Ted Conover´s Newjack and on Becoming a Correctional Officer

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Ted Conover was from a relatively high class upbringing with good professional accomplishments and education. He was a journalist who came up with an idea to become a correction officer because he was denied access by the Department of Corrections from conducting interviews or research on intuitional grounds about the lives of correctional officers.
In his book Newjack he spoke of a variety of things pertaining to prison life at Sing Sing. As a new Correctional Officer coming into the ranks myself, or Newjack as he describes it I can relate to many of the issues he spoke about. Issues like when he talked about putting his game face on when he enters the prison for his shift. A Correctional officer is a person who must try to be a role model type figure, and keep his personal feelings in check. A Correctional Officer also must to be able to leave the job at the gate on the way out and not bring it home with him.
The way he spoke about running the blocks and how all inmates needed something from him and the responsibilities that come with the different jobs he performed as a CO. All these things you have to do while still being accountable for all the inmates under your charge. But being a good CO isn’t just about good accountability, it’s about trying to be a mentor and role model to some people that may have not had a chance to learn better things or trades. People that didn’t get the opportunity in life to obtain a GED, or college education. The prison system is working towards a reform type approach which CO’s
Conover did discuss that it takes four to five years to become a good Correctional Officer. I can see what he means with this. To be able to understand the ...

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...tion and educational programs designed to help with discipline and an understanding importance of teamwork amongst peers that they must learn to live with.
The words care, custody, and control I think are ones that are tough to follow every day. But are ones that you will have to follow every day as you serve as a Correctional Officer. I will find this challenging in every aspect of my functions as an Officer. As for Ted Conover he knew when he was retiring unlike the real CO trying to make a real career of it. So what I’m saying is that he could not have known all the ins and outs of being a CO because he only worked as one for a year and even him himself said you need four to five years to get to know the job. But I think he did shed some light on the mass stereotyping of the Correctional Officer in the world and proven you can’t always judge a book by its cover.

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