To ask would you ever be a prison officer? And how much?

[TheQueef]

Watched a few telly programmes about prison recently.
I can now confidently say I would never do that job. For £24,000 or even £124k.

Would you be,or indeed are you, a prison officer?

What do you think the salary should start at?

No I wouldn’t, I’ve been watching a YouTuber though from America who went to jail for various things realted to being an addict and does make me wish kind people did the job but as she said it’s so hard for them to see the inmates being treated so badly that they never lasted long in the job.

The prison doctor is a good book, she loved her job in prisons until the rise of the drug spice

Have you been watching that documentary series on itv? I have. There's not enough money in the world. I'd be eaten alive - I definitely don't have the right attitude/the balls to do it.

God no! It looks horrendous, frightening and deeply stressful. The idea of having to deal with such fear and intimidation and such troubled and scary people all day every day is terrifying. I admire those who do it, but I would rather clean loos for the council than work in a prison.

www.itv.com/hub/inside-prison-britain-behind-bars/2a6194

www.channel4.com/programmes/crime-and-punishment

Couple of series, the overwhelming message I took from both was that PO simply do not get paid enough and certainly not proportionate to the actual role they perform.

They are just underpaid, undervalued mental health fire fighters.

I'm glad these documentaries have been made. We feel like the "forgotten" service because people see the fire brigade, police, and medical professionals, but hardly anyone sees what we do.

The violence is increasing, they let all the experienced staff go and replaced them with people who don't even have life experience let alone prison experience, and then wonder why it is going to shit.

I've seen more experience walk out the door in my last two years than in my previous fifteen. I hate my job now. It's all about appeasement which does nothing to rehabilitate prisoners.

I would never recommend the job to anyone now - not even ones I can't stand!

I was a prison officer for 2yrs in a YOI, left around 5yrs ago and have no regrets about doing so, am still in contact with colleagues and things are certainly worse not better.

They lost a lot of experienced staff through the voluntary departure scheme a few years ago as they wanted them to leave to save money (old contracts on higher salaries) But new staff coming through then lack the support, guidance and jail craft and tbh for the amount they get paid it isn't worth it- you can earn the same money working elsewhere for far less risk.

The prison service is a mess, and I honestly believe it's only a matter of time before an officer gets killed. The recent murder in the news about Richard Huckle demonstrates this is possible, but people are focusing on the fact they're 'glad he's dead' without looking at the bigger picture. I have colleagues left with career ending injuries caused by their time in the service, and when things go wrong, the support just isn't there (on a national/government level)

That's true chesntoots, what you do is so valuable but rarely recognised. The problem of young in experienced staff certainly came across in the documentary. It was like seeing toddlers chucked into a lions den. My heart was in my mouth for them.

Ches and Mog (and any other lurkers) can I just say thank you for your service
I knew about the fund cuts and decline in conditions but the more I see about it the more I realise what blissful ignorance I had to the very real danger to those who are hands on.

Ahhh DP is considering becoming a prison officer. We’ve watched the ITV programme together, it makes me nervous for him should he ever actually go for it.

I couldn’t do it, I have a friend who is married to a PO and she worries about him every day he is at work.

Nope.
You're a target for life in that job.
And then when they get out - they come looking for you.

plus no-one serves a decent sentence anymore.
rape someone and they're out by dark.
murder someone and they're out by Tuesday.

I'd persuade him to look elsewhere Bangin it's ridiculously dangerous.

My lovely dad is a prison officer, and has been for 35 years. He lives in quite a rough town, and when I visit and go for walks with him, we quite often bump into ex prisoners They're generally polite and pleasant, as he has their respect. Our family home was never burgled.
He said that he wouldn't start doing the job these days (if young, obviously) as his pension and everything else is vastly superior to those entering the profession now.
He doesn't talk much about his work, and I love him for this. He's a modest man. There is a lot of cameraderie between he and his workmates, but I get the impression that divorce and addiction (gambling, alcohol) feature heavily. Prison officers who have young families generally don't work Christmas, as the older prison officers see to that (having had their turn).
It's hard. I know that he has been attacked (he used to work in Peterhead, where all the proper nut jobs went), and that he's had to help with getting bodies down.
There are many mental health issues at play with the prison population, and so many are in need of proper help. He sees generation after generation of the same families coming through the prison. He says that the job has changed exponentially since he started; there used to be a fairly rigid moral code amongst the prisoners, but much less so these days. Drugs, and a much more entitled culture in general, have had an effect.
I agree that nobody thinks about prison officers much, as they're so hidden from society.

Oh, and he often says that his job is a walk in the park, compared to looking after the grandchildren

My dad has been a prison governor for decades and he both loves and hates his job. It’s very tough but I do think he gets a real sense of pride in it and that he is actively helping the community. I think it’s the rehabilitation aspect of the job that he gets the most out of but I know that it was taken it’s toll on him and he is now looking forward to retiring. It’s not for the faint hearted.

The prison service is a mess, and I honestly believe it's only a matter of time before an officer gets killed.

I did 28 years, starting as a prison officer and rising through the ranks to prison governor before taking early retirement.

Early retirement, when it was offered as part of an overall restructuring programme (for "restructuring", read "slice number of staff and reduce starting pay for new entrants") was a no-brainer for this reason ^

I spent 25 years feeling relatively safe, despite the hostile working environment, and the final three years on red alert, wondering how quickly I could get to the gate and safely out at the end of my shift.

For those still in the prison service, you have my utmost respect and gratitude. You protect the public and if your pay was doubled overnight, it still wouldn't be enough to compensate for the risks you take.

I think this kind of career could have the potential to attract a certain kind of person, not necessarily a power hungry control freak or anything like that but someone who may not have the opportunity to earn a lot due to lack of qualifications, iyswim. Similar to young people who join the armed forces, it could be a saving grace for someone who lives in a high unemployment area of the country where they are fewer jobs. So, unsurprising that many of you would ever need to consider this kind of work.
I hope I haven't offended anyone .

No. Not for all the money in the world. POs have my utmost respect, it must be an extremely challenging role. I know there are a few bad apples out there like there are in any job but on the whole they do amazing work with some very dangerous individuals. Something I personally, especially now I am a mother, would be too frightened to do.

I've met more power hungry, control freak midwives than I have prison officers

Not necessarily a power control freak but someone who was uneducated or a bit thick, then?

No, no offence taken

Actually, apart from the standard educational qualifications (and it's surprising how many are educated to degree level), any prison officer worth their salt must also have bags of logic, common sense, a sense of decency and humanity, the ability to see the big picture, an understanding of mental health and addiction issues, an understanding of personality disorders and an ability to manage them appropriately, a sound knowledge of penal law, an ability to keep calm and carry on under extreme pressure. Oh, and a knowledge of how to break up fights safely and how to protect themselves from sudden and vicious attacks.

For those reasons alone, it's not a job that just anyone can do.

@TheQueef yep I have tried to dissuade him from doing it, he won’t listen although he has thought about joining the police too. He must like living life on the edge

@SingingLily absolutely spot on! And many newcomers with degrees can't handle the job, sadly, so it's no guarantee of anything.

My ex's friend is a prison officer, some of the stories he told were horrific, he's been attacked, been involved in huge brawls, attacked with weapons, spat at, someone chucked a cup of piss at him. He's ex army and always says, well I've seen worse. He's made of toughh stuff, I'd be at home balling my eyes out everynight.
He said he mostly enjoyed it though, had good relationships with some of the prisoners, said most of them are decent men that just ended up on the wrong path in life.
I don't think it's a job I could do, and I think the whole system needs over turning to give the officers more protection. They definitely deserve more pay, it's a dangerous job.

Our of interest, what do POs get paid? It is a decent salary? It should be!

But then I think Police should be paid way more than they are.

I worked in a men's prison for several years in the medical centre. I loved it. It was a great job so interesting.