Texas Correctional Officer Job Description – Requirements Needed to Be a County Jailer
Correction officers (also known as detention officers, jailers, prison guards) are responsible for supervising prisoners, enforcing rules, and maintaining security within the walls of a correctional facility. Requirements to become a county corrections officer in Texas vary from agency to agency, but often include predetermined amounts of training and work experience.
Job Description:
Correctional officers in Texas have the duty of maintaining order in a county operated detention facility. They watch over inmates and make sure all the rules and regulations are met while those incarcerated serve their sentences.
Requirements & Qualifications:
Here are some general requirements that you must meet before being offered the position of a detention officer (also known as deputy sheriff) in the state of Texas:
- Must have a High School diploma or G.E.D
- Must have a Texas driver’s license. If you are a licensed driver in another state, you must go to the Department of Motor Vehicles and switch it over
- Must be in good shape in order to pass the physical fitness test. Overweight and out of shape applicants are often not hired as correctional officers. This is why it is so important to follow a Law Enforcement Specific Workout Program immediately after deciding that you want to go into corrections.
- Must pass the polygraph test. According to professional polygraph examiner A.J. Phillips, author of How To Pass Your Polygraph Test, 50% of first time test takers fail their polygraph examination even if they are telling the truth. A.J. explains in his polygraph prep book how to pass your polygraph test your first time through.
- Must pass the oral board interview. I recommend reading interview expert, Robert Lawrence’s new e-book, Killer Interview Secrets. In it, Robert gives advice on how to beat out the competition, even though they may be more qualified than you (using these techniques shows the “intangibles” you offer the agency that no one else can!)
- Must not have any felony convictions or any criminal cases pending.
- Must not have any convictions involving cultivating, transporting, or distributing illegal drugs of any kind.
Salary Outlook:
| Government And Become Eligible in Texas | $65,000 | |||
| Corrections Cadet in Texas | $61,000 | |||
| Corrections Captain in Texas | $64,000 | |||
| Corrections Lieutenant in Texas | $55,000 | |||
| Criminal Justice Professional Training in Texas | $61,000 | |||
| Correctional Probation Senior Officer in Texas | $49,000 | |||
| Correctional Officer Lieutenant in Texas | $46,000 | |||
| Custom Protection Officer Unarmed in Texas | $26,000 | |||
| Correctional Officer Captain in Texas | $50,000 | |||
| Custom Protection Officer Armed in Texas | $25,000 | |||
| Corrections Officer in Texas | $34,000 | |||
| Medical Secretary Correctional Institution in Texas | $37,000 | |||
| Classification Officer in Texas | $43,000 | |||
| Probation Officer in Texas | $44,000 | |||
| Correctional Officer GL in Texas | $25,000 | |||
