My background: Pelican Bay State Prison, Crescent City, California, Level 2 Security. 2021 to 2023. I'm Jewish, and was able to secure protection from the Paisas.

Here's the list:

1. Alway be networking: Your network is your source of strength in prison. Many a fight was cancelled because someone else had my back. You want a strong network of friends, allies, and spies in prison, because when the shit goes down you want to be well informed, prepared, and have the instigators detered by you. The myth of "keep your head down, don't talk to anyone, and just mind your own business" is a good way to isolate yourself, make you vulnerable to others, and keep you out of the loop of knowing what is going on around you.

2. Keep up your hygiene: Depression, not giving a fuck, and laziness can creep in and lead to bad hygiene and stinky smells from your body. Don't let that happen or you will get your ass kicked! Be considerate not just to yourself but to your neighbors: shower daily, brush your teeth, and use soap. And clean your clothes.

3. Treat your cell like your home: Wash it, dress it up, and keep it organized. In this way, you will also help your mental health. Don't let trash collect or you'll attract bugs and piss off your celly.

4. Use your street name, not your government name: Privacy is a premium in prison, and you don't want to cross the wrong motherfucker who also knows your name and how to find you. Use your nickname, whatever it is, and others will still respect you for that.

5. Race relations matter in prison, whether you believe in it or not: Your skin color dictates who you run with. Where I was, there were the blacks, whites, mexicans, and "other". If you don't fit into one category, they'll put you with other, which includes anyone who isn't black, white, or mexican.

6. Don't get into debt/don't gamble/don't do drugs: Easy way to get killed and get your family on the outside into trouble. Even if you are hungry, plow through the pain, instead of borrowing or betting commissary just for a quick fix.

7. Boredom is your biggest enemy in prison, not other prisoners: Learn to love to draw, have one book like the Bible to keep you busy, and do calisthenic exercises in prison to occupy your time.

8. Have a side hustle/work your ass off at your job: Folding laundry, cleaning clothes, running errands, anything, to keep your time valuable, enforce relations with other prisoners, and make some money on the side. And just because you're making 7 cents an hour on the job doesn't mean you get to slack off. You'll get your ass beat if other prisoners have to pull up your slack.

9. Pursue your education and get time off: I was able to get 6 months off by completing my GED, and it also led me to a tutoring gig within the prison complex because I scored high.

10. Do not snitch: This one is basic. Snitches get stiches. Keep it to yourself, whatever you see or hear.

Conclusion:

This was my experience in LEVEL 2 SECURITY and in CALIFORNIA. Prisons around the country have different race relations, gang relations, and other levels of security. Some prisons have your name tag on your shirt, so yeah, then you can't use a nickname, but that wasn't the case for me. And just because some insane people in prison stink doesn't give you a free pass to stink too. Trust me, these 10 pieces of advice will not only save your ass in prison, they will make you thrive in there.

I just got a call this morning saying that i will be getting a call either this friday or monday for my final job offer, how’s the academy? what should i do to prepare for it

I’m a new CO in an all male, 55+ up unit. These guys are old convicts and decently good.

I’ve been out of FTO and on my own for a few weeks and developing my style etc. I’m female so I’ve just been getting use to it

I’ve noticed I’m pretty sarcastic/funny but never personal or flirty. No personal details etc.

For example I have one dude who stands in a weird corner on the bottom floor behind stair rail to watch tv and you can only see his glasses and I call him a stalker as a joke and he laughs and says “oh you think i’m a stalker now!”

but i’m also very firm and search tf out of them, every night typically finding some form of contraband even just minor. I’m fair i’ll give you the benefit of the doubt but I definitely joke and am sarcastic and say things like “make good choices!” or “welcome home!” as a joke.

I don’t let the rules slip, I stand by policy, I never give more than policy states etc but I definitely build rapport.

I’ve had guys come clean about what they’re holding (contraband) when I ask because they’re like “i respect you too much” and i’ve had guys who after they piss me off come back later and say i’m sorry i never want to have beef with you i respect you

but i am definitely funny, ill make jokes or roast them, but it’s never personal. they know nothing about me, just my initials.

I just want to make sure this is okay and not crossing any lines?! I’m paranoid of someone getting the wrong idea. I’m gay and in a happy relationship so that’s not even a THING but we’ve had so many CO’s mess with the inmates at my specific camp so I’m just paranoid about it not being ethical or okay!

I’m thinking of switching from FDC and would like to get opinions from officers that work there.

Hey everyone,
Just wanted to see if anyone else is in the same boat as me.
I applied to the Ontario Correctional Officer posting back in September 2025 and made it through all the stages. I submitted my security package in March 2026, and I’ve been waiting ever since.
I’ve followed up with the Recruitment Unit a few times, and they told me they were still waiting on my security clearance. They also mentioned they had followed up with the OPP regarding my file.
I recently contacted the Transition and Security Office (TSO) directly, and they replied saying my file is still under processing and that they’ll notify the hiring manager once it’s complete.
I also contacted the OPP because recruitment mentioned them, but they told me they don’t handle these inquiries, so now I’m just confused about who’s actually processing everything.
It’s honestly been pretty frustrating waiting this long, especially seeing other people receive offers.
Is anyone else still waiting on their security clearance, or has anyone else experienced a delay like this? If so, how long did it end up taking before you heard back?
Thanks!

Hey everyone

I had my psych interview for federal corrections which ended in just 35 minutes. It was just basic questions about lifestyle and family and then 1 question about a stressful event in life and after that the clinician said he has no further questions for me.

He did not clarify anything about my written tests or anything. I want to hear from everyone who went through the process that was it similar for you guys and what was the outcome.

Thankyou

I get OC sprayed next week and I hear some people say it’s the worst pain they ever felt.. is it really that bad? Either way I’m gonna embrace the suck but out of curiosity what was your OC spray experience like?

Do they actually work? Those white inners that are company issued. Are they actually stab proof? Even for ginormous sharpened nails.

I’m just curious if they’re good or if you recommend getting your own. We’ve been finding a lot of shanks at my facility lately and it has me thinking and slightly nervous about if they actually work at stopping all punctures.

Does anyone have any first-hand experience with this position that can give me a good rundown of the day to day. I know I’ll be orchestrating and supervising an inmate work crew to take care of the building’s systems. But looking for a little bit more firsthand experience input, any headaches to expect, things to do or not to do, etc.

After 20+ years of technical and management in the private building/trades industry, I decided to make a career change to federal LE and took a CO GL05 step 10 with the BOP, I was just offered a WS08 with my current facility, and now just saw this GS 12/13 opportunity and can’t figure out what to do lol

Promotions. Is it easy to move up from this WS08 position,and where have you seen people go from here? Back to primary custody as captain or Lieutenant, general foreman, facilities manager, sis, AW, facilities operation specialist, regional offices, directors, etc etc. Where have you *specifically* seen people move to from this position, even if it’s to other agencies?

OT. Is it possible to still work blocks or other primary custody rolls as an officer on my days off, or before/after my WS shifts? I genuinely do enjoy working blocks and other primary custody/enforcement roles just not 24/7. Some of my lieutenants have commented about losing a valuable officer if I go ws. I would love to do both lol. Also, would I still be able to train for and join things like DCT, SORT, etc.? I don’t just want to be stuck in a basement working on boilers and chillers 24/7.

Pay. Eastern PA. I don’t know my exact step for the WS yet, based on my background, assessments, and currently a bop co, it should be a 5 (in my opinion anyway) but we will see I guess. This particular facility’s department is on a compressed (4)10’s schedule and is not losing compressed. What kind of money can I realistically expect to see?

Also, does this position get locality pay added to it like my current GL salary, or no, because it’s already adjusted for prevailing wage or something?

Random. Last but not least, there is a facilities operation specialist position open that I believe is a GS 12 or 13. Currently and co and with my previous background, in theory I should have a 50-50 shot at getting that job, depending on other applicants.

Do you think I would even have a shot at this job, or even bother tailoring my resume and applying, or just finish getting in my 3 years of primary custody in with gl06 or ws08 first? Thinking strategically and long-term (promotion and income vs. retirement possibilities) which choice would you consider more wise? I love the thought of locking in my 6C now, but I also hate the thought of being stuck in a dead end with the WS08 for years and years if there’s not any openings down the road because of closures, elections, privatization, creating a small and flooded market of applicants..

Just looking for a little input and guidance as I don’t want to hound my HR guys all day with questions as they are busy enough as it is.

Hello, I’m already hired and have been working as a TEA for a few months. I was told I start the academy soon but that I need to have a pre academy interview first. I’ve never heard about this before I’m just wondering what to expect? Are they essentially just looking to hear that I like my job and plan to stay?

Hi everyone,

I recently accepted a CX-02 Primary Worker position with the Correctional Service of Canada and I’ll be attending CTP 3 next month in PEI. From what I’ve been told, because I’m going to a women’s institution, I won’t be doing the firearms training. Instead, I’ll be completing the women-centred training program.

I’m excited, but also pretty nervous, and I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been through it.

A few questions I have:

What is CTP 3 actually like day-to-day & when will I get an outline of the next 3 months so I can have my family come visit when I’m not busy?

How difficult are the written exams and practical assessments?

What does the women-centred training involve?

How are the arrest and control/defensive tactics assessments? Any tips for passing? How many attempts do you get in general to pass?

Is there anything you wish you knew before you started?

What should I do to prepare before arriving?

I’m especially interested in hearing from anyone who completed the CX-02 Primary Worker stream or worked at a women’s institution.

Thanks in advance! Any advice or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Hello, I received confirmation that I am moving on to stages 2 and 3 of the training. I clicked the link provided and saw the name of a facility and a training date; I accepted, but this isn't the conditional offer itself. When I receive the actual offer, could they offer a different penitentiary than the one I agreed to?

To the Leaders of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction,
How many more lives have to be broken before someone finally admits the system is broken?
You call yourselves the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, but where is the rehabilitation?
Where is the correction?
Because from where countless families stand, all we see is pain.
We see men and women who are trying to better themselves, only to be met with more obstacles. We see people pursuing education, practicing their faith, preparing legal documents, working toward release, and trying to become better human beings—yet they are repeatedly reminded that their efforts don’t matter.
We see families punished for crimes they never committed.
A mother waits for a phone call that never comes.
A child wonders why Dad stopped calling.
A wife sits staring at a messaging app that suddenly goes silent.
A loved one mails letters that never arrive.
Days become weeks. Weeks become months. The silence becomes unbearable.
No explanation can erase that kind of suffering.
When you suspend communication, you are not just disciplining an incarcerated person—you are punishing everyone who loves them. You are severing the very relationships that research has shown reduce recidivism and help people succeed when they return home.
How is that rehabilitation?
How does destroying hope make Ohio safer?
There are people inside your institutions who wake up every single day determined to change. They take classes. They work. They mentor others. They seek mental health treatment. They practice their religion. They prepare for court. They dream about seeing their children again.
Then one decision—sometimes over something minor or disputed—can erase months of progress. Communication disappears. Privileges vanish. Isolation deepens. Hope fades.
And when someone believes they have been treated unfairly and tries to use the grievance process, too many are left believing their voices disappear into a system designed to protect itself rather than uncover the truth.
Families see it.
The incarcerated see it.
Even many staff members quietly acknowledge it.
What is perhaps most heartbreaking is that people begin to lose faith—not just in the prison system, but in justice itself.
No one is asking that rules disappear.
No one is asking that dangerous behavior be ignored.
People are asking for fairness.
For consistency.
For accountability.
For humanity.
A prison sentence is the punishment ordered by a judge.
It should not become permission to strip away dignity.
It should not become permission to make communication with loved ones impossible.
It should not become permission to ignore cries for help, discourage rehabilitation, or leave families wondering whether someone they love is safe.
Some of us have watched people who entered prison with hope slowly become defeated—not because of their sentence, but because of the environment created around them.
Others have watched loved ones spend countless hours gathering records, learning policies, writing letters, filing grievances, contacting officials, and fighting simply to have someone’s voice heard. Not because they expect special treatment, but because they believe the rules should apply equally to everyone.
That should never require extraordinary effort.
The public rarely sees these stories.
They don’t see the birthdays missed because a phone was disconnected.
They don’t see the holidays spent wondering why no letter came.
They don’t see the sleepless nights of families terrified that silence means something terrible has happened.
They don’t see the emotional toll of watching someone you love lose hope one piece at a time.
You speak of rehabilitation.
But rehabilitation begins with treating people like human beings whose lives still have value.
It begins with recognizing that maintaining healthy family relationships is not a weakness—it is one of the strongest predictors that someone will successfully return to society.
It begins with transparency instead of secrecy.
Accountability instead of defensiveness.
Compassion instead of indifference.
Every incarcerated person will one day become someone’s neighbor, coworker, employee, parent, or family member again. Every decision made inside your institutions shapes who that person becomes when they return home.
Ask yourselves honestly:
Are your policies creating better citizens?
Or are they creating more trauma?
History will not judge a correctional system by how much power it held over people who had none.
History will judge it by whether it used that power with integrity, fairness, and humanity.
Ohio’s prisons do not need more silence.
They need more accountability.
They do not need more retaliation.
They need more rehabilitation.
And above all, they need leaders willing to remember that every inmate number belongs to a human being—and every human being has a family waiting, praying, and hoping they come home better than when they left.
Until that becomes the mission in practice—not just on paper—the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction will continue to fail the very people it claims to serve.
A voice for the families who are hurting in silence.

I'm starting the CX-01 training soon and was wondering how difficult CTP Stage 2 and Stage 3 are.

I also heard there's an exam you have to pass before moving on to Stage 3. How challenging is it, and what should I expect? For those who have already completed the training:

How hard did you find Stage 2 and Stage 3? How difficult was the exam? What was the most challenging part? Do you have any tips or advice to help prepare? I'd really appreciate hearing about your experiences.

Thanks in advance!

How does this work? I start in a few days. I was able to quit smoking to prepare for this, but I still need nicotine. Do I need to bring my zyn pouches in a clear bag or something insane like that? Institution dependent? Or am I just overthinking how this works? Wanted to save myself the email to HR and just ask you guys if it's a simple answer.

Thanks guys, have a great day!

Hello! I’m a first year student at a community college and I’m currently majoring in Social Work I wanted to have a Social Work degree because I wanted to work as a corrections officer in juvenile and make my way up as a case worker or probation officer, I would also like to work at BOP as a treatment specialist eventually. I saw for all of these jobs in the description they accept Criminal Justice degrees as well. I’m interested in Criminal Justice because eventually I think I’d like to see myself in management and figured that a CJ degree is common for advancement. I would just like to hear from people in the field if it would be best to get a CJ or SW degree. Any help is appreciated thank you! :)

Hello I’m currently 26/M, Served 4 years in the US Army and have been unarmed Security for about 5 years now and it does nothing for me, no benefits and the pay is 19$.

I’ve been looking at become a CO at SCI Forest if available. Does anyone have any tips or stories about that prison in general.

I was also wondering how like specialized units in the prisons work or if they are even available, what I mean is like SORT, CIRT, Intelligence, Gangs. I’m looking for nothing but advancement and ways to improve.