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I too have worked in corrections, both adult and juvenile, for a total of twelve years. I got my start in the California Department of Corrections, the mother of all state prison systems, then moved to a large county jail system in San Jose. I've also "done time" in two county jails in Minnesota.

The differences between state prison and county jails are many, and each presents it's own challenges to inmates and staff alike. The county jail is the first stop for the offender, and the greatest challenge for staff is dealing with people fresh off the street who are more than likely under the influence of drugs or alcohol, combined with a lot of anger at having their freedom taken from them. The corrections officer's two most valuable skills are listening and observing, especially in the county jail setting, where you might have people in on their first DUI interacting with hardened state prisoners in on a parole violation.Things can get ugly quickly in the county jail, as people find their place in the "hierarchy".

State prison, on the other hand, is the place they send people who have been through the county systems already and still don't get it. These people have been given several chances to stay out of trouble, and they chose not to. They are used to doing time, which makes it a little easier on staff, but they are also much more sophisticated than the average county offender. They spend a lot of time studying the staff, looking for weaknesses. In most counties, the maximum stay is a year. After that, it's on to the big house, and a whole new set of rules in a complicated and dangerous environment. Each prison is it's own society, with its own political, economic and social systems, and an ever-present "big brother" trying to watch over the proceedings. Things can certainly get ugly in the state prison too, but usually a lot of planning goes into a prison incident. People in prison choose their battles carefully, and usually strike when they feel the circumstances are in their favor.

Along with the two aforementioned skills of listening and observing, there are other vital skills that potential correctional staff should possess. One is the practice of being "fair but firm" in dealing with inmates. My personal feeling was that I would treat inmates as I would hope to be treated if I were incarcerated, while at the same time being firm and telling them no when the situation called for it. When an inmate is being nice to you, he wants something from you, and he's got nothing but time to wear you down. Also, try to look directly into the person's eyes you are speaking to. This gives the impression that you are listening and that you care about what they are saying. These skills always served me well in my travels. Thanks for reading...

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