Recruitment
The Recruitment section is dedicated to strategies and best practices for attracting and hiring qualified candidates in the correctional field. This directory offers articles and resources on effective recruitment techniques, workforce diversity, and the challenges of staffing correctional facilities. Understanding the recruitment process is essential for building a strong, capable team that meets the demands of the correctional environment. For more on career development, explore our section on Corrections1 Career Resources.
Discover how a toxic work environment can undermine safety, morale and productivity in corrections — and learn strategies to foster a positive workplace
If you were able to interview former President Trump or Vice President Harris, what questions would you ask?
Stability and accountability are urgently needed to address the deep-rooted issues facing our front-line personnel
“We will do everything we can to fight this,” said union president Benny Boscio
Staff recruitment and retention have remained critical obstacles, but there are still strategies organizations can employ to gain the upper hand in 2022
Of the 126 CO candidates given conditional offers at a recent hiring event, only 60 were confirmed for hire
A CO’s hospitalization after an inmate attack earlier this month was the “final straw” behind the decision, a union rep. said
Supervisors have the power to improve retention in corrections with the right attention, attitude
New COs can earn bonuses up to $5,000, with starting salaries increasing 16% in the new year
Sheriff Tom Spangler also says he will not comply with a federal vax mandate that will make his office an even less attractive place to work
Even so, the detention center is having issues hiring, the jail administrator said
“There are dozens of reasons to leave and very few to stay,” said Brian Dawe of One Voice United
An expedited application process combined with a new starting salary of $24 an hour may mean the county meets its hiring goal
Staff morale is at a 30-year low, and even the sheriff is working shifts to keep the jail running
The short staffing is forcing the jails to re-evaluate their operations as they shuffle inmates to other facilities
A contract agreement says that the jail needs at least 698 officers to function properly; it has 547
“No incarcerated person, no corrections officer, and no family member should have to endure the reality of Rikers as it exists today,” Gov. Kathy Hochul wrote
The city filed a lawsuit against COBA earlier this week accusing it of encouraging absenteeism
“This is a big win for the workers at USP Thomson,” said union president Jonathan Zumkehr
One jail watchdog called it “a complete breakdown in the operation of the jails”
Starting pay for COs in Iowa is an estimated $6,000 more than what Missouri pays
Aaron Bell says he was given a directive to pass all CO cadets, regardless of performance
While the five-figure bonus is reserved for lateral hires, new COs can receive around $7,500
If approved, officers at the state’s largest county jail would go from some of the lowest-paid in the state to some of the highest
The change in salary will raise starting detention deputy pay from $12.60 an hour to $14.98 an hour
There has been a 62% decrease in qualified applicants and 32% of those hired leave in the first 12 months
There are currently 858 correctional officer vacancies statewide
The Anamosa prison needs more than 30 correctional officers and nurses to be safe based on an assessment done more than a decade ago
Turn Key Health gave the jail trust a one-month deadline to increase the number of detention officers at the overcrowded 13-story facility
The state has struggled in recent years to attract and retain COs and its facilities remain chronically understaffed
Advocacy groups warned that privately built prisons won’t address chronic violence and severe staffing woes
During exit interviews, low pay and benefits are always listed as the top reasons COs leave the agency
Correctional leaders should commit themselves and their staff to apply lessons learned from the challenges of 2020 into policies and emergency planning
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