AIBU to want to be a prison officer?

[Bodakyellow]

I currently work in an office. I have applied and been offered a position in a category A prison as a prison officer. My partner has had concerns during the recruitment process. They feel it is a dangerous job and is concerned for my safety. I have explained there will be thorough training but they are still worried. Aibu to accept this job offer?

Also does anyone here work or previously worked in a category A prison that is willing to share there experience?

I think you’re very brave

That’s based on nothing except my impression of stats etc about assaults, and documentary on tv.
And sadly it’s just such an overstretched system, that would really worry me.
Of course there will be training but there will still be risks.

But it’s a really important job so hats off to you if you can hack it.

Ooh this is the same as me, I really want to do it but as I don't drive yet (test kept getting pushed back because of Covid) I've decided I will go down the probation officer role.

Its an exciting job and if you feel like you can handle it and you obviously want to do it otherwise you wouldn't apply, then go for it. Its like everything, once you are in the job it will become the norm.

Good luck and come back with updates with what it's like! X

*route not role

Can't imagine it's a very nice job especially being outsourced to g4s and the like. Not much better salary than minimum wage with stress, risks and cost cutting/cutting corners galore

I wouldn’t do it for the salary, it’s shocking how low the pay is for the role and responsibilities involved so that alone huge respect for you, hopefully someone in the job will come along with advice.

Well done! The world needs more people like you.

I work in the justice system and DH note works in a psychiatric/offender function part of which is in a prison. Honestly I spent years working directly with sex offenders and very violent offenders. I now work on a multi agency team with the most horrendous cases, burn out levels are high and a colleague was recently diagnosed with PTSD because of her work. I've also worked on a national joint inspectorate so have been into many prisons.
All the tea in China couldn't persuade me to become a prison officer.

I think it is a difficult job for sure! Your Partner is worried about your safety .With many women there having poss MH issues, or being hardened by the system/drug issues whatever he has a point I think . What are your reasons for wanting to do this? Could you consider Probation Officer or Social Worker maybe as a safer option? Jobs are scarce ATM and it may be difficult to return to Office work .

There was another ‘prison officer’ thread on AIBU a couple of days ago...

It is your decision, not your partner's, obviously. But don't kid yourself that it won't be dangerous, because it will.

I worked as a prison nurse for 5 years, and there were points I loved it, but also some very dangerous situations. My dp (rightly) never mentioned how worried he was, but cried with relief when I left.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4165468-Is-anyone-a-prison-officer-Can-you-tell-me-about-it?msgid=104675396#104675396

Some experiences from people who actually work the landings on that thread.

I worked as a nurse in a prison for a while, it was actually a lovely job to be honest. I wouldn't go into it with rose tinted glass though.

As a nurse I was more at risk on one of the wards I worked on, my employer didn't take threats against the staff seriously and I got followed home one day. I left the NHS shortly after as it wasn't the first time I felt unsupported.

Working in a prison, safety is at the forefront of everyone's mind.

@lunar1

I worked as a nurse in a prison for a while, it was actually a lovely job to be honest. I wouldn't go into it with rose tinted glass though.

As a nurse I was more at risk on one of the wards I worked on, my employer didn't take threats against the staff seriously and I got followed home one day. I left the NHS shortly after as it wasn't the first time I felt unsupported.

Working in a prison, safety is at the forefront of everyone's mind.

Yes, this was my experience as a visiting specialist HCP in a prison. However, I think the realities of being a prison officer with the general population is quite different due to massively reduced staff numbers, reduced training and support offered to officers, greater availability of drugs in prisons, overcrowding and worse conditions in general for the incarcerated population leading to unrest and difficulties for the strained workforce.

They are legitimate concerns. You can be as trained up as anything but still come to harm. I know of someone who used to be a prison guard - an inmate who was HIV positive managed to make a shank, cut himself with it and then cut others essentially trying to give them HIV through the blood on his own shank. Think very carefully about it , but its admirable if its a job you would like to do.

HMP or G4S?

Interesting to see the train of thought that Probation is somehow a ‘safer’ option. Whilst the risk of physical confrontation is admittedly lesser, it is still there and there are still very intense, risky situations to negotiate. Workloads are colossal, accountability is high and staff are off sick in their droves. Added to that, the public, who generally have no clue as to the complexity of the work, criticise the service at every single turn.

Good for you, OP, and I wish you all the best in your future career.

Category A prisoners are incarcerated in maximum security prisons for good reason. The officers who work with them do a very difficult &demanding but important job for a salary which is somewhere between a joke and an insult.

It’s a job that I know I could never do.

I think provided you're going in with your eyes wide open and with a back up plan should you decide it's not actually for you then YANBU. I'm not sure how to reassure your partner before you start the job because they will be thinking the worse.

My cousin's partner (together 15+ years and 2 kids) is a prison officers in Yorkshire and was previously taken hostage (it was on the regional news) a few years ago. Him and another officer were attacked with him taken hostage, his jaw was broken in the initial attack and he was obviously off work for weeks. He decided to go back though and still works there and as far as I know has not been attacked so seriously since. I know my cousin, while generally worried about the risk also knows the risk of serious harm is minimal on a daily basis and that the type of attack he previously received is rare.

It's not job I would consider however I think you should do it if you want to but make sure you have a back up of you find out it isn't for you.

If you have the personality for that type of work, I say go for it.

You need guts and to be tough to be a prison officer.. If you don't have that, you'll get eaten alive.

Its such an undervalued and underpaid role. Most people never see prison officers and all the crap they deal with.

Someone's got to do it, why shouldn't it be you?

I have a friend that does it in a high security prison- she loves it!