The Role of the Various Prison Personnel in Maintaining Prison Security

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As prisons become more crowded and internal problems arise, it is important to keep control and stability inside and outside of the prison. Although there are many security measures that can be put into place, it is hard to say whether it is the physical design of the prison or the skilled officer that makes the difference in safety and security. Both play a major role in keeping things running smoothly inside and outside the perimeters.

A correctional officer is responsible for the supervision, safety, and security of prisoners in a prison. These officers are in charge of the care, custody, and control of inmates. Most prison officers are employed by the government of the country in which they operate, though some are employed by private companies. A correctional officer's occupation is often considered risky with inmate confrontations, their working environment can vary greatly with some correctional institutions being modern, well lit, air-conditioned and ventilated while others are old, overcrowded, and noisy. Correctional officers often work on a rotating shift basis including weekends and holidays. Having to put in extra hours can result in fatigue, low morale, and family related problems. Correctional officers may also get burned out because their work is unpredictable, identity threatening, and tragic.

Prison personnel must be ready to react to all types of emergency situations, including a violent prisoner uprising. Because a correctional institution is a controlled environment inmates will often attempt to disorder that environment. Many remedies for such disruptions, including physical and less than lethal force, isolation and less lethal weaponry are often adopted depending on the type of correctional f...

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... factors previously mentioned like a correctional officer’s job satisfaction and staff burnout play a big role on the officer’s professionalism and proficiency in his or her job.

Finally, it is only logical that as the prison population grows so does the need for tighter security. This requires extensive training and education by the correctional officer and perfect design in physical security. No one aspect is more important than the other, but each has its own duty and responsibility for protecting the institution, inmates, officers, and the community. Similarly, neither the internal or physical factor of security is more significant. Both play a key role and depend on each other for backup. A detection system is no good without someone there to react to it, just as an officer cannot identify certain problems without being alarmed by a detection system.

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