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Prison should lead to more than a return visit

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Niyi, 2020 cohort

Prison should lead to more than a return visit

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A Day in the Life Back to top

There is no such thing as a typical day for a prison officer.

The regime provides a structure, but you could be working on the wing, inducting new arrivals, escorting a prisoner to court, or doing security checks. Read on for an example of 24 hours as an Unlocked Graduate.

  1. Start time: 07:00

    Arrival

    The first thing I do when getting in is pick up my gear. Your belt is pretty heavy when keys, radio and the (rarely used) baton are in place. We also have body-worn cameras, which can be a great de-escalation tool.

  2. Start time: 07:30

    Team meeting

    We get together regularly to discuss issues on the wing. Meetings include officers as well as psychologists, nurses and others. I might present a new idea for the wing – our mentors regularly challenge us to trial new ideas and try to improve things that don’t work.

  3. Start time: 08:00

    Unlocking

    I’m responsible for the people on my wing, so the day starts with unlocking. Greeting them all individually might seem small, but it makes a big difference – and it’s my first chance to get a sense for how everyone is feeling.

  4. Start time: 10:00

    Out to work

    Prisoners can access a range of purposeful activities, usually work or education. Sometimes they might need encouragement to stick with it – but it’s really satisfying when someone discovers a skill, or learns how to read and write.

  5. Start time: 13:30

    Gather intel

    We do regular searches, checking for contraband like drugs and phones – looking to build up a bigger picture from little details. From changing power dynamics between prisoners to new nicknames, this intelligence-gathering is essential to spot problems early and keep everyone safe.

  6. Start time: 15:00

    Association

    This is free time for the prisoners. It’s a chance for them to relax – and for us to get to know them a bit better. Building effective relationships is critical if we are going to support them to change offending behaviour.

  7. Start time: 16:00

    Training

    As an Unlocked Graduate I have regular training with my mentor and the other grads on the programme. This is a great chance to brush up on specific skills or share challenges. These sessions link well to the regular study days where we tackle more academic content.

  8. Start time: 20:30

    Nightshift

    About three times a year I have night shifts. Most of the time it’s quieter than during the day but if a cell bell rings, I have to be ready to assist a prisoner – no matter how late. On the plus side, a week on nights is always followed by a week of leave which is great if I have an assignment due!

#Want to know more? This video gives more insights into the typical day for a prison officer.

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#Prison officers are uniquely positioned to identify challenges in the lives of prisoners and across the prison system as a whole.

Check out just a few examples of how Unlocked participants are making a real difference by coming up with innovative solutions in their day to day:

 

 

#Think you might be up for the challenge?

More than anything else, being a prison officer means having to quickly assess new situations and weigh up different options. Our interactive test below gives you the opportunity to try some real-life scenarios from the landings.