Correctional Officer

State of Iowa • Mitchellville, IA

358d

About The Position

The Iowa Correctional Institution for Women is a multi-faceted correctional institution that serves as the only female facility and female reception center for the Iowa Department of Corrections. Correctional Officers are a vital part of ICIW's operations and provide safety and security to the prison population and staff. Once fully trained, Correctional Officers can make a lasting impact on an incarcerated person's life while also helping maintain safe & secure correctional facilities. New Correctional Officers earn a full time salary as they go through their training, and the State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the private or public sector.

Requirements

• Graduation from high school, GED, or equivalency.
• Ability to successfully pass psychological tests.
• Ability to pass a background investigation check.
• Ability to pass a post-offer health screen administered by an institutional physician.
• Ability to pass a urinalysis screen for drugs.
• Completion of all new employee training during the probationary period, including local orientation, new employee orientation, and emergency preparedness training.
• Designated positions in this job class require applicants to obtain a Commercial Driver's License and endorsements within a period of time as determined by the appointing authority at the time of hire.

Responsibilities

• Observes incarcerated individual behavior/interaction with staff, other incarcerated individuals, and visitors; communicates and documents observations to ensure effective security and consistent application of incarcerated individual change principles.
• Continuously interacts with incarcerated individuals, utilizing behavioral techniques to assist in the development of problem-solving skills, facilitating behavior change, role-playing, effective disapproval, providing positive reinforcement when appropriate, and instituting corrective measures through the effective use of disapproval.
• Patrols facilities and makes security checks; conducts rounds and incarcerated individual counts; inspects all areas of the institution and grounds for safety/security deficiencies.
• Conducts searches of incarcerated individuals, vehicles, packages, equipment, incarcerated individuals' cells and property for contraband items.
• Instructs incarcerated individuals in rules, policy, procedure, expectations, and assists incarcerated individuals in the development of attitudes and skills necessary for successful adaptation to life within an institution and a pro-social lifestyle.
• Escorts incarcerated individuals, visitors, and staff inside/outside of the institution and verifies possession of appropriate passes or legal documents.
• Interacts with the general public, visitors, and victims in person or via phone.
• Provides information, security, and assistance.
• Role models pro-social behaviors that convey dignity and respect for others and acknowledge that incarcerated individuals can change their lives by development of skills and the adoption of pro-social attitudes and behaviors.
• Maintains logs, prepares reports, and enters information into the Department of Corrections electronic record system.
• Supervises incarcerated individual work assignments and evaluates work performance.
• Operates electronic doors, telephone systems, two-way radios, intercom, alarm systems, closed circuit TV systems, personal data assistants, computer terminals, and weapons/incarcerated individual control devices.
• Attends training and professional development classes.

Benefits

• Competitive benefits package in the private or public sector.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support
• Education Level: High school or GED