Becoming a Correctional Officer in Oregon

Oregon Correctional Officer Certification Requirements

The Oregon Department of Corrections recruits through a number of channels for motivated and professional men and women are looking for a rewarding career as a correctional officer. With openings in county jails, state and federal penitentiaries, there are numerous opportunities for career advancement. However, as a safety measure, the Oregon Nebraska DOC is committed to hiring only those candidates that fulfill all of the eligibility and aptitude requirements for the job. The process starts with several documents that are submitted as a preliminary application package. These are:

• High school diploma or GED
• Proof of age (21+) and U.S. citizenship
• No felony convictions
• Valid Oregon driver's license
• Military honorable discharge papers from military if applicable

With the basic eligibility requirements met, the department will engage in further testing to determine of candidates re fit for the role of corrections officer. The state of Oregon requires correctional officer candidates to perform the following assessments:

• Medical evaluation
• Fitness evaluation
• Psychological evaluation
• Extensive personal, professional, and criminal background check as well as fingerprinting

Candidates who meet the department's requirements and screenings up to this point will be scheduled for an in-person interview. After that, selected candidates will be offered an placed in a hiring pool and enrolled in new hire training. Training at this stage focuses on practical tactics for the job, as well as policies and procedures that are applicable to the role. Personnel that have completed this last phase of the hiring process will be posted to job vacancies as the need arises.

Oregon Department of Corrections

2575 Center St. NE
Salem, OR 97301-4667
Phone: (503) 945-9090
http://www.oregon.gov/doc/Pages/index.aspx

Oregon Correctional Officer Employment & Outlook

One of the ways that the state of Oregon serves and supports correctional officers is through strong growth and competitive salaries throughout the state. As such, the median income for front-line correctional officers throughout the state is currently higher at $53,800 than the national median income at $39,800. According to the occupational profile for the state of Oregon found at http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?next=occ_rep&Level=&optstatus=011000000&jobfam=33&id=1&nodeid=2&soccode=333012&menuMode=&stfips=41&x=37&y=7 and published by CareerInfoNet.org, state and national trends predict a 6% and 5% increase in correctional officer jobs by 2022 respectively, indicating that state growth is strong. For residents of Oregon this rate translates into 140 job openings per year.

Occupational Employment Statistics for Correctional Officers (http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333012.htm)

Oregon Correctional Officer Salaries By Area

The table below lists career information organized by the BLS for correctional officers in Oregon. The table is sorted by total employment, with the largest metropolitan areas listed first.