The Federal System and some States screen applicants for drug abuse and require candidates to pass a written or oral examination, along with a background check. Federal, State, and local departments of corrections provide training for correctional officers based on guidelines established by the American Correctional Association, the American Jail Association, and other professional organizations. Some States have special training academies. New Federal correctional officers must undergo 200 hours of formal training within the first year of employment. They must complete 120 hours of specialized correctional instruction at the Federal Bureau of Prisons residential training center at Glynco, Georgia, within the first 60 days after appointment.
Experienced officers receive inservice training to keep abreast of new ideas and procedures.
For instance, correctional officers in North Dakota need 2 years of college with emphasis on criminal justice or behavioral science, or 3 years as a correctional, military police, or licensed peace officer. The department then provides 80 hours of training at the start, and follows up with 40 hours of training annually. It then provides 520 hours of initial training, and follows up with 40 hours annually. Correctional officers have the opportunity to join prison tactical response teams, which are trained to respond to riots, hostage situations, forced cell moves, and other potentially dangerous confrontations. Team members often receive monthly training and practice with weapons, chemical agents, forced entry methods, and other tactics.