she first came in I asked her how she was getting on and she said that the imagined problems were 10 times worse than the reality. You will find the same.
Follow your training, watch and listen to the senior staff, Be consistant in your dealings with the prisoners and be fair but firm in your decisions. Don’t tell them any personal info or discuss any with another officer within hearing of any of them. Don’t try and pretend to know more than you do (they can spot a rookie a mile off). And take each day as it comes. You will be tested to see how you will react (they do it to every rookie). Keep calm and deal with the situation as you were trained to do and if you are unsure ask another member of staff. Nobdy expects you to know everything so ask ask ask.

Thank you, I’ve only had one job since I was 16 (23 now) so I don’t even know how starting a new job is like lol

djwolfen. Relax and your training will take over. After a few weeks you will wonder what your were worrying about.

Hello, I’m about to start my carreer at a county jail and I’m getting jittery about the big change. Any advice to help me keep my cool when I start? I know to be weary of everyone but I was wondering if there are techniques to keep you calm when confrontation arises.

Thanks for the cudos gentlemen

Irish has said about all you need to know as advice. As for size remember c4 comes in little packages. Your best weapon besides your communication skills is the ALMIGHTY PEN. Use it only if the write up is legitimate. Remember if confronted you have many people who have you back,sides,front waiting for legitimate opportunities to respond. We are the Sheepdogs out on the perimeter looking for the wolf. (David Grossman USA ret.) Read this and then go get-em.

www.killology.com/sheep_dog.htm‎

I concur with everything Irish has said.

Never trust an inmate is some of the best career advice you’ll ever hear. Hell I don’t even trust all of the staff but that’s another problem. As redundant and corny as it sounds the firm fair and consistant rule is your friend. Inmates try and test the limits of every new employee so don’t take it personal. They want to see what they can get away with and so on under your watch. Once you get a reputation with the inmates for the way you do things stuff will get easier, this is where the FFC rule really helps. Establishing authority is easy once you have the respect of those you work with and those under your watch, and inmates generally respect those staff who don’t lie to them and do what they say they will do. Don’t be a pushover and make sure you do your job but do it correctly and fairly. The only real issue I see with your size would be if someone wanted to try and physically intimidate you. If that happens don’t show them any fear and call for help if you need it. No shame in hitting that alarm button, you have it with you for a reason. Keep your head up and learn from the veteran officers around you.

Good luck

I’m new to Corrections in florida – it’s been four days now. So far they know I like lunch time in order and I ask for IDs. There are some characters that make me laugh but I do try to keep a straight face. From what I’ve seen every Sgt runs their dorms different and speak to the inmates differently. Some keep a straight face while other joke and talk to them. I ran into some trouble in establishing authority because they know I’m new. I’m 4’11 in height and petite in size compared to the other officers. Plus my voice is has a soft tone to it. I’m pretty intimated but I try to stay firm and fair. It’s hard enough to not be polite to those who are because as they say never trust an inmate! Can someone give me some advice as to how I should establish an authority despite of my size ?

Ahhhhh…… You sir, are a genius.

(Refuses the $5 because of the odd brown stain on it.) Well I sadly the state stuff is referred to as John Wayne paper because it is rough tough and refuses to take s^*# off anyone. So the best bet is to remove a tenth of the roll of paper and fold till it is the size of a normal square and wipe hoping that you do not get splinters. The best advice is to keep a roll of quality TP in your lunch box inside a gallon freezer bag. If none of these options work why fight it and just poke your finger through the paper use your finger to clean your nether region and then use the paper as you pull it back off your finger to remove the filth from said finger.

(hands Campi 5 bucks) How do I wipe with state paper and keep my finger from poking through?

Anyone who has questions about corrections feel free to ask me here on this forum. I may not always know everything but I won’t try to sell you my advice.

When I was a new officer I tried to get al the information i could about the job, but there was not much in the way of reading material written by real officers in the trenches. As a result i learned how to be a C.O. by watching and listening to the senior officers and supervisors and by trial and error. Much of what I learned over the years has been passed down from one generation of C.O.‘s to the next. I made many mistakes and have seen others make mistakes while learning how to supervise inmates. When I became a senior officer i decided to write down the lessons i have learned throughout the years and publish them in book form so other officers won’t have to learn the job the hard way. The book is entitled “Correction Officer’s Guide to Understanding Inmates: The 44 Keys to Power Control and Respect.” It can be purchased at www.coguidebook.com for only $9.99 plus shipping and handling. It can also be purchased through Amazon as an E-book. By purchasing this book you will be making the best $10 investment you will ever make in your career. No book can tell you everything you need to know about corrections, experience is the best teacher, however this book will help you avoid many of the pitfalls of the job and help you stay safe during your carer in corrections. My name is Larone Koonce and I am a retired New York City Correction Officer. If you have any questions about the book or correction in general feel free to reach out to me at laronekoonce@gmail.com. Good luck and God Bless you.

Threaten to cut their TVs at night or every minute over 2300 hrs they are not locked in gets taken out of their rec / gym time has always worked for us.

Welcome to corrections. You’ll either love it or hate it. Remember if you don’t embrace the sanctity of the job, you’ll find youself doing what the knuckleheads you spoke of do……….being a con in a uniform.
Good luck.

When you first enter the prison they see “Fresh Meat”. And unfortunately there is nothing you can do about that. Just be firm. Use the tone of your voice to let them know you will brook no dissension. And remember they may be in a Gang. But so are you and your Gang is bigger and you have the full weight of the law behind you.
Btw: Welcome to the family.

Usually just ordering them works but you have to gain a reputation. If they think that they can push you around they will. I do not play around I ask them the first time. I tell them the second time and then I make them the third. 99% of the time when I get to the second time I tell them to do something they comply knowing what comes after. Just keep in mind this whole things is a game. We all play it but no one wins. Don’t get mad at the player get mad at the game. Right?

Now that I can see different threads, I thought this would be a better place for my intro.

Just wanted to say hi to everyone. I’m new to the site and to the career. Still in training and so far loving every minute of it.. I just have to say that I’m surprised on how many officers out there are dumb enough to bring in contraband for the inmates or end up having relationships with them.

Also, Seeing that I’m new and there will be a lot to learn, was wondering on how everyone gets the inmates to lockup?