Correctional officers

Transcript

(Aerial view of Long Bay Correctional Centre.) 

Emma, Governor: When I joined the job, I intended to be in the job for 12 months just while I was studying, but then fell in love with the job and I'm still here 20 years later. 

(Close up of the Corrective Services NSW coat of arms.) 

Robert, Correction Officer: Each day is different, no two days are the same. 

You could be in the same post for a month straight, but every day is still different. 

(Robert looking through an inmate identification folder.) 

Amanda, Correction Officer: I think I was a bit naive coming into it. Thinking that the criminals, like they're really bad people, but they're not as intimidating as you would think. You get to know them; you're hanging around them. They're just like normal people. 

(Amanda interacting with inmates.) 

Raj, Correctional Officer: Once I came to the correctional centre, it was amazing. 

I don't think of doing anything else. 

(Raj opening the gates of a wing in a correction centre.) 

Emma: Someone who is a good communicator, that's the most important thing. To be able to, say what you need and what you want from someone. Someone with life experience is really important. A level headed person. You don't have to be, as you can see, six foot five and built like a brick wall. It's more about how you carry yourself and having that confidence. 

(Robert, Amanda and Raj using radios to communicate with each other.)  

Amanda: You definitely got to have a bit of resilience, because it can be a really serious job. 

Like you can say some confronting things. 

(Amanda doing a pat-down search on an inmate.) 

Raj: My advice would be come in and learn from others who are doing the job. If we help each other, we can be at home safe. 

Emma: The people that I work with are like a second family. I know that if I rang one of them, you know, because I needed help they would be there in a drop of a hat. 

Robert: Teamwork is massive here. They're your family. It is. Everyone here is a massive family. 

(Robert and Amanda working in the control centre of a correctional centre wing.) 

Amanda: There's heaps of opportunities for us, which is really good. There's so many different pathways we can take. 

(Close up of a correctional officer’s hat.) 

Emma: The opportunities that you get in this department are second to none. 

You get so many different opportunities to move and to work at different locations and to experience different things. 

Amanda: Keep an open mind, cause it's not what you think it is when you're coming into work. 

Emma: It's the best place to work. 

Robert: Best thing I've ever done.