Minnesota State Rep. Jack Considine, DFL-Mankato,plans to introduce legislation in the upcoming legislative session that would expand the number of state corrections officers by 328 individuals.This is the result of the death of Joseph Gomm, a guard at Oak Park Heights prison, last July 18, allegedly killed by an inmate. Gomm was the first corrections department employee to be killed in the line of duty.
Considine's proposed bill is the result of a study made by corrections officials and union bosses at the various facilities. It would be nice if other organizations and businesses could have their staffing determined by union leadership but perhaps the incarceration industry works differently.
If you're interested in the rewarding profession of prison guard you might want to take a look at the requirements and benefits of such a position. Starting wage at the Pre-service Academy is $16.11/hr but rises as far as $28.23 if you stick around for awhile.
An 18-year old with a GED, driver's license and two years of part-time work in any industry for 20 hours per week describes the minimum eligibility for employment. Applicants with a bachelor's degree in any field are also considered. If they are still in arrears on their student loans they may qualify to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
The rewards and prestige of a position in the Minnesota prison system and the expansion of its work force makes one wonder if there shouldn't actually be high school courses in the field. After all, for years there were classes in industrial arts and secretarial subjects. If indeed, working as a prison guard is where it's at, lets train/educate the next generation of corrections officers.
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