The state of Kentucky has county, state, and federal jails and prisons that all fall under state jurisdiction. Currently, there are 12 penitentiaries and complexes located throughout the state whose mandate is to protect the citizens and communities of the state by providing secure environments for inmates and officers. Arranging state facilities in this manner allows services to be clustered for best management of the offenders who may need services directed toward juvenile offenders, women, health needs, or community transition. Some, like Bell Country Forestry Camp house offenders who can work on outside release. Others, like the Kentucky Correctional Institution for Women have gender segregated cells and dormitories. Kentucky currently has 3,247 correctional officers working with over 20,000 incarcerated offenders. In the next decade, state predictions show that the number of correctional officers is going to grow by 5% or to 3409 roles. This growth, coupled with retirement and career moves, means that the Kentucky Department of Corrections is actively recruiting new hires. For more information about the field of corrections in Kentucky, keep reading.
