A Look at the Duties of a Prison Guard

A correctional office or prison guard is the person responsible for supervising correctional facilities or prisons. Corrections officers must ensure that the environment is suitable for human life, and safe for all prisoners within the correctional center. A prison guard's role is thus essential to the well being of our legal system; without the enforcing abilities of corrections officers prisons would run improperly and not aid in the rehabilitation of wrongdoers.

 A correctional officer is responsible for the custody, care, and control of individuals who are awaiting trial or have been arrested. In essence, anyone who serves time in jail or is held in a cell will be supervised by a prison guard or correctional officer. In addition, the team is also responsible for the safety and the security of the facility--without a team of corrections officers the prisoners would be under no control, and free to not only harm each other, but vandalize the actual structure of the facility. Most correctional officers are employed by the government of the country in which they work, though a small percentage are also employed by private companies.

Although the duties of a correctional officer can vary, the general role of the prison guard includes the various actions:

·          A prison guard maintains order and discipline within the correctional facility.

·         The prison guard enforces rules, regulations, and applicable legislation to maintain a suitable environment.

·         A correctional officer conducts routine searches of inmates to expel any contraband or weaponry that may be present.

·         The prison guard is responsible for transporting inmates to courts and other correctional facilities.

·         In response of an assault, a fire, medical emergency, or a riot the prison guard is responsible for maintaining order and providing first response action. 

NEXT: Becoming a Prison Guard