Staying up to date on the latest correctional facilities news and trends is necessary if you are involved in the justice field. Policies and laws change often to keep up with the activities of the inmate population.

When dealing with inmates and other correctional officers, small changes can make a big difference. Consider the following information to help you keep current on the latest information about correctional facilities:

1. Stay up to date on current events, including court rulings, that affect correctional facilities.

2. Learn about new software programs to make correctional facilities more controlled.

3. Find out how to contact other correctional facilities to share information and ideas.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Keep current on correctional facility news

Knowing what is going on in correctional facilities all over the country, including California correctional facilities, can help you to stop problems in your facility before the problems become out of hand. Even if the problems you are facing in your facility are unusual, you may be able to get inspiration from the methods used by other facilities to help you conquer your own problems.

I recommend: The Corrections Connection offers articles concerning news from correctional facilities throughout the country, including Michigan correctional facilities, Minnesota correctional facilities and numerous community correction programs. Officer.com offers an RSS feed service to help correctional officers stay up to date on the latest developments in correctional facilities around the nation.

Stay informed about new correctional facility software

Software developers come up with new technology every day. Some of this technology can be for use in correctional facility software to improve security and make keeping track of inmates easier and more efficient. Staying up to date on these developments makes it possible for you to find software that works for your facility.

I recommend: Correctional News offers detailed descriptions and buyer guides for various products and services, including software. Federal Computing Weekly offers insight into new software programs targeted to correctional facilities. There are also articles with information about how to make older software programs work with new technology.

Know how to contact correctional facilities

When new problems arise in your correctional facility, you may be able to contact another correctional facility for suggestions to correct the problem. In some cases, your answer may be a phone call away, especially if you know about a similar problem at another facility.

I recommend: PrisonerLife.com offers a correctional facility directory, including Ohio correctional facilities, Florida correctional facilities and New York correctional facilities. The Bureau of Prisons maintains current information about all federal correctional facilities. In addition to providing updated listings of prisons, this website explains the various security levels associated with each type of prison.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Sign up for newsletters and RSS feeds for correctional facility news. If you find that you don't like the newsletter or notifications, you can always unsubscribe.

Correctional facilities offer more than just employment for correctional officers. While corrections officers do make up the largest group of employees, the smooth daily operation of a correctional facility includes many others at all levels of experience. One might expect a need for social workers, yet other mainstream positions required include clerical support, librarians, maintenance, nursing, teachers, and food service.

You can readily find a job in correctional facilities through online job hunting. As you search for a job online:

1. Visit correctional facility websites and review open positions.
2. See if federal correctional facilities are located within your job search area.
3. Consider relocation based on benefit packages and wages offered at other correctional facilities.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Compare correctional facility opportunities across the nation

It's a good idea to start your job search broadly, even if you aren't interested in relocating, so you can get a sense of the jobs available at correctional facilities, as well as the typical pay and benefits that go along with those jobs.

I recommend: You can start your job hunt at The Corrections Connection, which includes discussion boards, helpful career resources and job postings that cover correctional facilities across the nation, from California correctional facilities to New York correctional facilities. Juju Job Search is another useful employment website, which lists a variety of positions, including a number of jobs available in Florida correctional facilities and Minnesota correctional facilities.

Seek out a state-specific correctional facility

Whether changing your whole life or just your job, opportunities abound in the correctional facility profession. You can find these opportunities in nearly every state simply by visiting state-specific websites for correctional facilities, usually found on that state's government website. Whichever state you choose, you can readily find information on correctional facilities and their open positions online.

I recommend: If you're interested in a position at one of many Michigan correctional facilities, access a complete list of facilities at the State of Michigan's Corrections page. Click each facility for a description and job openings. For jobs in Ohio correctional facilities, visit the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, which offers a clickable map of all correctional facilities in the state. For employment in correctional facilities in Georgia, visit GDCJobs.com, a Georgia state corrections employment website that also contains career advice and information.

Consider a position at a federal correctional facility

A federal correctional facility can offer you more opportunity for advancement and a different set of challenges than a state facility. If you do not have a federal prison in your home state, relocation is a must if this is the career route that you choose.

I recommend: The Federal Bureau of Prisons runs the federal correctional facility network, and is always hiring for a variety of positions. Browse through their website for more information on specific correctional facilities or positions they regularly hire for. When you're ready to apply, visit USAJOBS, the official website for job listings within the United States Government.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Even if you're not interested in working as a corrections officer, take classes in criminal justice to improve your chances of being hired within the correctional facilities vocation.

Correctional facilities have to make staff and inmate safety a top priority. One way they do this is to require that all staff members, including management, participate in various levels of training.

Finding a combination of programs for correctional facilities that meets every need can prove to be a challenge. A good rule of thumb to follow is to provide one level of training higher than your security risk level. For example, a medium security prison should implement an education program geared toward a maximum security prison. Consider these suggestions to help you choose the most appropriate correctional facilities training for your institution:

1. Get your institute, and your entire staff, accredited.

2. Accept applicants that successfully completed a correctional facilities training course.

3. Require your staff to take refresher courses.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Participate in credentialing programs for correctional facilities

Many correctional facilities, including Georgia correctional facilities, require that officers pass an accreditation exam. When you participate in these programs, you will have classroom instruction, hands on activities and an exam at the end. Programs range from five hours to two weeks, depending on the certification required.

I recommend: The American Jail Association offers instruction in a classroom setting to help jail administrators and correctional officers earn credentials that are transferable to a varied selection of facilities, including Ohio correctional facilities. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a federal program designed to help all correctional facilities comply with federal standards. One of these programs is the Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Program, which applies to inmate made goods and federal guidelines for inmate work. Any correctional facilities can apply for these programs including Michigan correctional facilities and Florida correctional facilities.

Take advantage off site programs for correctional facilities

Many colleges, universities and other training institutions offer in depth training programs for correctional officers and managers. These programs usually last anywhere from a month to four years, depending on the specific training you need. While most institutions will readily hire people with degrees or certificates from these programs, some systems, including Minnesota correctional facilities, require you to take an in house training course prior to formally offering you a job.

I recommend: Pierce College and National Jail Academy both offer off site correctional facilities management education and training programs. While these programs don’t automatically guarantee credentialing, they do offer basic instructions to help ease the transition into life as a correctional manager. Regardless of the location where you want to work, these programs can give you a sound foundation for your duties.

Consider on site refresher programs for correctional facilities

Some correctional facilities, such as large Illinois correctional facilities, find that it is easier to train staff in the facility. On the job refresher courses are one way to do this. When you participate in an on site course, you can expect the majority of the course to be in a lecture setting, followed by some institution specific training. These courses usually last one day to one week and may involve multiple sessions per day.

I recommend: You can hire Nabor Technical Enterprises to come to your jail and present refresher courses and seminars on a myriad of subjects. This company has trainers that will travel anywhere in the United States, including to Florida correctional facilities and California correctional facilities. National Institute of Corrections offers DVDs and satellite training programs that you can use at your convenience to train your correctional officers and management staff.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Federal correctional facilities and privately run correctional facilities usually require a formal degree in addition to in house training for all the management staff.