Corrections Community

I am chairing a committee to evaluate our Basic Training hours and I would like to find out the number of hours that other state correctional agencies are providing for new employee Basic Training. Would the State Correctional Agencies please let me know? Thank you.

Ed, in Colorado our Basic Training is for 6 weeks. Each Friday is "Facility Friday" structured to reinforce the topics that have been addressed during the week, as well as beginning a familiarization of the facility and staff. Of course, there are adaptations during the schedule to meet the needs of "non-correctional series" folks such as clinical and education. Andrea Burrows

Hi Ed:  In the State of Florida, the curriculum for Basic Corrections Recruit Training is 552 hours in length.  Our department adds several components in addition to this training:  Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) 40 hours; FEMA Courses (IS100, 200, 700, 800) 8 hours; and Electronic Control Device (ECD) 16 hours.  Once the recruit graduates from the basic training academy, we provide an additional 456 hours (57 day) FTO Program before the officer is allowed to work solo.  Upon successful completion of the FTO Program, the Recruit is promoted to Corrections Officer.  Jerry

Gerald.Milan@jaxsheriff.org

 Hi Ed, In California Department of Corrections our Basic Training Course is 16 weeks approximatley 640 hours. The Officers also complete a 2 year apprenticeship program at the Institution they will be working at. 

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations, Correctional Officer Cadets are required to attend 16 weeks - 40 hours week, 640 hours and they are trained in 53 subject matters. After graduation, it is the Correctional Officer's responsibility to complete additional 2400 hours within a two year period under the guidelines of the Apprenticeship Program. This requires they work various shifts and assignments to enhance thier experience.

Hello,

We have 120 hours of 3 weeks basic academy. I've attached our entire 8 week schedule

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has a 16 week basic academy and the two year apprenticeship program as previously mentioned. However, what is important is the content of the training, the quality of the trainers and the atmosphere in which the training is administered. Therefore, what is the purpose of the training? What is the desired outcome? Is there an assessment phase in place to critique the training and it's stated goals? While the CDCR promotes a 16 week academy, it does not attain the desired goal of producing competent, capable personnel. Having completed a Basic Law Enforcement Academy and The CDCR Correctional Academy I can attest to the limitations of the CDCR training module. In a BLEA forum team work, high ethical standards, integrity and self discipline were not only encouraged but expected. If you did not meet this simple criteria you were viewed as not fit to serve and removed from further consideration. With the CDCR it was quite the opposite. There was a false paramilitary environment that never held the cadets to rigorous standards. The instructors were less than enthusiastic and not well versed in the subject matter. Cadets were coddled by the California Correctional Peace Officers Association and given full union representation upon arrival at the academy. The minimum standards were far too minimum to wash out the less than committed. The apprenticeship program is not regulated nor well monitored. Essentially a newly hired correctional officer fills out a pre-printed form and submits it each month. This slip merely allows the c/o to fill in hours per shift that he/she supposedly dedicated to various areas related to a correctional officer's duties (I.E., report writing, transport, search and escort, etc.). Studies have shown the greatest success is with a phased program where a trainer is assigned to a new officer for a specified period of time. The trainer assesses the new c/o and offers additional training in areas deemed deficient. When and if the new c/o passes that phase they are assigned a new trainer for the next phase and so on. The keys to any training program must include: A sound and thoroughly vetted curriculum, Highly motivated instructors that have undergone rigorous training the trainer programs, Use of outside the agency Subject Matter Experts (SME's), Rigorous physical training to weed out the non-committed and undisciplined cadets, A testing process that is fair and impartial coupled with rigorous standards, Ensure that modern techniques and equipment are incorporated into the training, A varied curriculum that incorporates a wide variety of subjects but also flows so as not to cause confusion for the cadets, A Jail/Prison training phase or FTO/JTO, Clearly stated expectations (that are rigorously adhered to by staff and severe consequences for anyone that fails to meet those standards). In short, take a long hard look at what law enforcement is doing and try to mirror it as closely as possible. Remember a prison guard is an occupation and a Correctional Officer is a profession. Will your training program produce a prison guard or a correctional officer? That is the question you must ask yourself. I apologize the formatting when submitting my response created a block style presentation which appears difficult to read or follow.