Data & Research
 
* ELMI Occupation Profile - Correctional Officers and Jailers *
 
Correctional Officers and Jailers
(O*NET 33-3012.00, SOC 33-3012)
What they do
Guard inmates in penal or rehabilitative institutions in accordance with established regulations and procedures. May guard prisoners in transit between jail, courtroom, prison, or other point. Includes deputy sheriffs and police who spend the majority of their time guarding prisoners in correctional institutions.
 
Also called:
Booking Officer, Community Services Officer (CSO), Correctional Officer, Corrections Officer (CO), Deputy Jailer, Detention Deputy, Detention Officer, Jail Officer, Jailer, Jailor
 
 
Wages
Vermont - 2023
Percentile1HourlyYearly
10% $ 20.00   $41,600  
25% $ 20.96   $43,600  
Median $ 24.16   $50,250  
75% $ 28.54   $59,360  
90% $ 31.03   $64,540  
 
Average $ 25.02   $52,030  
1 What are Percentile Wages?
More at CareerOneStop
 
Industries of Employment
United States - 2020
IndustryPercent of total
  • State government, excluding education and hospitals
52%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals
38%
  • Administrative and support services
6%
  • Federal government, excluding postal service
4%
  • Hospitals; state, local, and private
0%
More at BLS
 
Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about:
  • Public Safety and Security
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  • English Language
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Law and Government
    Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • Customer and Personal Service
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Administration and Management
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
More at O*NET
 
Skills
People in this career often have these skills:
  • Active Listening
    Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Monitoring
    Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Social Perceptiveness
    Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Speaking
    Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Critical Thinking
    Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
More at O*NET
 
Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments:
  • Realistic
    Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
  • Enterprising
    Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
  • Conventional
    Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler
 
Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need:
  • Self-Control
    Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
  • Integrity
    Job requires being honest and ethical.
  • Stress Tolerance
    Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
  • Attention to Detail
    Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
  • Adaptability/Flexibility
    Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
More at O*NET
 
Tasks
On the job, you would:
  • Conduct head counts to ensure that each prisoner is present.
  • Inspect conditions of locks, window bars, grills, doors, and gates at correctional facilities to ensure security and help prevent escapes.
  • Monitor conduct of prisoners in housing unit, or during work or recreational activities, according to established policies, regulations, and procedures, to prevent escape or violence.
  • Search prisoners and vehicles and conduct shakedowns of cells for valuables and contraband, such as weapons or drugs.
  • Guard facility entrances to screen visitors.
More at O*NET
 
Related Occupations
More at O*NET
 
 
Career Video
Watch at CareerOneStop with transcript or at YouTube.
 
Projected Employment
 Vermont
2020 employment 537
2030 employment 540
Annual percent change
(compounded)
0.1%
Annual projected job openings
(due to change and separations)
49
More at Occupational Projections
 
Education and Experience:
  • Typical education needed for entry
    High school diploma or equivalent
  • Work experience in a related occupation
    None
  • Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
    Moderate-term on-the-job training
Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications
 
Physical Work Activity
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
 
  • Physical activity is Important
  • Level of activity is Moderate
Importance
Low   High
Level
Compare Occupations at O*NET
 
Job Zone
Some Preparation Needed
  • Specific Vocational Preparation Range
    (4.0 to < 6.0) - A typical worker will require over 3 months up to and including 1 year of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP
 
Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have?
Education level Percent of
U.S. Workers
Doctoral or professional degree
or post-MA certificate
  0%
Master's degree or
post-BA certificate
  0%
Bachelor's degree   0%
Associate's degree   8%
Certificate or some college,
no degree
  0%
High school diploma
or equivalent
  92%
Less than high school diploma   0%
More at O*NET
 
Abilities
People in this career often have talent in:
  • Oral Comprehension
    The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression
    The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Problem Sensitivity
    The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Deductive Reasoning
    The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Inductive Reasoning
    The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
More at O*NET
 
Work Activities
In general, what you might do:
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
    Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
  • Documenting/Recording Information
    Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Getting Information
    Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
More at O*NET
 
Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day:
  • Count prison inmates or personnel.
  • Inspect equipment to ensure safety or proper functioning.
  • Maintain surveillance of individuals or establishments.
  • Locate suspicious objects or vehicles.
  • Search individuals for illegal or dangerous items.
More at O*NET
 
Other Resources
  • CareerOneStop
    resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
  • O*NET Online
    nation's primary source of occupational information
 
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This page includes information from the O*NET 28.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

BLS

This page includes information produced in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and State Occupational Projections programs.

 
 
 
 
Vermont.gov State of Vermont Department of Labor