Prison officer
Discussion
Since leaving school ten years ago, my work has always been fairly unstable and often requires horrendous amounts of overtime, which has left me feeling burned out. The pay however has always been pretty good.
I’ve always just wanted a normal job, 40 hours a week, fairly local, steady, reasonable remuneration for a reasonable output.
My friends sister is 24, very shy and it shocked us all when she had applied for a job in the prison service and after training, is now working full time in a prison. It’s her first proper job having been bankrolled by her parents for a long time and although I would worry sick about her if she were my sister, I couldn’t help but think fair play.
So has anyone got any experience of this job? Of course, the thought alone would put most people off. I just want a new challenge, steady hours, a good pension for a change...
I’d always discounted this sort of thing because I’m quite young looking for my late twenties and While I’m no waif of a man, I’m not massively built (willing to change this if I had a job which allowed me time for the gym/martial arts etc). But having discounted it for that reason, even though it really interests me, I see my mates sister, quite a small, shy girl, just getting on with it... so what’s stopping me I guess? Fear of having my throat slashed perhaps
but I have good experience with mental health issues, dealing with people from all backgrounds and walks of life, and I like a challenge..
Any info appreciated good or bad.
I’ve always just wanted a normal job, 40 hours a week, fairly local, steady, reasonable remuneration for a reasonable output.
My friends sister is 24, very shy and it shocked us all when she had applied for a job in the prison service and after training, is now working full time in a prison. It’s her first proper job having been bankrolled by her parents for a long time and although I would worry sick about her if she were my sister, I couldn’t help but think fair play.
So has anyone got any experience of this job? Of course, the thought alone would put most people off. I just want a new challenge, steady hours, a good pension for a change...
I’d always discounted this sort of thing because I’m quite young looking for my late twenties and While I’m no waif of a man, I’m not massively built (willing to change this if I had a job which allowed me time for the gym/martial arts etc). But having discounted it for that reason, even though it really interests me, I see my mates sister, quite a small, shy girl, just getting on with it... so what’s stopping me I guess? Fear of having my throat slashed perhaps
but I have good experience with mental health issues, dealing with people from all backgrounds and walks of life, and I like a challenge..Any info appreciated good or bad.
One of my friends has been one for the last 20 years, he is quite a forward thinking and liberal guy that wants to help where he can, he has a few stories of being able to influence / help / re-educate prisoners but he has far more horror stories of the awful situations he has been in, fights, riots, spat at regularly ..... I wouldn't do it .....
One of my girlfriends best friends has recently become a prison officer, and she loves it.
I might suggest however that being so understaffed, you can feel very vulnerable in that environment.
Jobs don’t get much steadier than Civil Service ones so if that’s what you’re after then it’s certainly an option if you’re not put off by all of the other stuff that goes with working in a prison...
I’m unsure if there is much progression or training, but that’s certainly worth looking in to as you’re only in your late twenties, presumably you’d like to increase your earning potential and skills?
I might suggest however that being so understaffed, you can feel very vulnerable in that environment.
Jobs don’t get much steadier than Civil Service ones so if that’s what you’re after then it’s certainly an option if you’re not put off by all of the other stuff that goes with working in a prison...
I’m unsure if there is much progression or training, but that’s certainly worth looking in to as you’re only in your late twenties, presumably you’d like to increase your earning potential and skills?
littlebasher said:
My son in law works for the prison service
Many stories, but i gather that most of the new recruits don't last that long.
Frankly, listening to what he says, it's not something anyone should consider who isn't handy in a fight.
Certainly would recommend that if you enter that line of work you are very street smart.Many stories, but i gather that most of the new recruits don't last that long.
Frankly, listening to what he says, it's not something anyone should consider who isn't handy in a fight.
My Mrs was on about working at a Prison hospital as a nurse or something, bless her she has no street smarts and is a big wussy so I would hope that she doesn't.
dibblecorse said:
One of my friends has been one for the last 20 years, he is quite a forward thinking and liberal guy that wants to help where he can, he has a few stories of being able to influence / help / re-educate prisoners but he has far more horror stories of the awful situations he has been in, fights, riots, spat at regularly ..... I wouldn't do it .....
My best mate is a senior prison guard. I've been out for a drink a few times with his work colleagues and at 6'4" and 20 stone, he's one of the little ones. We don't tend ot get much hassle though He's religious and as above, it's all about trying to help those who are helpable. He's the nicest, calmest man you'll ever meet, but some of the stories he tells are 'challenging'. You'll be surprised just how far somebody is prepared to mutilate themselves on the off chance they'll get a female nurse to touch their cock.
It is shift work. Seems to spend a lot of nights babysitting peados in hospital wings after they've been attacked/mutilated. He also gets sent around the country to deal with riots when they get out of hand.
From what I can gather, the prisons are generally self policing. If there is a problem, the guards speak to one of the old hands and the situation is generally dealt with 'internally'. Short staffing/fewer guards plus spice means that this system is breaking down which in turn leaves the guards more exposed and vulnerable.
He only talks about work occasionally mainly because the reality is either really boring or so extreme that 'normal people' can't really relate to it. I've seen things man....
The result is that it is very cliquey in the same way I suspect the police/military is. This extends to officers between different prisons as well.The harsh cuts over the previous 10 years mean that most of the experienced staff were pensioned off, leaving new recruits to deal with a rapidly declining situation and drugged up violence. The vast majority are simply not cut out for it and the drop out rate is high.
HTH !?!
I've already given the book away, or I'd have posted it to you, but Strangeways by Neil Samworth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_Mtl7zgFeos is worth a read https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/40307879-st...
I worked in Prison education in a perhaps mistaken desire to " put something back into society" for a couple of years and it was enough.
70 % of offenders have mental issues, 70% will reoffend and most view prison as a occupational hazard.
You can try to make a difference but the hopelessness of the situation eventually takes its toll, well it did on me. Some prison staff can cope and they stay a long time and become as institutionalised ( in a good way) as the offenders , the others, like me, stay a couple of years and then leave. Perhaps its just compassion fatigue.
In education we were somewhat protected from the most violent or disturbed but I've been threatened with violence, and had a student pull out a razor/ homemade knife threatening to slit his own throat to get put into isolation to avoid retribution for non payment of drug debts.
Unless you live in a truly awful sink estate the whole prison experience will seem like a different world, thats hidden from sight, with different rules, different social mores and with a unique atmosphere.
Just my 2p's worth
Cheers,
Tony
70 % of offenders have mental issues, 70% will reoffend and most view prison as a occupational hazard.
You can try to make a difference but the hopelessness of the situation eventually takes its toll, well it did on me. Some prison staff can cope and they stay a long time and become as institutionalised ( in a good way) as the offenders , the others, like me, stay a couple of years and then leave. Perhaps its just compassion fatigue.
In education we were somewhat protected from the most violent or disturbed but I've been threatened with violence, and had a student pull out a razor/ homemade knife threatening to slit his own throat to get put into isolation to avoid retribution for non payment of drug debts.
Unless you live in a truly awful sink estate the whole prison experience will seem like a different world, thats hidden from sight, with different rules, different social mores and with a unique atmosphere.
Just my 2p's worth
Cheers,
Tony
Where are you based?
I worked with 11-17 year old in a secure environment for nearly 10 years and wouldn’t dream of working in an adults prison. Whilst the age group we dealt with brought similar dangers there was still hope you might get to help turn someone’s life around. You have to be very thick skinned and be able to make the right decision instantly in critical situations.
I worked with 11-17 year old in a secure environment for nearly 10 years and wouldn’t dream of working in an adults prison. Whilst the age group we dealt with brought similar dangers there was still hope you might get to help turn someone’s life around. You have to be very thick skinned and be able to make the right decision instantly in critical situations.
Fairly recently I was interviewed for the role of Prison Governor. I did a fair amount of research before hand and had pretty much decided I was not even going to get an interview but I did. My background in private sector and education so latterly somewhat "liberal".
I had a panel interview which was like an SAS interrogation, right down to the quiet one in the corner with a limp and an eye patch who only spoke at the end!
My impression was you need to be a certain type for the prison environment and as much as I can handle the psychology and can remain completely detached from almost any situation I'm not sure I would last more than a few years.
My take, not an easy game at all.
Edit: and having read above to add some perspective, the physicalities would not have phased me, people slashing their face open in front of you with a stanley knife or describing their most vile acts against children doesn't stop me sleeping.
I had a panel interview which was like an SAS interrogation, right down to the quiet one in the corner with a limp and an eye patch who only spoke at the end!
My impression was you need to be a certain type for the prison environment and as much as I can handle the psychology and can remain completely detached from almost any situation I'm not sure I would last more than a few years.
My take, not an easy game at all.
Edit: and having read above to add some perspective, the physicalities would not have phased me, people slashing their face open in front of you with a stanley knife or describing their most vile acts against children doesn't stop me sleeping.
Edited by 21TonyK on Monday 28th October 20:35
I’ve retired in the past year after over 30 years as a prison officer in the SPS.You say you want a “normal” job,being a prison officer is about as far from being a normal job as you could get.You say you want a challenge well that’s the appropriate word as you will be challenged every day mentally,verbally and most likely physically.
When I joined the SPS from the army I was welcomed with open arms infact 75% of my intake were ex forces.That was in the days when,shall we say, a firm hand was required and that firm hand was accepted by prisoners and staff alike.Nowadays the rules have changed,for staff,but nobody has told the prisoners so they continue to intimidate,abuse,manipulate and assault officers day in day out.The old sweats of officers when I started would say the job is 90% bordum 10% pure terror,unfortunately those numbers are a lot closer nowadays.
I have to chuckle when people think they can-handle themselves when things get tasty.On a gallery where you have a team of 4 officers working with 80 yip that’s 80 prisoners it doesn’t matter if you’re Charlie Chan you better be good with your mouth if you don’t want a serious kicking.Infact a wee tip here,staff that are built like a brick outhouse are more of a challenge to your average out of his face prisoner and they don’t offer you a square go face to face their sneaky devils.Yes a prisoner will dine out for the rest of his days on how he put that lump of an officer on his arse.
A prison is a community/society within itself and its a society that has been experienced by very few and its hard to understand by the majority that this society runs on the goodwill of the prisoners.In prison you will witness the best in people and the worst, you will form friendships and bonds with fellow staff members that will stay with you for ever.Its a very difficult job with little reward or satisfaction,but hey I did it for over 30 years,take from that what you may.
If you give it a go,all the best.
When I joined the SPS from the army I was welcomed with open arms infact 75% of my intake were ex forces.That was in the days when,shall we say, a firm hand was required and that firm hand was accepted by prisoners and staff alike.Nowadays the rules have changed,for staff,but nobody has told the prisoners so they continue to intimidate,abuse,manipulate and assault officers day in day out.The old sweats of officers when I started would say the job is 90% bordum 10% pure terror,unfortunately those numbers are a lot closer nowadays.
I have to chuckle when people think they can-handle themselves when things get tasty.On a gallery where you have a team of 4 officers working with 80 yip that’s 80 prisoners it doesn’t matter if you’re Charlie Chan you better be good with your mouth if you don’t want a serious kicking.Infact a wee tip here,staff that are built like a brick outhouse are more of a challenge to your average out of his face prisoner and they don’t offer you a square go face to face their sneaky devils.Yes a prisoner will dine out for the rest of his days on how he put that lump of an officer on his arse.
A prison is a community/society within itself and its a society that has been experienced by very few and its hard to understand by the majority that this society runs on the goodwill of the prisoners.In prison you will witness the best in people and the worst, you will form friendships and bonds with fellow staff members that will stay with you for ever.Its a very difficult job with little reward or satisfaction,but hey I did it for over 30 years,take from that what you may.
If you give it a go,all the best.
I thought about this after watching a thing on Sky, think it was called "inside Britains Prisons" or something. It featured the scottish prosons mostly. I'm from Glasgow and thought i'd heard and seen it all from spending my younger days with the type of folk that would end up in these places but i now realise these people are just fodder for the proper criminals.
Stories of them making their own hooch from hand gel, dirty protects, having a bottle of s
t, urine and god knows what else poured over you as part of some sort of initiation process just sounds insane that anyone would voluntarily do it.
Almost every single guard they had interviewed had scars from being hit, stabbed, bitten, burned was unreal. Some stories of guards families also being targetted from those in prison that would make one of the guards a pet project and see how far up their family tree they could get.
Pay or general rewards was never covered on the show but i'm assuming the guards aren't paid enough.
Stories of them making their own hooch from hand gel, dirty protects, having a bottle of s
t, urine and god knows what else poured over you as part of some sort of initiation process just sounds insane that anyone would voluntarily do it. Almost every single guard they had interviewed had scars from being hit, stabbed, bitten, burned was unreal. Some stories of guards families also being targetted from those in prison that would make one of the guards a pet project and see how far up their family tree they could get.
Pay or general rewards was never covered on the show but i'm assuming the guards aren't paid enough.
I left the job after almost 20yrs 4.5 yrs ago I am 52. I was a Senior Officer for 17 yrs at 2 Cat B locals and finally the last 5 yrs in a Cat A. I loved my job and was I believe very good at it. I could see the writing on the wall after years of cutbacks and 10 yrs of pay freezes. The experienced staff left in droves and took their experience with them. I have recently helped a friend get in and the local I used to work at is where he is now. He says 75% of the staff have under 2yrs service. This is dangerous.
You need to be switched on. Thick skinned and a good talker and listener. If you get in be firm but fair. Never promise anything. Only ever promise a prisoner you will do your best. Respect is earned and your uniform is not a suit of armour. Pitch yourself somewhere between Baraclough and McKaye. I miss the sense of pride it gave me. I don’t miss the pay or the fast track idiot governors who had never got their hands dirty.
Good luck be safe.
You need to be switched on. Thick skinned and a good talker and listener. If you get in be firm but fair. Never promise anything. Only ever promise a prisoner you will do your best. Respect is earned and your uniform is not a suit of armour. Pitch yourself somewhere between Baraclough and McKaye. I miss the sense of pride it gave me. I don’t miss the pay or the fast track idiot governors who had never got their hands dirty.
Good luck be safe.
I was a prison officer for 4 years (at the time the youngest in the country) And I left 18 years ago as all the decent staff were either being pensioned off or leaving voluntarily as the staff numbers on the landing we were getting so low it was becoming dangerous for both us and the cons. It has only got worse and im surprised there have not been more fatalities (particularly staff) in the last 10 years due to even more cuts.
Back then I was the only one to join who was not ex forces (something I was regularly reminded of until I had proved myself!) and there is probably a reason for that. It really does take a certain type of person to do the job, as said above it is 90% boredom and 10% terror. Being handy in a row is/was needed, but being able to talk to people and show compassion/understanding was even more important. As I was leaving there was a wave of new recruits most of whom didn't last a few months after starting and who imo should not have been allowed in the gatehouse let alone a landing. The feeling of being locked in can break some people on both sides of the bars whether they get to go home or not. It could be an exciting and rewarding job on the good days, and an awfully violent nightmare on the bad ones. I would also add the comment about the "firm hand" above is spot on, as Inwas leaving the whole service seemed to become very liberalised which made the job even harder and contributed to me leaving.
Now im older with 4 kids I wouldn't dream of going back to it,even though im currently looking for a job! it seems far to weighed in favour of the cons who appear to have got even more feral. If you still want to give it a go then good luck to you but don't be surprised if you get burnt out and have an empathy deficit after a while like I did.
Back then I was the only one to join who was not ex forces (something I was regularly reminded of until I had proved myself!) and there is probably a reason for that. It really does take a certain type of person to do the job, as said above it is 90% boredom and 10% terror. Being handy in a row is/was needed, but being able to talk to people and show compassion/understanding was even more important. As I was leaving there was a wave of new recruits most of whom didn't last a few months after starting and who imo should not have been allowed in the gatehouse let alone a landing. The feeling of being locked in can break some people on both sides of the bars whether they get to go home or not. It could be an exciting and rewarding job on the good days, and an awfully violent nightmare on the bad ones. I would also add the comment about the "firm hand" above is spot on, as Inwas leaving the whole service seemed to become very liberalised which made the job even harder and contributed to me leaving.
Now im older with 4 kids I wouldn't dream of going back to it,even though im currently looking for a job! it seems far to weighed in favour of the cons who appear to have got even more feral. If you still want to give it a go then good luck to you but don't be surprised if you get burnt out and have an empathy deficit after a while like I did.
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