Prison Officer
What is the work like?
As a prison officer, you would supervise inmates in prisons, remand centres and young offenders' institutions. Your work would vary according to the type of prison, its level of security and the age of the prisoners.
Your duties are likely to include:
- keeping inmates secure
- assessing prisoners
- carrying out security checks and search procedures
- promoting anti-bullying and suicide prevention policies
- supervising prisoners
- maintaining order – this can involve using authorised physical control and restraint
- preparing inmates for release through rehabilitation programmes
- providing support to prisoners who are vulnerable
- taking part in programmes to help prisoners reflect on their offending behaviour
- writing reports on prisoners.
With experience, you could take on additional duties such as training staff and supervising a section of a prison.
What qualifications and experience will employers look for?
Entry requirements can vary, so you will need to check exact details with your national prison service (there are separate prison services for England and Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland). There are also some private prisons.
In general, you will need:
- to be at least aged 18
- to be a British or Commonwealth citizen, British Protected Person, or EU national (there are exceptions) with indefinite leave to remain – for some posts you need to have lived in the UK for three years
- to declare any convictions
- to pass medical, eyesight and fitness tests (for details, check the prison service websites).
If you are selected to join the prison service, further checks will be made on your health, character, reliability and identity.
You may have an advantage if you have experience of working in the police or armed forces, or as a security officer or probation officer.
England and Wales
To join the prison service in England and Wales, you need to complete an application and skills assessment form. Success at this point leads to the Prison Officer Selection Tests (which focus on your ability with numbers and language) and then on to a Recruitment Assessment Day (including role plays). You will go through this process regardless of your academic qualifications.
Northern Ireland
Contact the prison service in Northern Ireland directly for entry and recruitment details.
Scotland
To be a prison officer in Scotland you need five S grades (1-3) including English and maths (or equivalent), or three years' experience of working with people in education or in the community for example. Following a successful application, you will attend an assessment day, including an interview and tests of your verbal reasoning and number skills.
What further training and development can I do?
England and Wales
Your first eight weeks as a prison officer will include induction training and situational role plays (aimed at preparing you for your new role working with inmates). If you are working with young people, you will receive further specialist training.
During your first year of service you will continue to receive on-the-job training and you will be supported and assessed by experienced staff. You will also be expected to complete NVQ levels 2 and 3 in Custodial Care.
Scotland
As a new prison officer in Scotland, you will spend a week in your chosen prison followed by six weeks' training at the Scottish Prison Service College near Falkirk. Within your first two years of service, you will also be expected to achieve SVQ Level 3 in Custodial Care.
Where can I go for more information?
Recruitment SectionCleland House
Page Street
London
SW1P 4LN
Atlas Way
Sheffield
S4 7QQ
5 Redheughs Rigg
Edinburgh
EH12 9HW
Tel: 0131 244 8745
Upper Newtownards Road
Belfast
BT4 3SU
Tel: 028 9052 5065
If you would like to discuss your career options with a learning adviser, call 0800 100 900 or use our online enquiry form
Alternatively, you can visit our website at: www.direct.gov.uk/careersadvice
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What salary and other benefits can I expect?
- In England and Wales, salaries can start at around £18,000 a year.
- With experience this can rise to around £27,000.
- Salaries in Scotland can be between around £15,000 and £20,200 a year.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
What are the hours and working conditions?
You would normally work 39 hours a week, which will usually include night and weekend shifts. There are also opportunities for part-time hours and job sharing. You may need to be prepared to move to another part of the country for work.
Although your work would mainly take place indoors, you would also have duties outdoors, for example when patrolling the grounds or supervising recreation.
This work can be emotionally and physically demanding.
What skills and knowledge will I need?
- the ability to create good working relationships with people from all walks of life
- an open mind, with the ability to act fairly in disputes
- patience, understanding and a commitment to helping people
- the ability to work in a structured environment where rules and discipline apply
- the ability to stay calm, assess a situation, and make quick decisions
- the ability to cope with pressure
- good teamworking skills
- a firm but fair approach
- the ability to exercise authority with prisoners who are abusive and possibly violent.
What opportunities are there?
In England and Wales, recruitment is carried out by individual prisons. Jobs are advertised in Jobcentres, the local press, through the prison service website and on the HMPS whatsontheinside website. In Scotland, recruitment is carried out centrally at the prison service headquarters.
In Scotland, you may get the chance to mix instructing and training duties with prison officer tasks. Check the Prison Instructor job profile for details.
With around two years' experience, you could progress to senior prison officer (this is decided by application, examination and interview). You could then go on to gain promotion through the governor grades. In England and Wales there is an Intensive Development Scheme for graduates, which offers early progression to senior grades. Check the Prison Governor job profile for details.
Privately-run prisons and security organisations are increasingly taking on escort and prisoner transfer duties. Contracted out prisons in England and Wales are listed on the HM Prison Service website.
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