Becoming a Correctional Officer in Missouri

Missouri Correctional Officer Certification Requirements

Missouri's Department of Corrections has an open recruitment for men and women who are interested in becoming correctional officers and employees of the state's penitentiaries and country jails. The role is challenging, and therefore, the Missouri DOC is committed to ensuring that only those candidates who meet all the requirements of the role should be considered for employment. In order to ensure due process, the state has a several-stage hiring process that begins with basic eligibility criteria. Applicants must have the following in order to apply for the corrections officer role:

• Accurate and complete state application with DOC addendum
• Proof of age and U.S. citizenship
• Valid Missouri driver's license
• No felony charges
• Possess a high school diploma or GED
• Veterans to have proof of DD-214
• Proof of negative drug test

Candidates who meet the eligibility requirements for the state will then be contacted to pursue additional assessments. The second hiring phase is designed to allow candidates to showcase their fitness for the role of corrections officer. Those who fail any part of the assessment are welcome to reapply at a later time. The assessments are as follows:

• Fitness assessment
• Physical assessment by medical doctor
• Written test of knowledge
• Extensive personal and professional background check
• Fingerprinting

Candidates who pass the assessment portion of the hiring process will be contacted for an in-person interview. After a successful interview, applicants will be enrolled in basic training to take place at a state facility. Focus of training is on practical measures and tactics for the corrections officer role. Employment will be finalized upon successful completion of the final phase of training.

Missouri Department of Corrections

2729 Plaza Drive, P.O. Box 236
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Phone: (573) 751-2389
http://doc.mo.gov/

Missouri Correctional Officer Employment & Outlook

One of the ways that the state of Missouri 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 much lower at $29,000 than the median income at $39,800, however, professional development can raise salary. According to the occupational profile for the state of Missouri 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=29&x=75&y=14 and published by CareerInfoNet.org, state and national trends predict a 3% and 5% increase in correctional officer jobs by 2022 respectively. For residents of Missouri this rate translates into 240 job openings per year.

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

Missouri Correctional Officer Salaries By Area

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