The prison director is the administrative officer of a prison; he is responsible for managing the funds allocated to the institution, maintaining security and ensuring that inmates receive the assistance and skills needed to rejoin society. Even though a prison warden earns an average of around € 96,000 (gross) per year, this job is not for everyone. If you want to know how to enter this profession, read this article.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Meeting the Requirements
Step 1. Get your bachelor's degree
It is one of the basic requirements for accessing a high position such as that of the prison director. To get the job you will need to obtain at least a bachelor's degree, which provides you with the preparation and communication and - literacy - skills necessary for the role.
Step 2. Go for a specialist
Even if there is no course of study aimed at becoming a prison director, you will have more opportunities if, in addition to the bachelor's degree, you also manage to have the specialist or other specialization certificates. Evaluate one of these faculties: criminology, administrative justice, politics and social services.
Having a broad theoretical background in the sector will help you to learn more about the role of every professional figure present in a prison: prison guards, social workers and, of course, the prison director. Knowing what such a profession entails will allow you to understand if this is the career you want to pursue
Step 3. Unprecedented
To work in a re-education institution, or other places where inmates serve their sentences, you will need to pass a background check; verification of having not committed criminal offenses or other misdeeds in the past. Since you will need to help inmates become model citizens, you need to be the first to abide by the law. If you have committed criminal offenses, or have behind your back episodes related to violence and drugs, you will not be able to participate in the competition.
Step 4. Don't take drugs
If you pass the screenings, you will most likely need to take a drug test. It goes without saying that you have to be more than clean.
Step 5. Learn to have the qualities of a prison director
If you are interested in taking on this role, you must have the skills that will determine your career success. Here are some of the most important qualities you will need to excel in this field:
- Money management. One of your main tasks will be the good use of the funds that will be allocated to you in order to adequately house, feed and dress inmates, as well as provide important services such as health care and re-education. You will need to know how to manage money wisely.
- Critical thinking. Prison will experience complicated situations, and the solution may require creativity and analytical skills.
- Relational skills. You will need to know not only how to communicate with inmates, but also how to interact with staff to express your needs.
- Physical force. While you will spend most of your time behind a desk, you will also be interacting with inmates, and you shouldn't be caught unprepared for dangerous situations.
- Writing skills. You will need to be very good at writing in order to cooperate with officials from other institutions and communicate any needs in your prison to them.
Step 6. Prepare for the contest
In order to become a prison director, in addition to meeting all the requirements, it is necessary to face a public competition. This includes written (administrative law and penitentiary law) and oral tests (penitentiary law, criminal law and procedure, civil, constitutional, administrative, criminology, state accounting, statistics), as well as psycho-physical and aptitude assessments.
Step 7. Prepare for training courses
Once you pass the competition, you will have to take part in specific basic training courses lasting six months. Part of the training will be held in the Schools of the DAP (Department of Penitentiary Administration) and part in the institute itself; you will deepen your knowledge of legal matters, administrative and constitutional legislation, penitentiary system, organization of institutions, communication issues, relational psychology and trade union relations.
Part 2 of 3: Gaining Experience
Step 1. Get some field experience
It may seem trivial, but basically what you need is the experience of working with other people, showing that you are courageous, determined, and aware of the needs of others. For example, before embarking on such a path you can do a few years as a policeman, acquiring specific skills in the sector, or as a social worker.
There is no one way to experience. However, it is better to focus on a specific role, so that by the time you apply to become a director you can already claim to know the traits of human psychology, the needs of inmates, and so on
Step 2. Become a prison guard
If you do not have advanced degrees, and are not planning on achieving one, one way to become a prison director is to gain experience starting as a prison guard. Later, for seniority reasons, you will be able to become deputy commissioner and finally apply to become director.
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Working as a prison guard will help you understand the dynamics of life in prison and realize the needs of both staff and inmates.
Become a Prison Warden Step 8 -
Also for this role you have to face a competition. The maximum age must not exceed 28 years, and as a level of education generally only a diploma is required. The exams of the competition will have elements of criminal, procedural and penitentiary law, topics that will be resumed during the subsequent course period - lasting three months - together with an in-depth study on the issues of communication and personnel management.
Become a Prison Warden Step 9 - When you are director, you will have to keep an eye on dozens of people, so you will have the obligation to prove that you have what it takes for this position.
- The important thing is to show that you have leadership skills.
- Having experience as a manager in the business sector can also be helpful; in this way you will be able to develop your management skills.
Step 3. Achieve a high level of education
While it's not always mandatory, sometimes a master's or specialist's can make a difference. A postgraduate certificate can help you rise in rank within law enforcement or related industries.
Step 4. Apply directly to become a prison director
If you think you meet all the requirements, and you have brilliantly faced and completed a course of study relevant to the role (or have many years of experience in the sector behind you), the best thing you can do is to register immediately for the competition.
The selection interviews could take place in front of a chosen commission, so be prepared to clearly articulate convincing arguments
Part 3 of 3: Having a Successful Career
Step 1. Develop good relationships with your staff
The prison staff know the building and who is part of it perfectly, and will keep you updated on everything that happens every day. A skilled penitentiary director develops strong relationships with his staff, so that he is always aware of what happens when he is not present.
- Since the prison has no closing hours, you will have to go through several shifts before you understand exactly how things work.
- Don't be friendly with the staff, be nice but enforce it so you get the information you need.
Step 2. Respect the inmates
Of course, you don't have to be overly friendly, but you don't have to be tyrannical either. Like the staff, inmates also need to be able to trust you so that you can do your job better. They will see the guards more often, but it will be with you that they will discuss their personal matters.
You will also need to meet those inmates who have had problems or been involved in quarrels within the building. Enforce the punishment by showing them the mistakes they made
Step 3. Provide for the needs of inmates by allocating public funds appropriately
State funding is often not sufficient to cover all the needs of prisoners; you will need to prioritize and try to understand what they really need and what they can do without. For example, you may have to choose between improving food quality and increasing training options. Here are some things you will need to oversee:
- Quality of food and clothing of the prisoners
- Mental stimuli obtained through extra-curricular activities or encouraging the use of the prison library.
- Health care.
- Physical activity possible thanks to the care of the external area of the building or the presence of sports equipment.
Step 4. Learn to manage the problem of deaths in prison carefully
Sometimes it happens that a prisoner cannot bear the weight of imprisonment and that he decides to take his own life. In these cases, what you have to do is try to understand which are the most problematic figures in the institution and convince them to express their concerns in order to try to find a solution.
Step 5. Manage press reports
If your prison has a problem coming out, you will be the one to put your face on it and face the reporters. You will have to answer their questions carefully, making sure that the prison image is not scratched. Don't lose your temper and don't reveal information that you may later regret.
You will be a representative of the institutions, so your behavior must be as respectable as possible
Step 6. Influence Prison Policies
You will work closely with the prison guards and need to help them understand the different procedures that will make the prison work better. You will play a pivotal role in defining the following fields: hiring and grading, vocational training and education, recreational programs, and disciplinary proceedings.
Learn not only about how a prison is organized in general, but also the best policies you can adopt within your institution
Step 7. Check that everything is always working fine
At the end of each day, your primary concern will be maintaining the safety of the detainees as well as ensuring that the citizens outside are safe from evasion. You will need to enforce the institution's rules and take note of offenses committed by both inmates and staff.
- One of your main tasks is to make sure that prison staff do not abuse inmates.
- You will be responsible for everything that happens during a moment of crisis: riots, quarrels, suicides, disasters of various kinds.
