correctional officer

teacher

learning and development officer

probation officer

plumber

Florida Department of Corrections

My time with the department has been a blessing because so many others are without work that I'm blessed to have my job. Now aside from that I hate the working conditions and I most times dislike my co workers from the bottom to the top of the chain of commands.
Working conditions because you are not allowed your phone so all personal calls must be made through the control center. It's a hit or miss if you can get your call made due to other responses being tended to or the occasional attitude from the control room. Not all the time when you receive a phone call will it get through, especially if you're not cool with the people who are working the control room (Like high school). Whether rain, heat or hurricane you are going to do your perimeter checks (Security checks) on foot with those hot freaking polyester uniforms. You can't leave the compound for coffee or food, you can't leave your dorm unless someone can relieve you (Good luck). Whether you volunteer or not if the department is short handed (which they always are) you will stay past your end of shift and if you refuse expect your rear to get chewed out and after once or twice of refusal will call for disciplinary actions. Try your best to keep people out of your personal business that's including your CO workers. 
Respect is not always given from the beginning from your peers you have to demand it. Everyone hates being there and you can feel tension everywhere you go (Talking about your peers)
 You will not be liked very much for doing your job correctly and don't be surprised if you're one of the many many few actually doing what you are supposed to be doing.
I am stationed down south and nothing has changed there but the employees.
Most people that start working here use this place as a stepping stone into law enforcement. Very few actually stay here and the ones that do is because they have no where else better to go to or they've become complacent. Most of your supervisors are unlikable as well as your coworkers who are at the same level as you but have put in over 15 to 20 years. Go to work do your job don't get caught up in the politics stay out of the social groups be fair respectable and care less about what people have to say about you cuz everybody's going to have something to say about you. Accomplish your mission for even being at this place if it's not for the longevity and make it happen. The department has amazing benefits and the pay has gotten better especially since the beginning of 2022. Don't get caught falling asleep! If there's one piece of advice that I give you is start learning proper breathing techniques because you're going to need it. Inmates at times can be annoying, your equipment does not work properly all the time, you don't always get relieved right away whether it's to go to the bathroom or it's your time to go home, everybody that you work with has an attitude and when they speak to you over the radio there's no exception to the rule. Oh and another thing, do not let the training that you receive from here boost up your ego to think that you're going to be a super cop, because it's not going to help you get by with these inmates. Unlike your co-workers inmates live by respect. Give And ye shall receive. At the end of the day they've already been judged and doing their time they don't need a correctional officer giving them even more of a hard time than they already serving. If you let things slide your time is going to be miserable and that goes for inmates and co-workers alike. 
Learn from everyone, hold onto the peers you click with and always remember that you are in prison. only difference between you and an inmate is you get to go home. The only reason why you make it home safe every day is because the inmates allow you to because at any moment they can take over the prison very easily because they outnumber correctional officers five to one. I think I've rambled on enough have a good day.

It wasn't too bad at first. It's prison, so it's restrictive, which is frustrating. But I mostly like what I do, and I don't mind working around inmates. However, over time it seems the institutional leaders started leading from behind, if at all, which allowed bad actors to step forward and set the tone.  There is a complete disconnect between the stated and demonstrated values and morale is down across the board. Rules for thee, not for me.

If you're not "in," you're nothing, and anything you say or do can and will be used against you. Document everything because you will likely need it to protect yourself later. The higher ups will say they appreciate you but it's empty words. They only appreciate full obedience and whatever will further inflate their egos. Concerns are ignored or taken as a personal attack, while bad actors and yes men are protected and promoted.

If you don't behave like the subordinate you are, you'll be reminded how little you truly are. This is the most malicious, vindictive environment I've ever worked in, which creates this constant fear of retaliation. The administration and other leaders are mostly inept, too busy playing the political game, and/or on a constant power trip. Changes are made all the time that don't make sense or make things worse because they don't know much about what their staff actually does, or the procedures controlling their areas, and their egos are too big to admit that. And there's no communication, at least not with the staff it will affect. You can ask directly and it'll be treated like a secret only those in the Exclusive Club can know about.

Everyone seems to have a huge chip on their shoulders and believe they deserve respect because of their "rank," not because of any personal characteristics or actions worth respecting. Upstanding people are few and far between in the FDC and will be beaten down and driven out by the overgrown brats that run this clown show. I'm shocked I've lasted as long as I have. I'm not joking when I say this place is unbelievably destructive to my mental health, and I work at one of the "better" institutions.

Best advice I can give about dealing with the inmates is: be OK with saying "no", be consistent in your actions, and be respectful and reasonable (though don't be afraid to push back if an inmate starts acting up). I haven't had issues with anyone asking me to bring in contraband but it happens all the time. Trust your instincts and don't let little things slide, as it will likely snowball into something you don't want to be involved in (it's not always nefarious but sometimes your boundaries are being tested). Remember that your paycheck and benefits are worth more than anything an inmate can give you in compensation.

Pay has been going up quite a bit in recent years but I'd say it's on par with most other places. The main selling point are the benefits. The health insurance, etc., is very good, very affordable (especially if you have a family). I'm pretty sure this is why most people stick around. If you can deal with all of this, there are absolutely opportunities to move within the organization. They love to promote from within. Many staff have been there for decades, moving around the organization. If you're a yes man who can be completely devoted to the FDC, then you can get any job you want if you have the minimum qualifications (being able to travel/move will also be beneficial). You can mess up, in and out of work, and more likely than not, you will not be fired. If it's bad enough, they might "have to" move you to a lower position and/or transfer you but you can work your way back up again (which is part of the problem).


Every morning at 5:30, I am the first nurse to arrive at my post. My task involves receiving inmates arriving from county correctional facilities located throughout Central Florida. Each inmate carries an envelope containing their nursing summary; I perform a quick review as they disembark from the buses, checking to see if they are carrying any medical devices—such as wheelchairs, canes, walkers, Foley catheters, insulin pumps, cardiac monitors, IV lines, or any other equipment—to ensure they can safely exit the bus without assistance.
Next, I return to my office to review each inmate's summary documentation, specifically looking for those who are currently taking medications or undergoing treatment. I also pay special attention to specialized medications or cases requiring the inmate to be transferred directly to the infirmary, prioritizing the delivery of those specific documents to the physician on duty.
I check for any history of positive PPD test results.
I identify any inmate currently taking methadone and send an email notification to the Medical Director.
I hand over the list of specialized tests that need to be performed to the laboratory technician.
This entire process must be completed within a two-hour timeframe, as the physician arrives at 7:45 a.m.
Subsequently, I access the computer system to verify each inmate's medical history and check for records of positive PPD tests from previous incarcerations. I hand the list of previously positive cases to the nurse responsible for administering PPD tests, while the other nurses handle taking vital signs.
Once this entire process is complete—and as soon as the security officer is ready—the four of us nurses typically begin interviewing all the inmates; we usually receive between 60 and 80 people per day.
After finishing with this group, we receive inmates who are being transferred from one correctional facility to another within the state of Florida; For these individuals, we must also take their vital signs and review their medications. Typically, these inmates depart the following day—or a couple of days later—either for their permanent correctional facility or to attend an appointment with a specialist.
Generally, this involves between 20 and 35 inmates per day.
Throughout the day, emergency situations or fights among the inmates arise.
Management fail  to recognize that our job is performed  at a fast pace; they are  constantly  introducing  new protocols.
Never say thank you,  but  they  are very quick to reprimand us if something is missing from the protocol .
The work place is very  tough  on new nurses;
they are unable to endure  it and end up  quitting .
The hard part  is management canot keep nurses.
The most enjoyable part is that our area work well  in conjunction with the correctional officers  and that is advantage;  they  always have our back


This is more about using your mind and interpersonal skills than physical labor. To be successful here one must learn self discipline and control of one's emotions. Not being able to control your temper when dealing with inmates is a quick sure way to lose your job, your certification, and if severe enough even your freedom. Abuse of inmates is not tolerated nor is it condoned. This job has its challenges, and it also can have its rewards. Where you want it to carry you and how far depends a lot on how hard you're willing to work for it. There are days when you're busy from the time you get there until you leave and then there are days you're in relaxed mode it seems most of the day. Your attitude will determine a lot of what kind of day you'll have. I've learned investigative techniques here, as crime doesn't stop just because they're in prison. We have as of lately been charged with rehabilitating felons for successful reentry into society. Helping them make sure they have the emotional, mental, financial, and physical aspects that will help them succeed and avoid returning to prison. I learned how to deal with potentially dangerous and deadly situations while remaining calm under pressure. I learned how to study up on policy and procedure so as to better acquaint myself what to do and when to do it as it becomes necessary to maintain the orderly running of the facility. I've learned to be the negotiator between subordinate staff when disagreements came and served as a liaison between those under my care and the higher levels of administration. I have learned to become a role model for others to follow and set example by which others conduct themselves. I have learned how the prison system runs as a business entity from both on the job experience and through my college education. I have become a trainer/instructor and hold certification as such with the state certifying agency. I oversee the daily functions within my post and ensure all the proper documentation and all tasks assigned have been completed prior to the end of shift. I record and report any problems associated onto the shift OICs and oncoming shift during shift briefings. I take time to mentor new and inexperienced staff by showing them the proper ways to do their job. I try to assign tasks by finding the best candidates for doing the job by observation of their strengths and weaknesses. I look for new ways to improve teamwork and offer to take on more responsibilities in order to gain new experience. I strive to improve daily so as to advance within the department.

A typical day at work (night shift) involves coming in, clocking in and going straight to the dorm. Once there you figure out what messes the day shift left and didn't complete. Inmates aren't where they are suppose to be, Property from day shift that didn't get completed, trash not taken out, Inmate laundry in the sally port, etc... etc... Institutions are in shambles. When it rains the dorms leak into the officers station and everywhere else in the dorms because they haven't been maintained in years. Your radios (your only lifeline) may or may not work when you need them. It's a very rare day that you are staffed well enough to meet the minimum critical staffing levels. Inevitably someone on shift is going to be asked/told they have to stay and work over because the next shift is just as understaffed as yours. The department is hiring left and right but they are hiring anyone and everyone they can with seemingly zero regard for who they are and what their past is like. So many dirty staff are being hired and it's only going to get worse with the new reduction in minimum age to 18. Eighteen year old kids are too easily manipulated into doing things they shouldn't.  They are literally hiring gang members. Keep your circle of trust small. You never see any of the chiefs unless they are doing their mandatory weekly and monthly rounds. I wish I could bring in a camera and send pics to the local news agencies so they could get out to the public how bad it really is for staff in Florida prisons. You are going to outnumbered 100 to 1 by inmates and most of them will have weapons on them and you are armed with a radio that may or may not work and pepper spray. The administration is consistently finding new ways to make the job just a little more difficult. Corrections has always been under paid compared to other law enforcement agencies but when the department gets one pitiful raise in 12+ years you know that no one in the department or legislature really cares about staff. Inmate on staff assaults is higher than it's ever been and no end in sight. I started this job thinking I would make a career out of it and stay for 20 years and retire but I am trying to leave as quickly as I can and so are most of the rest of the staff. Run... Run far away from the FL DOC if you value your time, sanity, family life, and want to get paid fairly for your time and effort. The only plus is the benefits are actually really good and that's what keeps most of the people here.

Working with the Fl. Dept. of Corrections for 8 years in total, I learned a lot of things. For instance, you're work is never appreciated by your higher ranking superiors. You're never good enough unless you're willing to suck up to higher ranking superiors, which of course, puts a target on your back by the people you will work with. Your days off are a luxury, not a right, and certainly don't belong to you. You can promote with next to no knowledge, because the turn around rate is insanely high. You're almost untouchable because they're so desperate to higher and keep staff. People don't leave good jobs or careers, they retire from them. So why do people keep quitting? If you're looking for great benefits, I can't deny that working for the State is a great way to go, but considering most of the ones that retire from here pass away shortly after from a career of stress and don't get to enjoy their retirement is a whole thing in and of itself. The high ups, and recruiters will tell you it's wonderful here. They'll use keywords like great retirement, great pay, great benefits to lure you in, and before you know it, you're stuck. The pay is to good to easily walk away from, and the over-time paychecks are even better. Just don't expect to have time to enjoy the money, because you're almost certainly next up on the extended day work roster, or needed to come in on your day off because someone else called in again, or someone else quit again. You learn to become numb to everything, because if you allow yourself to maintain your humanity, you will end up as another statistic on the national suicide graphs. But that's ok, they offer EAP consolers! But don't dare use them, because now your Captain, Major/Colonel hate you and ensure that you're treated poorly for being human. They have a great sick leave and annual leave accrual program, but, sorry, you can't really use those either. You also get 1 personal holiday day  per year, use it or loose it, to bad HR won't mark it for you though, and sorry, but you don't get to control your time codes. If you can't get anything else, yeah sure, what do you have to loose I suppose. But over all, I can not and will not ever recommend working for any State Correctional position. You're a number, not a person. And they won't let you forget that.

You arrive at the beginning of your shift, uniform pressed, mind alert. You check in with your OIC (Officer In Command or Charge), receive your post, and prepare for movement. You write reports, monitor behavior, and respond to incidents with calm precision. You de-escalate conflict with your voice before it ever reaches your hands. Your head must be on a swivel at all times. You monitor movement, manage tension, and maintain order in a place where unpredictability is routine. You’re not just enforcing rules, you’re reading energy, anticipating conflict, and protecting lives. The day is long, the stakes are high, and the margin for error is razor-thin.
I've learned how to lead without applause. How to stay calm when chaos is staring you in the face. Respect isn’t given—it’s earned through consistency, fairness, and how you carry yourself when no one’s watching,  how to separate emotion from reaction, and how to hold space for humanity in a system that often forgets it.
Management can be shaky,  the job runs smoothly as long as you do what you’re supposed to.
The culture is layered. It’s built on hierarchy, tradition, and survival. But beneath the surface, there’s a quiet brotherhood—a shared understanding that this job changes you. You bond through the grind, through the silent nods, through the moments when you hold the line together. It’s not always healthy, but it’s real.
The hardest part isn’t necessarily the danger, it’s the emotional weight. It’s seeing cycles repeat. It’s watching people unravel and knowing you can’t always intervene. It’s the toll it takes on your spirit, your sleep, your relationships. It’s learning how to carry all that and still show up with strength and grace.
The most rewarding part is the impact you make in the shadows. When an inmate says, “You treated me like a man.” When a new officer watches how you move and starts to model your calm. When you realize you’ve become the kind of leader you once needed. That’s the win.


The only thing this job has going for it is the health insurance. It's not just the inmates you have to second guess everything about, it is also your co-workers. People who went through a vocational course that took less than a year, are basically handed most of the answers from the test from others who recently took the test, and only needed an 80% to pass are making assumptions about you, the people they watch over, and your life outside work. Oh, and they have 3 attempts to make this 80%. The staff moral is severely under par and the agency is severely understaffed. This means that you, as a public servant, will have to agree, upon hire, to mandatory overtime with that overtime being several days off during the month taken away to occupy a 12 hour shift. If you have a family, this will not be the career for you because you will be working or asleep more than spending time with your family. You do receive an ample amount of paid leave as opposed to other employers but good luck with getting it off with the staff shortages. If you decide to stick with the career and you see those you watch over as a "partner", at some point your co-workers are going to start a rumor that you are having a relationship with one (or several) you watch over. If you have stepped on the toes of fellow co-workers and the investigation of this rumored relationship is not returning much significant evidence, they will go out of their way to produce evidence needed to place the label of that rumor on you. This may or may not happen after rumors your were having a relationship with a co-worker have began making rounds. If you view the statistics of the life expectancy and mental wellbeing of those that choose this career, you will see that the job is not worth it. They will paint a very pretty picture to reel you in, but do your own research and then make your decision. I wish I would have.

I believe that to be most effective as an instructor, one must create a safe environment that is interactive and collaborative and that promotes problem-solving and critical thinking skills. A welcoming environment accommodates a variety of adult learning styles and encourages students to present their opinions while respecting the opinions of others. By giving students a voice in class, not only do the students benefit from peer-peer learning by enriching the course material with personal experiences and knowledge, but they also take responsibility for their own learning and, therefore, enhance the integration of their new knowledge into practice. Promoting independent thinking is essential so that students can take what they have learned and apply it in real-life situations. Therefore, I endeavor to make my classroom an arena for students to learn skills and demonstrate outcomes. 
To create a safe learning environment, I encourage students to ask questions and give their views on the material we are covering. I solicit anonymous feedback in the form of “one-minute papers” from my students about assignments as well as my teaching style, and I then implement student suggestions to improve my service delivery and their learning outcomes. I create assignments that improve students’ problem-solving and critical thinking skills, such as analyzing the economic behavior of the society. I utilize small-group discussions both to actively involve the students in their own learning as well as to improve their critical thinking skills. 
In order to achieve the ultimate goal of student learning, I strive to implement strategies that create a collaborative and safe atmosphere and encourage the application of knowledge to new situations. I believe that these strategies help students become ready and able to utilize their knowledge in their studies and in their future employment.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Nothing horrible place to work staff is very unprofessional up to captains lieutenants and staff inside the command center. They try to paint you a pretty pick to get you on board but it all changes once you sign and take that job. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The staff made the job more stressful than the inmates.  When you are new they leave you alone in a dorm to fend for yourself when you don’t even know how to operate the doors or how to work the dorm log. The inmates teach you how to work the until before staff ever will. The senior staff wonders off the compound all day while new staff stays inside an until all day. Captains don’t call the attention to anyone they are very weak and have so much favoritism so if it’s someone they favor or like good luck. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
There is no culture everyone is here for themself and given chance they will write an incident report or make you write one. Be careful because much staff is dirty and brings contraband or has relationship with inmates. Including captains DADE CI was a nightmare it’s a huge revolving door. Some people are never fired always put under investigation but come back to work because they know what higher ups are dirty as well. But mind you do one thing you will be terminated 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Depending who you worked with and if they actually worked and didn’t abandon post you could possibly have a decent day. But let’s say thee staff was great that day the inmates will act up Stab each other. Many uses of force if you are a scared person this job isn’t for you.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Correctional officer 38 salaries reported	$36,817 per year
Teacher 5 salaries reported	$50,900 per year
Learning and development officer 18 salaries reported	$34,525 per year
Probation officer 3 salaries reported	$45,760 per year
Plumber 14 salaries reported	$39,566 per year

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