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Correctional service officers

OaSIS code 43201.00

Correctional service officers guard offenders and detainees and maintain order in correctional institutions and other places of detention. Primary workers develop women offender’s correctional plan and work with other service officers in the correctional team. Correctional service officers who are supervisors are included in this unit group.

Overview

Also known as

  • Correctional facility guard
  • Correctional officers supervisor
  • Correctional service officer
  • Primary worker – correctional service
  • Primary worker/kimisinaw - correctional service
  • Prison guard

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Observe conduct and behaviour of offenders and detainees to prevent disturbances and escapes
  • Supervise offenders during work assignments, meals and recreation periods
  • Patrol assigned area and report any problems to supervisor
  • Conduct security checks and scanning of visitors, inmates and their cells, working areas and recreational activity areas
  • Observe behaviour of offenders and prepare reports
  • Escort detainees in transit and during temporary leaves
  • Prepare admission, program, release, transfer and other reports
  • May supervise and coordinate work of other correctional service officers.
  • May develop offenders’ correctional plan and facilitate their participation in reintegration programs in collaboration with psychologists, behavioral counsellors, parole officers and others.

Additional information

  • Primary workers are the primary daily contact for women offenders.

Similar occupations classified elsewhere

Exclusions:

  • Managers in social, community and correctional services (40030)
  • Probation and parole officers (41311)
  • Social workers (41300)

NOC hierarchy breakdown

NOC version

NOC 2021 Version 1.0

Broad occupational category

4 – Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services

TEER

3 – Occupations usually require a college diploma or apprenticeship training of less than two years; or more than six months of on-the-job training

Major group

43 – Assisting occupations in education and in legal and public protection

Sub-major group

432 – Assisting occupations in legal and public protection

Minor group

4320 – Assisting occupations in legal and public protection

Unit group

43201 – Correctional service officers

Occupational profile

43201.00 – Correctional service officers

Work characteristics

Work characteristics gathers the various components describing the work environment of each occupation, such as employers, work activities, and the work context. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of complexity (for Work Activities) or other measurement dimensions (for Work Context), and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Work Activities

Proficiency or complexity level
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
5 - Highest Level
Clerical Activities
4 - High Level
Performing General Physical Activities
4 - High Level
Supervising Subordinates
4 - High Level
Team Building
4 - High Level

Work Context

Structural Job Characteristics

Structured versus Unstructured Work
Degree of freedom to determine tasks and priorities
2 - Low amount of freedom
Work Week Duration
Worked hours in a typical week
2 - Between 35 to 40 hours

Physical Work Environment

Physical Proximity
Physical distance from others
4 - Close (at arm’s length)

Physical Demands

Sitting
Duration
3 - About half the time
Standing
Duration
3 - About half the time
Bending or Twisting the Body
Duration
2 - Less than half the time

Interpersonal Relations

Contact with Others
Frequency
5 - Every day, almost continuously
Duration
5 - All the time, or almost all the time
Work with Work Group or Team
Importance
4 - Highly important
Frequency
5 - Every day, almost continuously

Workplaces/employers

  • Federal government
  • Municipal governments
  • Provincial governments

Skills and abilities

This section displays the various competencies required for an occupation. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency (for Skills and Abilities) or importance (for Personal Attributes) and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Abilities

Proficiency or complexity level
Explosive Strength
5 - Highest Level
Gross Body Coordination
5 - Highest Level
Stamina
5 - Highest Level
Arm-Hand Steadiness
4 - High Level
Auditory Attention
4 - High Level

Skills

Proficiency or complexity level
Persuading
4 - High Level
Evaluation
3 - Moderate Level
Instructing
3 - Moderate Level
Monitoring
3 - Moderate Level
Negotiating
3 - Moderate Level

Personal Attributes

Importance
Attention to Detail
5 - Extremely important
Stress Tolerance
5 - Extremely important
Adaptability
4 - Highly important
Analytical Thinking
4 - Highly important
Collaboration
4 - Highly important

Interests

The OaSIS uses the Holland Codes to describe the work-related interests. According to the Holland model, people work best in work environments that match their preferences, which means that people and work environments can be matched for a best fit. Occupational environments in Holland’s theory are described according to a combination of main interests and the activities they represent. There are six interests in the Holland typology: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional. All occupations in OaSIS have up to three interests assigned to them.

Interests

Preferences for work environments and outcomes.

Interests profile: ECR

Enterprising (E)

Enterprising occupations are characterized by the dominance of action-oriented activities to attain organizational or self-interest goals. They frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects, influencing, leading or mobilizing people, making decisions, and sometimes require risk taking and dealing with business.

Conventional (C)

Conventional occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail following sets of procedures and routines. These activities may include systematic manipulation of data, such as keeping records, filing materials, reproducing materials, organizing written and numerical data according to a prescribed plan, and operating business and data processing. They often require following a clear line of authority and usually involve working with data and details more than with ideas.

Realistic (R)

Realistic occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail the explicit, ordered or systematic manipulation of objects, tools, machines and animals. Many of these occupations do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Employment requirements

Employment requirements includes the education, training, certifications and the knowledge required to work in each occupation. The Knowledge category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency, and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of Knowledge descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Education, certification and licensing

  • Completion of secondary school is required.
  • Post-secondary education in correctional services, police studies or criminology is required in New Brunswick, Quebec, and Alberta and Prince Edward Island.
  • Correctional officer recruits must successfully complete the Correctional Service of Canada training course to be employed by federal institutions.
  • Correctional officer recruits are usually required to complete a basic training course to be employed by provincial/territorial institutions.
  • Physical agility, strength and fitness requirements must be met.
  • Correctional service supervisors require experience as a correctional service officer.
  • First aid certification and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training are usually required.

Knowledge

Knowledge level
Clerical
2 - Intermediate Level
Law
2 - Intermediate Level
Client Service
1 - Basic Level
Languages
1 - Basic Level
Mathematics
1 - Basic Level

Skills for success

 
Skills for Success Model
 
Skills for Success are skills that help you in a quickly changing world. Everyone benefits from having these skills. They can help you to get a job, progress at your current job or even change jobs. The skills also help you become an active member of your community and succeed in learning.
 
 
Linkages Between ESDC Skills Models and Frameworks
 
ESDC makes available a dictionary of over 300 terms (or descriptors) and definitions, known as the Skills and Competencies Taxonomy (SCT). Descriptor information from the Taxonomy is used in the Occupational and Skills Information System (OaSIS).
 
While there is general commonality of meaning between the descriptors in the SCT and the Skills for Success model, there are some differences in their definitions due to their distinct purposes. The Skills for Success Model [9 broadly defined skills] identifies the skills that are universally applicable. The SCT displays specific skills and competency requirements for 900 occupations. Users of the Skills for Success Model and Essential Skills content may find competency information from the Taxonomy and the OaSIS to be complementary.
 
Stay tuned to this section for more information and updates regarding linkages between the Skills for Success model and the OaSIS.

O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 27.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Employment and Social Development Canada has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

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