I would like to know why you chose corrections. Did you choose corrections as a stepping stone to become a police officer one day? Was corrections hiring at the time so you applied? Did you see corrections as an adventure and what to see if you could do it? Why? 

The reason I ask is that I have been in corrections for 14 yrs and going. I started my working days in the Service and once I got out I wanted to be a police officer so I started in corrections for the stepping stone. But once I got the fever I found the job a challenge in several ways plus I love the people I work with. My goal is to spread the word of corrections to the public so they have a better understanding of what we do, how we feel, and what we see daily. In my quest to spread our knowledge in the profession I need your help to do so. Give me your input, help me fill my quest and let’s tell the people who we are.

THANKS

When I tested in NJ they were the first to hire. Civil service. The other departments use chiefs test and hired who they wanted at the time.

mauller510 says ...

I started in corrections at first as a stepping stone to the patrol side of my department, but now I believe ill probably spend my career in corrections. You never know what your going to get on a day to day basis and without us the big circle of justice wouldnt happen. A patrol officer can only put so many people in his or her car. People probably wouldnt show up for court to face thier punishment without the detention side holding them and making sure they go to court. In corrections you get to know the people better because you deal with them day in and day out. And usually your odds in a fight are about 60 to 2 at least at my department ( I personaly find this exciting and a challenge). In one of our pods there is 10 people that have murder charges and only two of us step in the pod at a time. Ive had patrol officers say that they want no part of that. Its exciting to me and I love every minute of it. If I was to go anywhere else in my department it would probably be transportation.

I completely agree with Mauller510 here. I've been in corrections ever since I became elidgible to apply at 21yrs old. I am now 23 & enjoy every aspect of my job.  You have your boring days & your thrills but the challenge is even in a prison setting you never know what to expect so you must constantly be prepared for ANYTHING. I was involved in a fight up on B Floor of housing unit 1 (which ironically is a 6 months & out house). My counting officer over heard two cellies arguing & instructed them to knock it off. He came around the opposite side of the walk & they proceeded to pound on eachother. It was the irst fight he'd ever been involved in & he handled it better than expected! The 10-49 (fight) was called... I clarified 1 house, B Floor & it was on! Kleffner & another officer had one inmate cuffed behind me, meanwhile I had the other infront of me backing him down the walk... my arms out-stretched so he couldn't get around me even though he advanced several times trying. I lightly pushed him away instructing him with authority to back toward the floor gate. This is where my shift Lieutenant appeared & I backed him into open cuffs without harm to myself or a use of force. It was highly dangerous for me to have my hands away from my only defense mechanisisms but thankfully it worked in my favor because I had dealt with both of thes inmates before while in this house.