NCJ Number
219836
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 32 Issue: 4 Dated: July/August 2007 Pages: 12-20
Date Published
July 2007
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This report presents survey results detailing components of background investigations and searches of correctional officers from both United States and Canada correctional systems.
Abstract
Report highlights include: (1) 36 percent of the reporting systems, plus Saskatchewan, Canada, use a sex offender index in their background investigations; (2) 39 reporting systems for the United States require and conduct some form of follow-up method for verifying references; (3) 53 percent of the reporting United States systems base their applicant hiring on information received from institutional personnel; (4) 31 percent of the reporting United States systems include psychological testing as part of their routine hiring process; (5) 33 percent of the systems search staff at each entry to their facilities; (6) violations of restricted items, such as cell phones or money have resulted in terminations for cause within the past 2 years in 69 percent of the reporting United States systems; and (7) 49 percent of the United States reporting systems conduct routine drug testing. In followup to the 2007 survey on wages and hiring requirements for correctional officers in the United States and Canadian system, this survey addressed questions about background investigations and searches that were not part of the prior survey. The survey results detail components of background investigations reported by 45 United States correctional systems and 3 Canadian systems and include: references, applicant interviews, prehire routine examinations, staff search procedures, restricted items, and hiring process litigation. Tables