I had the opportunity to conduct a phone interview with Caleb Justice; a corrections officer from the Federal correctional Institution in Terre Haute, Indiana. Caleb is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, where he served four years on active duty as a machine gunner. During his four years he deployed on a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) as well as to Nowzad and Musa Qala Afghanistan. After serving honorably Caleb decided to take his skill set to the civilian sector and began seeking employment in the Criminal Justice System. I talked to Caleb about the educational requirements for the field and I learned that the corrections field (at least entry level) is relatively easy for one to make entry into. The first step is to simply …show more content…
What is the craziest experience you have had so far? He told me that there has been a lot of interesting days, but the one that stands out to him so far is when an inmate was being transported from the yard to a cell, he decided he wanted to fight Caleb, so he had to take him down. But Caleb went on to explain that the most important thing in his line of work is to build a report with the inmates. He said, “I never give them my trust, but if you build a good report and let them know that you will be cool if they are cool, your job will be much easier and more enjoyable.” He added that the guys (often time the new guys) that come to work with a bad attitude and treat the inmates bad don’t usually last long because the inmates find out what ticks them off and from their it’s like entertainment for them to get you going. It’s all about making sure the inmates are doing what they are supposed to while treating them with some form of respect, if you do that most days will go …show more content…
But one thing that Caleb mentioned that made sense is how certain areas can change due to the prisons in the area. He told me that a lot of times when an individual gets locked up at an institution, his/her family will move to that area to be able to visit often. When this occurs, they usually bring the problems of where they came from with them (Chicago gangs, violence, drugs, etc.) After enough people move to an area, problems rise, and it can change the dynamic of a town/city etc. When asked what the work environment was like, he told me that he works with a lot of veterans so it was a pretty smooth transition from military life. A lot if the guys he works with have the same mindset and operate in a similar manor so it makes for a cohesive work environment. Most of the days run smooth and everyone is on the same page. He also said it’s a great starting point for guys who want to move on to other areas of law
Unable to get official permission to interview and write about correctional officers, Ted Conover, author of the book Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing, “got in" by applying for a correctional officer position. After training, he and his fellow rookies, known as "newjacks," were randomly assigned to Sing Sing, one of the country's most famous -- and infamous -- prisons. Sing Sing, a maximum-security male prison, was built in 1828 by prisoners themselves, kept at their task by frequent use of the whip. Today, the chaos, the backbiting, the rundown building and equipment, the disrespect and the relentless stress that Conover experienced in his year at Sing Sing show, quite well, how the increase of prisons in the U.S. brutalizes more than just the prisoners. Some of the individuals in Conover's entering "class" of corrections trainees had always wanted to work in law enforcement. Others were ex-military, looking for a civilian job that they thought would reward structure and discipline. But most came looking for a steady job with good benefits. To get it, they were desperate enough to commute hours each way, or even to live apart from their families during the work week. Their job consists of long days locking and unlocking cells, moving prisoners to and from various locations while the prisoners beg, hassle and abuse them. Sometimes, the prisoners' requests are simple, but against the rules: an extra shower, some contraband cigarettes. Other times, they are appropriate, but unbelievably complicated: it can take months to get information about property lost in the transfer from one prison to another. Meanwhile, the orders officers give are ignored. Discipline -- even among the officers themselves -- is non-existent. And with the money and benefits of this "good" job come nightmares and family stress, daily uncertainty about one's job and duties, and pent-up frustration that, every so often, explodes in violence -- instigated by staff as well as by prisoners.
My interview with Lance Lowry has really opened my eyes to our prison system. I have always believed our prison system was there to reform and change inmates, and rehabilitate them back into law abiding citizens. That is definitely not the case. It makes me affirm my decision in criminal defense, and make sure everyone has a chance for reform and change.
In writing the book Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing, Conover undergoes a transformation as a correctional officer in order to expose the problems within our prison systems. The reader learns a lot about what is taking place in prisons right now and what it is like to be a guard, but in sum what one must foremost take into account is that this is not how prisons how they have to be. There are social, political, and economic realities that have constructed this system and in order to dispel them it is more beneficial to understand these factors rather than one man’s experience in a place of power at one prison.
I have to say the reading gave me a different outlook on what inmates? do and think while in prison. They become a number not a person and do have needs that have to be address. Addressing these needs will help in running an institution smoothly and more safely. Finally Anonymous makes a powerful statement in the writing of this book on some policies that should be changed in prisons. I really enjoyed reading this book and having maybe a new outlook in dealing with inmates.
All in all, Kerman’s year sentence in jail opened her eyes to some of the many problems within the federal prison system. She witnessed favoritism, abuse, health violations, etc. that helped her realize that she never wanted to go back to prison, despite all the true friendships she made. Through her use of rhetoric, mainly ethos, Kerman showed her audience a firsthand account of what an actual prison sentence is like. She also explored the idea of how one bad decision can change a person’s life forever.
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
The criminal justice field is made up of many facets. The court system includes many professions which include lawyers, judges, police officers and polygraph examiners. The federal justice system has numerous professions as well. Two highly recognizable organizations in the government criminal justice system are the CIA and the FBI. Two careers of interest worth future investigation are a polygraph examiner and a special agent in the FBI.
There are multiple subjects he or she can learn in college or even high school to help them have a better chance of becoming a parole officer. One needs to be a very flexible person when it comes to multi-tasking. He or she needs to have different work styles. There are lots of advantages and disadvantages to being a parole/probation officer. There is some stuff he or she can do before becoming a full-fledged parole and/or probation officer.
Recruiting efforts begin with the intake of the offender into the prison system. The best recruitment takes place in transfer facilities where offenders are held before they are classified as to what security level prison they will be sent to. There are steps that must be followed when becoming a prospectiv...
The mission of Franklin Pierce Universities Criminal Justice Program is to produce graduates who have demonstrated competency in administration of justice, corrections, criminological theory, and law enforcement the program provides students with essential knowledge in the areas of policing, courts and corrections within a solid liberal arts framework. Special attention is given to career roles, social interaction and social forces that contribute to so...
The career of a correctional officer has always captivated me in a way that is difficult to explain. Even as a child, I recall tuning into shows such as Lockup and Lockdown. In fact, my earliest, most vivid memories consist of me sitting in front of a TV screen with my eyes mesmerized by the hardened criminals visioned on the screen before me. It may seem peculiar, but I’ve always pictured myself inside the prison walls. What’s even more peculiar is that I’ve seldom visioned myself as a correctional officer; in fact, I’ve almost always visioned myself as a prisoner. Given what’s been said, one may ask me why it is that I aspire to be a correctional officer. And the answer to that question is rather simple. I want to be a correctional officer because I thrive for a rush of euphoria to course through my veins. And being a correctional officer will allow an endless supply of euphoria to course through my veins. And with that said, I don’t need to further explain why such a career is what I long for.
...ple. Before this experience, I do not think I could have ever said I respected a convicted burglar or any criminal. These were humans who made incredibly bad decisions, but that does not mean they do not deserve a second chance if they are willing to change, some aren’t, but I emphasized for the prisoners who were. Prison is a lot of their second chances. “I am lucky to still be alive, if I were not here (in prison), I most likely wouldn’t be alive,” exclaimed one prisoner. This experience allowed me to be thankful for the life I was given, the home I grew up in, and how my parents raised me. I cannot say I would not walk into a prison frightened and with preconceived thoughts again because I would be lying. I have been taught by society to be scared of these people, but I am thankful I can say I did meet kind, remorseful prisoners waiting for their second chance.
The “Tough on Crime” and “War on Drugs” policies of the 1970s – 1980s have caused an over populated prison system where incarceration is policy and assistance for prevention was placed on the back burner. As of 2005, a little fewer than 2,000 prisoners are being released every day. These individuals have not gone through treatment or been properly assisted in reentering society. This has caused individuals to reenter the prison system after only a year of being release and this problem will not go away, but will get worst if current thinking does not change. This change must be bigger than putting in place some under funded programs that do not provide support. As the current cost of incarceration is around $30,000 a year per inmate, change to the system/procedure must prevent recidivism and the current problem of over-crowed prisons.
The criminal justice system is composed of three parts – Police, Courts and Corrections – and all three work together to protect an individual’s rights and the rights of society to live without fear of being a victim of crime. According to merriam-webster.com, crime is defined as “an act that is forbidden or omission of a duty that is commanded by public law and that makes the offender liable to punishment by that law.” When all the three parts work together, it makes the criminal justice system function like a well tuned machine.
The data gathered in the Teplin, Abram & McClelland (1994) research was conducted in the Cook county jail in Chicago during a six year period, using interview techniques during the intake process of 728 inmates. They then tracked the participants over the six years by monitoring their rap sheets. What sets this research apart from the others is that they utilized the population of a jail versus a prison. Typically, once in prison, the time spent there is long whereas in jail, the incarceration time is usually much shorter as the inmates are in jail for lesser crimes or are awaiting trial. In any case, there is a larger turnaround and more opportunity to obtain diverse long term data.