What you need to become a Prison Officer

Outstanding Prison Officers have a number of characteristics along with a wealth of life experience. These are:

• Ethical, honest and accountable for their actions
• Great listeners and non judgemental
• Effective problem solvers
• Great negotiators and able to effectively handle pressure

They also have:

• Good written communication skills, as report writing is a component of the roles
• Good people management skills
• The ability to be a mentor and a diplomat when required
• Behaviour which refl The ability to be a mentor and a diplomat when required
• Behaviour which reflects a just, humane and courteous manner

It is also helpful to have completed VCE or at least a Year 10 level of education and/or a trade or TAFE certificate, although these are not essential requirements.

Current staff have had varied work histories and life experiences that they have been able to use to build their careers in corrections. You can view other people's experiences by going to Testimonials.

Prison Officer Job Description

• Prison Officer (COG 2a)

Physical Requirements of the Prison Officer Role

As a Prison Officer, you may be required to undertake various physical tasks as part of your role. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Fire fighting:
  • Use of a breathing apparatus
  • Possible confined spaces
  • Use of fire extinguishers / water hoses
    
    
• Searching:
  • Prisoners
  • Cells
  • Accommodation areas / work areas
    
    
• Responding to incidents:
  • Self defence
  • Restraints techniques
  • Application of mechanical restraints
    
    
• Security Patrols:
  • Internal and external

To ensure all Prison Officer recruits are capable of undertaking the physical requirements of the Prison Officer role and Pre Service Training safely, without risk of injury to themselves or others, it is a requirement of the Prison Officer Recruitment Process that all candidates must successfully pass a Physical Capability Test prior to employment.

"Is this the career for me?"

If you are still unsure if the role of a Prison Officer is the career for you, the following questionnaire has been developed as a guide to assist you further in making your decision.

Please note that this questionnaire is completely optional and the answers are only available to you.

• Self Assessment Tool