If you loved all four seasons of "Prison Break," you might be drawn to work among the prison population as a corrections officer. Unlike some of the corrupt prison workers on the TV show, however, real-life corrections officers maintain the security of their facility to prevent disturbances, assaults, and escapes. Corrections officers perform routine searches for contraband, settle disputes between inmates, and enforce discipline.

All employers require that corrections officers have a high school diploma or equivalent, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons requires entry-level correctional officers to have at least a bachelor's degree; three years of full-time experience in a field providing counseling, assistance, or supervision to individuals; or a combination of the two, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Additionally, the BLS suggests that employment of corrections officers is expected to grow faster than average between 2006 and 2016, with excellent job opportunities in the field.
Some especially good news if you're considering corrections in this economy: layoffs are rare.

To get ahead in the field of corrections, typically, you'll need a four-year degree. Correctional officer training is particularly helpful with this because you'll learn from experienced professionals and will get the opportunity to apply your knowledge firsthand. Once you've gone through correctional officer training, you will be able to secure a job at federal or local detention centers, which typically provide entry-level individuals with on-the-job training. This additional correctional officer training varies and can last anywhere from several weeks to several months, under the supervision of an experience correctional officer. Correctional officer training would certainly be worth it. The BLS reports that in 2006, there were 500,000 jobs in the field of correctional officers. Three out of five of these were at state facilities, which include prisons and youth correctional facilities. The rest of correctional officers were located in county jails, local institutions, and those who may be subject to deportation. These were smaller institutions, with fewer individuals.

Correctional officer training may include certain classes like self-defense and working with firearms. These are key skills to take out of correctional officer training, as the work in this field may be intense, at times. If you're interested in a particular part of the criminal justice fields, correctional officer training may be worth considering. Correctional officer training gives you the skills to be in other professions as well. Some of these include security guards, protective services, gaming surveillance, law enforcement, and military occupations. It is important to note that correctional officer training can be helpful and will help catapult you to the top, higher-paying jobs.

Explore criminal justice degrees to gain insight into the criminal mind and make a difference as a corrections officer after you've completed your correctional officer training.