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Prison Guard Career Requirements
If becoming a prison guard is your goal, you can expect to spend your days supervising inmates within the prison system. During this time, you will have to fill out paperwork related to the daily activities of prisoners, update their files so they are prepared for any court dates, maintain order in the prison system, and administer punishments when rules are broken. In order to excel at this kind of job, you will need the following preparation.
Education and Training
If you plan to work for the federal prison system, you will need a bachelor's degree. In most cases, any major is fine as long as you get a degree. However, if you want to be especially prepared for this career, consider majoring in criminal justice or a related subject. You will also need about 200 hours of formal training from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons center.
If you are planning on working in a local or state prison, a high school diploma is fine. Of course, a college degree or even just some college is a good idea if you want to be competitive in this field. You will also likely need to take a training course offered in your local area. Such courses usually educate students on prison safety, prisoner rights, the use of firearms, and mental health problems you might encounter among prisoners.
Work Experience and Other Requirements
To get a job as a prison guard, you will need to show you have had a supervisory role in a job before, even if it wasn't within the prison system. This is especially important if you want to work at a federal prison, while local and state prisons are more likely to be satisfied with offering on-the-job training for new guards.
You will need to pass a physical fitness exam and a written test, as well. In addition, you can expect a drug test and a background check, since you cannot have felony convictions in your past if you want to become a prison guard.
If you think this career goal is for you, focus on obtaining the right education for the type of prison you want to work at. If you can't get a job as a prison guard right away after you graduate, find a job that will allow you to get experience supervising others so you can eventually apply to prison guard job listings with confidence.
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