My Interview with a Correctional Officer

This interview was conducted with the help of my father, Clarence. He is a Correctional Officer and has been since before I was born. This interview is to show you what some Correctional Officers face everyday and how they deal with it.

Rosa: Do you enjoy your line of work or are there days when you wish that you had another job?

Clarence: I mostly enjoy it but there are times when it can drive you crazy but what job isn't like this? I love my job and I love what I do. I guess that you could say that this is my second home and sometimes my first.

Rosa: About how long have you been in the Correctional field?

Clarence: I have been doing this for almost thirty years. I started when I was in my late twenties, I believe, and I have been doing it off and on ever since then. I have worked at a lot of different Correctional Facilities. No matter where I move, I can almost guarantee that I will have a place to work in a correctional facility.

Rosa: Is this because there is a shortage of Correctional Officers?

Clarence: Well, yes and no. I mean, there are a shortage of Correctional Officers but with the experience that I have also helps to get me a job. As you know, I recently moved to Arizona to work in one of their correctional facilities. I went there because of the pay raise and pay difference from the ones in Oklahoma. I was actually given a transfer to move out there and work.

Rosa: What is it like working there and how hard is it to become a Correctional Officer?

Clarence: It isn't really that hard. You will need to pass a background check and drug screening. Most of them also require you to have a CLEAT license, you can obtain this by completing a course. There are a few other requirements and some of them will also send you to an academy for extra training. The job isn't really that hard. Sometimes we will have a few inmates who will get out of hand but for the most part, they are just there to do their time.

Rosa: We hear about inmates getting killed all the time, is this true?