To consider working in a men's prison

[TheQuickGoldSheep]

I'm in the Civil Service already, I'm on 24.8k, do overtime every week to earn more but they've confirmed this is stopping soon.

I've applied for a role in a men's cat B/C prison, completed the tests which were bonkers and waiting to hear if I've got an interview.

For 41h the salary is £34.800 a year so literally a 10 grand pay rise, I don't see how I'd achieve such a rise elsewhere. Of course it's for good reason, working some nights and weekends, no WFH like now, and that the role itself is tough.

The role does appeal to me as I have previously worked with 'challenging' people. I'm no stranger to being verbally abused and to the occasional punch, I am good at remaining calm and diffusing situations, I've worked in mental health roles and the role does attract me even though I know it'd be very challenging.

I'm sure I'd have a lot to learn and it'll probably be incredibly daunting. Would be grateful to hear if anyone's done it or knows people who do it.
The role does appeal but also I'm in the process of buying a home alone, my mortgage and bills will soon be costing me around £200 a month more than they currently do and overtime is stopping, so I'm worried.

I'm 33 now and I want to progress salary-wise.

Hey, thanks for checking up! I have the interview/assessment centre tomorrow. I'll know within 3 working days or not if I've passed which is great!

Couldn't think of anything worse, being surrounded by murderers, rapists, abusers,terrorists all day long.

Good luck, OP! Let us know how you get on.

Thank you!

So glad there are people like you OP who want to do this kind of work. You sound ideal for the role and I hope you love it.

Thank you so much. People keep laughing when they hear I've applied and telling me they could never do it.

Good luck op!

When I worked in a prison, I found that the staff were more likely to be corrupt than the prisoners.
I joined as a manager and the team that I worked in had all applied for the job and not got it. They made my life a complete misery, lied about me to senior managers and I was sacked and marched off the premises with no warning. This was a private prison company, mainly dealing with illegal immigrants and their families.
This company had the contract removed from them shortly after I left and have dramatically downsized their custodial activities since then. They are now mostly secure couriers for banks and the like.

@TheQuickGoldSheep

Well done , if you get the job remember to always keep a barrier up , care but don't get over involved, as the prisoners will test your boundaries and try and manipulate you to get information. Once you have a label for being a soft touch it will stick . Care but be firm and fair .

Your username!
I knew a lovely young woman who worked in a ( Non prison officer) role, and the men all called her “ Miss” like teachers all get called “ Miss!”
She liked it. ( working with the men)

Also knew a man who was a prison officer back when it was better funded and less crowded

He liked it. ( old Victorian jail)

Op, try the probation service instead? They pay for a degree for you. Starting salary upon qualification is £35k and you can still work in prison

@oakleaffy ooh oak , I hate being called miss!!! I use their names and they use mine, bit I get that that's the norm in prison

My dad was a Prison Officer all his years. He has now retired.
He is very old-school and dreadful with technology. He used to work in the halls with the prisoners, while the young POs - who were still a bit afraid and lacking in confidence, especially when things went awry - stayed behind the scenes and got the admin done
At least at the start, while they were still finding their feet. Win win!

What motivates you to want to do this?

@TheQuickGoldSheep

If you want to do the job, for the jobs sake, try to get some voluntary hours in.

if it's just the salary, keep looking at other options!

I’ve heard that a lot of very good experienced prison officers ( Oldskool type) are retiring.
The older PO’s probably knew all the tricks, and weren’t pushovers, the sort of long experience that can only be won by actually DOING the job.

Fair play to all the good PO’s and other prison staff and volunteers.

I’ve heard women’s jails are much , much tougher than men’s, due to mental health, and being separated from
children(?)

The “Pack violence “ mentioned by a prison worker was alarming.

Years ago I occasionally took prisoner’s budgies to a local vets - the vet never took payment and the birds were well cared for.

However that was stopped- possibly as they thought contraband could be smuggled in.

(literally budgie smugglers?)

The budgie’s feet were usually the issue, from using
small perches of the same circumference.

@JMSA awww I really like working with officers such as your dad. His experience is priceless in our role.

💕

Soooo much more to the role than that.

YABU

Mens prisons are mens spaces. Womens prisons are womens spaces.

You wouldn't be working in the halls right off, but it's a very tough job. There's a reason why I wouldn't be happy if any of my kids wanted to marry a prison officer!