9 Chapter 9 – Corrections as a Career Field in the United States and Louisiana

Chapter Overview

This chapter discusses the significance of pursuing a career in corrections, highlighting its critical function in maintaining order and offender rehabilitation. It also examines the historical context of corrections careers, tracing the evolution of the profession and the development of the corrections workforce in Louisiana. Career opportunities within the corrections field are explored, covering roles such as officers, counselors, administrators, and specialized positions like K9 handlers and healthcare workers. The chapter also outlines educational requirements, training programs, and certification processes in both the U.S. and Louisiana. In addition, the chapter discusses the challenges faced by correctional professionals, including physical and mental health concerns, workplace safety, and ethical dilemmas. The chapter concludes with insights on job outlook, while considering the future of corrections as a career path.

9.1: Introduction

Corrections is one of the critical sectors of the criminal justice system, responsible for the implementation of penalties imposed by the courts and the rehabilitation of offenders. This sector encompasses various institutions and programs designed to manage, supervise, and reform individuals who have been convicted of crimes. To carry out the functions of managing offenders under correctional supervision, there is a diverse range of correctional personnel who perform the roles of managing offenders, promoting rehabilitation, and supporting the efficient functioning of the criminal justice system. towards the promotion of public safety. These career fields include correctional officers, parole officers, probation officers, reentry managers and a wide variety of other correctional personnel, all working in tandem in different but interdependent correctional agencies to promote public safety.

The establishment of penitentiaries coupled with the emergence of probation, parole, and community-based corrections as alternatives to incarceration created a massive need for correctional personnel. Legislative reforms in the late 20th century, such as the introduction of mandatory minimum sentences and habitual offender laws, contributed significantly to enlarging the corrections workforce. In the same vein, the privatization of prisons in the 1980s and 1990s created a need for more correctional manpower.

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Development of Corrections Workforce in Louisiana
The development of the correctional workforce in Louisiana followed national trends while also reflecting the unique needs of the state. Historically, Louisiana has one of the highest incarceration rates in the country, and its correctional system grew from its early reliance on convict leasing and prison farms. The most notable correctional facility is the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, which remains one of the largest maximum-security prisons in the country. Over time, the state expanded its network of state-run facilities and parish jails to accommodate the growing incarcerated population, driven in part by tough-on-crime policies and high rates of poverty and crime. The growth of correctional facilities in Louisiana has led to increased demand for correctional professionals, ranging from correctional officers and probation officers to healthcare workers and reentry managers.

9.2: Overview of Correctional Careers

There are several career paths in the correctional fields. The most common positions include correctional officers, probation officers, and parole officers. However, there are several other diverse job opportunities in corrections. Equally important but less talked about are professionals ranging from juvenile correctional officers, correctional counselors, correctional administrators, correctional healthcare workers (nurses, physicians, psychiatrists), reentry managers, K9 handlers, and a host of other correctional personnel whose duties are critical to correctional administration in the country.

Some of the most important but underappreciated workers in correctional administration are correctional officers because they are crucial to prison and jail management. Correctional officers are responsible for the security and supervision of incarcerated individuals within prisons and jails. They maintain order, enforce regulations, and prevent disturbances, ensuring the safety of both inmates and staff. In Louisiana, correctional officers work in state-run facilities and parish jails.

Correctional administrators manage correctional facilities and oversee operations, budgeting, policy implementation, and staff training. They ensure facilities operate efficiently while adhering to legal standards and promoting rehabilitative practices. K9 handlers work with specially trained dogs to detect contraband, locate escaped individuals, and enhance security within correctional facilities. This specialized role is vital for maintaining order and safety. Parole officers supervise offenders in community settings by monitoring individuals released from prison on parole to ensure they comply with the conditions of their release. They play a vital role in reintegrating offenders into society while reducing recidivism through supervision, counseling, and resource referrals. Like parole officers, probation officers also work in the community but oversee individuals sentenced to probation instead of incarceration. They conduct pre-sentence investigations, develop rehabilitation plans, and monitor offenders’ progress to promote positive behavioral change by working in conjunction with the courts.

Correctional counselors provide therapeutic support and develop individualized treatment plans for inmates. They address issues such as substance abuse, mental health, and behavioral problems, facilitating rehabilitation and preparing inmates for successful reintegration. Juvenile correctional officers are officers that have been trained to work specifically with juvenile offenders in detention centers and rehabilitation facilities. Their focus is on rehabilitation, education, and providing a structured environment that promotes positive behavioral change.

Healthcare professionals provide essential medical, psychological, and psychiatric services within correctional facilities. Their role is critical for ensuring inmates receive adequate healthcare and for addressing mental health issues that can impact rehabilitation. Reentry managers, on the other hand, work to prepare incarcerated individuals for successful reintegration into society. They develop programs and seek resources that address housing, employment, education, and mental health, reducing the likelihood of recidivism.

Educators in correctional settings provide academic and vocational training to inmates, promoting skill development and literacy. Their role contributes to rehabilitation by equipping individuals with tools for productive, law-abiding lives post-incarceration. Compliance officers ensure that correctional facilities adhere to legal requirements, safety standards, and accreditation guidelines. They conduct audits, develop policies, and recommend improvements to maintain ethical and legal operations.

9.3: Duties, Educational Requirements, and Important Qualities of Correctional Officers

Correctional officers are responsible for overseeing individuals who have been arrested and are awaiting trial or who have been sentenced to serve time in jail or prison. They perform the following functions:

• Enforce rules and keep order within jails or prisons.
• Supervise activities of inmates.
• Inspect facilities to ensure that they meet security and safety requirements.
• Search inmates for contrabands which can threaten the safety and security of the prison, staff.
• Report on inmate conduct.
• Escort and transport inmates.
• Prevent inmates from escaping from correctional facilities.

Correctional officers (COs) play a critical role within the prison system. Most COs work in government-owned prison facilities, although a sizeable number work in private prisons as well. They are tasked with numerous responsibilities designed to ensure that their respective facilities are operating efficiently. As the front-line bureaucrats of the prison institution (Kauffmann, 1989; Crawley, 2004; Lipsky, 2010), COs play such a fundamental role in the functioning of any prison system that Archambeault and Archambeault (1982) remarked that correctional officers “represent the single most important resource available to any correctional agency” (p. 72).

Officers also inspect mail and visitors for prohibited items. They write reports and fill out daily logs detailing inmate behavior and anything else of note that occurred during their shift. Correctional officers also engage in restraining inmates in handcuffs and leg irons to escort them safely to and from cells and to see authorized visitors. Officers also escort prisoners to courtrooms, medical facilities, and other destinations.

Correctional officers usually work full-time on rotating shifts. Because jail and prison security must be provided around the clock, officers work all hours of the day and night, including weekends and holidays. Many officers are required to work overtime.

Educational Requirements

Although qualifications vary by state and agency, all agencies require a high school diploma or equivalent. For employment in federal prisons, the Federal Bureau of Prisons requires entry-level correctional officers to have at least a bachelor’s degree or 1 to 3 years of full-time experience in a field providing counseling, assistance, or supervision to individuals. Many agencies establish a minimum age for correctional officers, which is typically between 18 and 21 years of age.

Training

Correctional officers typically attend a training academy, which can last a few months, but this varies by state. Academy trainees receive instruction in several subjects, including self-defense, institutional policies, regulations, operations, and security procedures.

Important Qualities

• Decision-making skills: Correctional officers must use both their training and common sense to quickly determine the best course of action and to take the necessary steps to achieve desired outcome, often under stressful situations.
• Detail-oriented: Correctional officers follow and enforce strict procedures in correctional facilities to ensure the safety of inmates and colleagues.
• Interpersonal skill: Correctional officers must be able to interact and communicate effectively with inmates and others to maintain order in correctional facilities.
• Negotiating skills: Correctional officers must be able to assist others in resolving differences to avoid conflict.
• Physical strength: Correctional officers must have the strength to physically subdue inmates or others.
• Self-discipline: Correctional officers must control their emotions when confronted with hostile situations.

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9.4: Job Opportunities in Private Prisons

Besides thousands of job opportunities in government-owned prisons, private prison facilities employ a total of 13,344 regular and non-payroll support staff. The number of full-time, or regular, staff ranged from as low as 19 at the smallest institution to 532 at the largest. Correctional officers accounted for 63.2 percent of employees at private facilities in 2015; a similar percentage were employed as security staff at public correctional facilities. Professional treatment staff accounted for 12 percent of private correctional employees, followed by clerical (7.9 percent), education (5.8 percent), and maintenance and food service (5.5 percent).

Private state prisons have higher proportions of minority employees compared with public prisons. Fifty-three percent of the staff at private facilities were white, whereas 31.7 percent of the inmate population was white. At public facilities, the corresponding figures in 1995 were 71.3 percent and 35.5 percent, respectively. The racial composition of staff to inmates was similar for blacks at both types of facilities. Blacks comprise 22.4 percent of the staff and 43.9 percent of inmates at private state prisons versus 20 percent of staff and 47.7 percent of inmates at public facilities. Hispanics, on the other hand, comprise 14.4 percent of the inmate population at federal and state public facilities but only 6.3 percent of the correctional staff. Among the 65 private state facilities surveyed, Hispanics comprised 20.7 percent of the inmate population and 18 percent of the staff.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor, the average starting salary for correctional officers in 2016 was $32,290. The number of staff hired and terminated is largely driven by the number of facilities in operation and facility size. Large and medium-sized institutions tend to have higher staff turnover rates. Only one private facility in the United States is unionized.

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The privately owned prison industry accounts for approximately 10% of the prisoners currently being held in the United States at a cost of 55 million dollars per year.

There are a number of private prison operators in the United States, but the two top companies are Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) and The Geo Group (GEO). Forty percent of the revenue that these companies receive is from the government for the housing of inmates and the operation of their private prison facilities. CCA is the largest private prison operator with about 67 facilities in the United States, while The GEO Group has facilities both in the USA and internationally.

9.5: Duties, Educational Requirements, and Important Qualities of Probation Officers

Probation officers are community-based criminal justice practitioners whose role in correctional administration is to supervise offenders who have been sentenced to probation as an alternative to incarceration. Their work focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders as well as ensuring public safety through monitoring, counseling, intervention, and assisting them in having access to essential resources.

Duties of Probation Officers

Probation officers use case management as a basis for supervising the offenders on their caseloads. Case management is a management process which involves assessing the risk level and needs of offenders to develop appropriate individualized case plans to facilitate rehabilitation while also minimizing the risk that they may pose to society. Probation officers’ main duty is to ensure that probationers comply with court-ordered conditions. These conditions are contained in the probation certificate of each probationer. This document clearly expresses the conditions of probation, which if violated, may lead to the imposition of stiff sanctions, including revocation of probation.

The probation conditions typically include conditions such as scheduled reporting to a probation officer, drug testing, maintaining employment, refraining from criminal activity, avoiding contact with crime victims, participation in treatment programs, etc. One of the critical functions of a probation officer is to regularly meet with probationers during scheduled office and home visits. Probation officers may also be required to conduct pre-sentence investigations, providing detailed reports to the courts that include recommendations for sentencing based on an individual’s background, criminal history, and potential for rehabilitation.

In addition, probation officers collaborate with various community resources such as substance abuse programs, mental health services, and job training agencies for resources to help probationers get back on their feet and become productive members of society. They also maintain accurate records, documenting interactions with probationers and other collateral contacts, and preparing progress reports for the courts. Probation officers must also determine the appropriate response when probationers violate their probation conditions and can recommend a range of sanctions from increased supervision to revocation of probation.

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Educational Requirements

Typically, an individual aspiring to become a probation officer needs a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or related disciplines such as sociology, psychology, and social work. For specialized or higher-level positions, a master’s degree may be required.

Upon employment, newly hired probation officers generally undergo training programs that can last a few months. The curriculum of these programs covers topics such as supervision methods, interviewing techniques, crisis intervention, ethics, legal standards, and documentation. Some states require probation officers to obtain certification or licensure.

Important Qualities

The role of probation officers is unique in correctional administration, serving as a critical link between the courts, offenders, and community resources. Their duties therefore require not only formal education and training but also certain skills, which are crucial to offender rehabilitation and public safety through consistent monitoring and intervention. To be effective, therefore, a probation officer needs strong interpersonal, analytical, and organizational skills. Effective communication skills are essential for building rapport with probationers, collaborating with community agencies, and presenting findings to the courts. A probation officer also needs to have a high level of empathy, listening ability, and cultural competence to understand and effectively work with offenders from diverse backgrounds who may have complex social, economic, and psychological issues.

Probation officers also require strong analytical skills to conduct risk assessments, develop effective case plans, and monitor the progress of offenders. Probation officers must be detail-oriented and able to accurately document their observations and decisions. Additionally, sound judgment and decision-making abilities are essential for determining the best course of action when probation violations occur and for managing potentially volatile situations.

Stress management and de-escalation skills are also essential as probation officers frequently work with individuals with severe personal challenges and who may not be easily amenable to adhering to instructions. Maintaining professionalism under pressure is crucial to ensuring successful offender outcomes.

9.6: Duties, Educational Requirements, and Important Qualities of Parole Officers

Most of the duties, educational requirements, and important qualities of parole officers are like those for probation officers. They are both engaged in community supervision of offenders. The major difference is the type of offenders that they supervise and who they work with. Probation officers supervise offenders who have been sentenced to probation in lieu of incarceration, while parole officers supervise inmates who have been released from incarceration into the community under conditional parole. Secondly, probation officers work closely with the courts in ensuring that probationers comply with their court-ordered conditions, and they report on the progress of the probationers to the courts. Parole officers, however, do not work with the court system. Instead, they work with the parole board in their states in ensuring that parolees adhere to the terms of their release, helping them reintegrate into society while promoting public safety.

Duties of Parole Officers

The primary duties of parole officers include the following:

• Monitoring compliance with parole conditions
• Conducting regular meetings with parolees which may include office and home visits.
• Creating individualized case plans aimed at reducing recidivism based on risk and needs assessments.
• Collaborating with community resources, such as job training programs, substance abuse treatment centers, and mental health services, to assist parolees in their rehabilitation and successful reintegration into society.
• Maintaining detailed records and preparing progress reports.
• Conducting evaluations to determine the level of supervision required for each parolee and ensure that high-risk individuals receive appropriate monitoring.
• Intervening in cases where parolees exhibit signs of non-compliance, which may include imposing sanctions or recommending revocation of parole.

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Educational Requirements

The educational requirements for parole officers and probation officers are similar. At least a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, sociology, psychology, social work, or a related field is often required. For higher-level or specialized positions, some parole agencies may prefer candidates with a master’s degree or certifications.

In addition, aspiring parole officers must complete training programs administered by their employing agencies. These programs often cover topics such as supervision methods, case management, crisis intervention, report writing, and understanding legal standards associated with parole supervision.

Important Qualities

Balancing the goals of rehabilitation and public safety requires that parole officers possess certain personal qualities to effectively manage individuals on their caseloads and promote positive outcomes for the parolees. An effective parole officer will need a combination of interpersonal, analytical, and organizational skills.

• A high degree of communication skill is essential as parole officers will regularly interact with parolees, their families, law enforcement, and various community service providers. A parole officer’s ability to establish rapport while maintaining authority and professionalism is essential for successful parole supervision.
• Empathy, listening ability, and cultural competence are also critical qualities, as parole officers work with parolees from diverse backgrounds who may have personal issues, including trauma, addiction, or mental health issues. Patience and resilience are necessary skills to assist parolees to overcome the challenges and setbacks that may occur throughout the parolee’s reintegration process.
• Parole officers need analytical and critical thinking skills. These skills are crucial for assessing offenders’ risk levels, creating case plans, and evaluating parolee progress.
• Parole officers must also be detail-oriented and capable of writing clear, comprehensive reports.
• Furthermore, strong decision-making abilities are required to determine when to intervene or recommend parole revocation if compliance issues arise.

9.7: Contributions of Correctional Personnel to Society

Corrections is one of the critical sectors of the criminal justice system, along with law enforcement and the court system. Correctional personnel are very important to public safety, maintenance of law and order, offender rehabilitation, and social reintegration. However, their contributions are often overlooked by members of the public.

Promoting Public Safety

The primary role of correctional personnel, particularly correctional officers, is to maintain safety and order within correctional facilities. Their tasks include managing inmate behavior, preventing escapes, and ensuring the well-being of inmates. Without them, the prisons and jails cannot function (Finn, 2000).

Rehabilitation and Offender Reentry

Correctional personnel play an important role in ensuring offender rehabilitation, which is critical to broader community safety. Many correctional personnel are involved in running different useful programs such as educational programs, vocational training, and therapy sessions, which are vital to turning incarcerated individuals into productive members of society post-release (Taxman et al., 2007). Probation and parole officers monitor offenders who are under community supervision, helping them solve challenges such as employment, housing, and treatment issues, which are vital to their successful reintegration into society.

Psychological Support and Crisis Management

Due to the inherently stressful nature of correctional facilities, correctional personnel are required to manage mental health crises, mediate conflicts, and address suicidal behavior among inmates (Lambert et al., 2010). Trained correctional counselors provide psychological assistance to inmates, including providing cognitive-behavioral programs directed at curbing harmful behaviors.

Community Engagement

Besides ensuring that sentences are carried out safely, correctional personnel serve as a bridge between the criminal justice system and society at large. Probation and parole officers engage directly with families, employers, and service providers to support the reintegration of offenders (Clear, 2007).

9.8: Challenges Associated with Correctional Employment

While correctional personnel are indispensable to the criminal justice system and the overall goal of promoting public safety in the country, they face a wide range of challenges that can significantly impact their physical health, mental well-being, ethical integrity, and job satisfaction. The challenges include high rates of workplace injuries, ethical dilemmas, low public appreciation, burnout and mental health issues (Dowden & Tellier, 2004). Nonetheless, the correctional workforce must navigate complex issues while striving to maintain safety and professionalism.

Fatalities and Workplace Injuries within Correctional Facilities in the U.S. and Louisiana

Dangers and Risks Confronting Correctional Officers

Working in a correctional institution can be stressful and dangerous. COs work under conditions that can threaten their general safety and wellness. Correctional officers may get injured during confrontations with inmates, and they have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. The job demands that officers be alert and ready to react throughout their entire shift.

Following several legislative reforms that started in the 1970s, resulting in “get tough on crime” policies such as mandatory minimum sentences and habitual offender laws (Mackenzie, 2001), correctional institutions experienced dramatic changes in the composition of the inmate population. Not only did the total number of incarcerated offenders skyrocket from roughly 300,000 to more than 1.5 million between 1975 and 2013, but the percentage of offenders also imprisoned for violent crimes increased from about 40 percent in 1985 to more than 60 percent by 2013 (Walmsley, 2013). Although incarceration rates have declined in recent years, the modern-day CO is still required to interact with and supervise individuals in a dangerous environment (Glaze & Kaeble, 2014).

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Officers are further responsible for maintaining safety in a setting with significant numbers of gang members (Lombardo, 1989), offenders with mental illness (Kupers, 1999; Turner, 1975), drug addicts (Ross, 1981), and even terrorists (Crawley, 2004), all of whom pose elevated safety and health risks to COs. Further compounding these issues is that prisons have long been described as “total institutions,” defined as places “where a large number of like-situated individuals, cut off from the wider society for an appreciable period of time, together lead an … enclosed life” (Goffman, 1961, p. xiii). As a result, officers are required to interact with and supervise potentially dangerous offenders in relatively unsafe and secluded surroundings. Collectively, these observations have prompted correctional scholars and practitioners to characterize prisons as dangerous environments that carry an increased risk of harm to the people working in them (Beck, Harrison, & Adams, 2007; Crawley, 2004; Hensley, Koscheski, & Tewksbury, 2005).

Correctional Officer Health Outcomes

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The position of CO carries with it the intrinsic danger of physical injury and mental stress. According to the BLS (2023), correctional officers have one of the highest rates of injuries resulting from violence, with over 8.5 injuries per 100 full-time workers—nearly five times the national average. These injuries often stem from inmate assaults, falls, and physical strain due to having to occasionally control physically combative individuals. Correctional officers are also frequently exposed to traumatic events and chronic stress, leading to mental health conditions such as PTSD, burnout, and depression (Spinaris et al., 2012). The statistics by the BLS is supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which reported 113 fatalities among U.S. correctional officers between 1999 and 2008, with an average of 11 fatalities per year. Eighty percent of fatalities were assaults, stabbing incidents, and physical altercations involving inmates and transportation-related incidents

Harrell (2011) also reported that between 2005 and 2009, the rate of sustained nonfatal workplace injuries per 1,000 COs was 33.0, which, among 26 different professions, ranked third only to police officers and security guards (77.8 and 65.0, respectively). Harrell (2011) further found that in 2011, COs experienced 544 work-related injuries or illnesses that required absences from work per 10,000 full-time officers — the third highest rate of nonfatal workplace injuries, again surpassed only by police officers and security guards. Additional reports from Brower (2013) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2013) noted that between 1999 and 2008, a total of 113 U.S. COs lost their lives in the line of duty — a fatality rate of 2.7 per 100,000 full-time employees — the 22nd highest among 115 professions.

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COs also experience high levels of stress, burnout, and a variety of other mental health-related consequences because of the nature of their employment and work environment (Brower, 2013; Stack & Tsoudis, 1997). According to the Management and Training Corporation (2011), between 22 percent and 33 percent of COs report high stress levels. Other studies (Lambert et al., 2005; Ferdik, Smith, & Applegate, 2014a) found that more than 35 percent of officers in the sample recorded high stress levels. Together, the impact of negative physical and mental health outcomes for COs can have deleterious effects on the wider prison institution. Staff shortages and officer absences from work can create a cycle whereby low officer-to-inmate ratios and high turnover in officer staffing threaten the effective implementation of a correctional facility’s security mandates (Brower, 2013; Crawley, 2004; Ferdik, Smith, & Applegate, 2014a).

Mental Health Concerns

Correctional professionals frequently encounter mental health challenges associated with their work environment. High rates of stress-related disorders are prevalent among correctional workers due to the demanding nature of their jobs. For instance, studies have shown that correctional officers experience elevated levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression due to their exposure to violence and high-stress situations (Morgan et al., 2021). Additionally, correctional staff face risks from other hazards such as infectious diseases, particularly in overcrowded and under-resourced facilities (Nowotny et al., 2020).

Mental Health of Louisiana Correctional Personnel

In Louisiana, the challenges faced by correctional officers are compounded by the state’s high incarceration rate as well as overcrowding, understaffing, and outdated infrastructure (Justice Policy Institute, 2018). Reports from the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections (LDPSC) indicate that violent incidents resulting in staff injuries have been increasing, particularly in facilities such as Angola and the Elayn Hunt Correctional Center. Reports indicate that correctional officers face a higher risk of non-fatal workplace injuries compared to other law enforcement occupations (Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA], 2023).

Workplace Safety

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The inherent risks associated with the job are exacerbated by issues such as overcrowding and understaffing, which can compromise the safety of both staff and inmates. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (2023), overcrowded facilities create dangerous conditions by increasing tensions among inmates and limiting the ability of correctional staff to effectively monitor and manage behavior.

Furthermore, understaffing can result in excessive workloads, contributing to burnout and diminished job performance. To mitigate the situation, preventative measures such as improved staffing ratios, better training in conflict de-escalation, mental health support, and safer facility designs are essential to correctional officers’ safety. Ensuring adequate staffing levels and providing appropriate safety training are also essential to address these concerns.

Dangers and Risks Confronting Probation and Parole Officers

Probation and parole officers supervise offenders in the community and are therefore far removed from the dangers associated with working in correctional facilities. Nonetheless, interacting with offenders in the community during offenders’ office and home visits can sometimes present a unique set of dangers. Violent probationers and parolees can engage officers in violent arguments, which if not handled with care, can occasionally result in verbal and physical assault. Conducting home visits to offenders’ residences requires that officers be fully conscious of the inherent danger that can occur during such visits by hostile offenders and their family members and acquaintances.

9.9: Ethical Dilemmas

Ethical Issues among Correctional Officers

Correctional professionals face ethical dilemmas that can challenge their commitment to professional standards. Issues of corruption, abuse of power, and ethical decision-making are prevalent concerns within correctional institutions. Among correctional officers, for instance, unethical practices such as accepting bribes, facilitating contraband smuggling, or engaging in discriminatory behavior undermine the integrity of the correctional system. Showing favoritism to certain inmates or retaliating against inmates who report officers’ misconduct challenges fairness and professionalism.

Ethical Issues among Probation and Parole Officers

Despite working in the community, probation officers and parole officers also face ethical issues in interacting with offenders on their caseloads. Unethical practices such as accepting bribes and engaging in romantic relationships with offenders can compromise professionalism and safety. Officers are generally discouraged from fraternizing with parolees and probationers as well as their family members to promote transparency and accountability. In addition, every officer is required to disclose any prior relationship with offenders on their caseloads and recuse from supervising such offenders because of a potential conflict of interest or lack of impartiality. Furthermore, probation and parole officers must suppress personal biases in offender supervision, resist temptation to falsify reports, avoid violating the privacy of offenders on their caseloads without clear justification, and meet all professional obligations.

To address ethical issues, ethical training and establishing clear guidelines for appropriate conduct are necessary to mitigate these challenges and promote accountability in offender supervision in and out of correctional facilities (Carlson & Garrett, 2022).

9.10: Future of Corrections as a Career Path

Emphasis on rehabilitation, reentry management, and community-based corrections.

The renewed emphasis on offender rehabilitation is a significant milestone in correctional administration. The field of corrections is anticipated to undergo significant changes in the coming decades, driven by evolving societal attitudes toward crime, rehabilitation, and public safety. One of the most notable trends is a growing emphasis on rehabilitation and reentry management, reflecting a shift away from purely punitive approaches toward more rehabilitative and restorative models of correctional practice. Programs such as probation, parole, and diversion initiatives are expected to expand, emphasizing the importance of supervision and support within community settings rather than confinement in institutional environments. Research suggests that community-based corrections can be more effective in promoting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism, particularly when individuals have access to education, job training, mental health services, and substance abuse treatment (Phelps & Pager, 2019).

Job Outlook

The job outlook for correctional professionals is influenced by various factors, including legislative changes, criminal justice reforms, and societal attitudes toward incarceration. As policymakers and agencies continue to recognize the importance of reducing recidivism, correctional professionals are expected to play increasingly active roles in facilitating rehabilitation programs and supporting successful reentry for formerly incarcerated individuals (Taxman, 2020). According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024), the overall employment of correctional officers is expected to decline slightly due to decreasing incarceration rates and shifts toward community-based alternatives.

As a result, opportunities in specialized roles, such as probation officers, parole officers, and correctional treatment specialists, are projected to remain stable or experience moderate growth. Legislative changes aimed at reducing recidivism and promoting rehabilitation may also shape future employment opportunities in the field.

Impact of Technology and Training Practices on Correctional Work

Technological advancements and evolving training practices are also expected to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of correctional work. From improved data management systems to more comprehensive training programs that incorporate evidence-based practices, the future of corrections will likely prioritize professionalism, accountability, and ethical standards. Additionally, as the demand for correctional services continues to evolve, there will be a growing need for skilled professionals capable of navigating the complex challenges of this field while promoting humane and rehabilitative practices (Clear et al., 2018).

Conclusion

The historical development of careers in corrections in the United States and Louisiana has evolved significantly over the years. Early correctional practices in the U.S. were primarily punitive, with a focus on incarceration and harsh treatment (Clear, Reisig, & Cole, 2019). Over time, a shift towards rehabilitation and reform emerged, particularly during the Progressive Era of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In Louisiana, the establishment of state-run facilities and parish jails reflected broader national trends, although unique local policies influenced employment opportunities (Hassett-Walker, 2019).

Career opportunities in corrections are diverse, ranging from correctional officers and parole officers to correctional counselors and administrators. Entry-level positions generally require a high school diploma or GED, although many agencies prefer candidates with an associate or bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, psychology, or social work (Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS], 2024). Training programs typically include instruction in legal standards, crisis intervention, and case management, which are essential for successful employment and advancement.

While corrections careers can be rewarding, offering stability and opportunities for advancement, they also present significant challenges. Workers often face high levels of stress, risk of injury, and emotional exhaustion due to the demanding nature of the job (Finn, 2000). Nevertheless, those committed to making a positive impact on offenders’ lives find the work fulfilling and essential to public safety.

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