Prison Officer - Trainee

Role purpose

The main responsibilities of a prison officer are to contribute to offender rehabilitation and to maintain the safety and security of the prison facility, prisoners and staff.

By supporting prisoners to make positive changes via their behaviour and choices, prison officers play a vital role in helping prisoners become constructive members of the community.

Prison officers are role models for prisoners and lead them in developing the perspectives, beliefs and skills they need to take the next step in their journey, whether that be to a different prison or into the community at the end of their sentence.

In addition to maintaining safety and security, the role of a prison officer has a case management component, focusing on prisoners’ successful progression through their sentence. This includes:

• working in a multi-disciplinary team of professionals with diverse experiences and skills
• modelling and reinforcing positive behaviours that assist an individual prisoner’s ability to change their behaviour and maintain that change upon release
• facilitating prisoner participation in work, learning and programs
• supporting prisoners in connecting with family, community groups, other government departments, organisations and agencies
• providing prisoners with access to a range of services and options they’re not able to provide for themselves in a prison environment
• the administration associated with case management such as report writing, documentation and assessment, and liaison with program and external agency staff to ensure the prisoner’s program participation aligns with their needs.

Prison officers maintain the safety and security of the facility via:

• searches
• escorting duties
• observing and assessing prisoner behaviour
• operating security equipment
• collating information, and
• effectively responding to prison incidents and emergencies.

Key accountabilities

• Work with all members of the prison to ensure the safety and security of prisoners, staff and visitors.
• Effectively manage a caseload of prisoners.
• Conduct patrols, searches and security related activities ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
• Maintain high quality documentation in relation to case files, prisoner assessments, and report preparation.
• Communicate with and give directions to prisoners in a respectful and motivational manner.
• Respond to prisoner complaints or requests and provide proactive assistance and guidance to prisoners as required.
• Compliance with relevant legislation, policies and procedures.
• Proactively build and maintain positive relationships with peers, managers and stakeholders both within and external to DJCS.
• Contribute to a safe and healthy working environment, consistent with Occupational Health and Safety policy, procedures and legislation.
• Any reasonable additional tasks as required or requested by the Prison Supervisor.

Key selection criteria

Personal attributes

Resilience: is open to new ideas and approaches. Offers own opinions, asks questions makes suggestions; does not give up easily, maintains discipline in keeping to work planned or assigned.

Self-awareness: recognises own emotional responses to a range of people or events, and the impact these can have on others; recognises that problems or challenges are a normal part of working and actions can be taken to manage them.

Working collaboratively: cooperates and works well with others in pursuit of team goals, shares information and acknowledge others’ efforts, steps in to help others where required.

Promote inclusion: is respectful, seeks to understand needs, beliefs, ability and values of people from diverse backgrounds. Understands the importance of diversity in successful service delivery to the community.

Enabling delivery

Critical thinking and problem solving: seeks resolution of problems through policy or process guidelines, otherwise seeks guidance by providing information and ideas relevant towards resolution of problem. Understands concepts enabling improvements in critical thinking and problem solving.

Digital and technological literacy: performs a range of tasks through digital tools (e.g. Microsoft 365 suite applications such as Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Teams and SharePoint).

Political and organisational context: recognise the formal structure or hierarchy of an organisation and its policies and procedures.

Authentic relationships

Influence and persuasion: understands the pros and cons of a different approaches. Uses direct logical persuasion in a discussion or presentation by using concrete examples, facts and figures to support their argument.

Interpersonal skills: polite, professional and considerate in dealing with others; aware of people’s moods and temperament, expresses own views in a constructive and diplomatic way, reflects on how own emotions impact on others.

Managing difficult conversations: considers others' points of view, understands that there are different ways of interpreting words and actions, constructively communicates concerns and issues.

Communicate with impact: organises information in a logical sequence, includes content appropriate to the purpose and audience.

People leadership

Managing people: understands own performance goals and how they are linked to broader operational needs; supports others to achieve goals; demonstrates empathy and contributes to the wellbeing and motivation of team; understands and acts in accordance to public sector values, ethics, and codes of conduct.

Qualifications

Prior to commencement you will be required to obtain a current Statement of Attainment for the First Aid unit HLTAIDO11 Provide First Aid.

A full and current Victorian driver’s licence or a minimum P2 driver’s licence.

To discover more about this exciting new career call our Careers Hotline on 1300 XXX XXX or APPLY NOW and one of our dedicated team will review your application and be in contact within 1 week to progress your application