PLEASE NOTE: Job profile content may reflect pre-COVID-19 conditions.

Corrections Officer

Āpiha Whare Herehere

Alternative titles for this job

Corrections officers are responsible for keeping prisoners safe and secure and motivating them to make changes in their lives.

Pay

Corrections officers usually earn

$67K-$80K per year

Senior and principal corrections officers usually earn

$80K-$100K per year

Source: Department of Corrections, 2024.

Job opportunities

Chances of getting a job as a corrections officer are good due to a shortage of workers.

Pay

Pay for corrections officers varies depending on their experience and level of responsibility.

  • Corrections officers start on about $67,000 and usually earn up to $80,000 a year.
  • Senior corrections officers usually earn between $82,000 and $89,000.
  • Principal corrections officers usually earn between $96,000 and $105,000.

Source: Department of Corrections, 'Department of Corrections Frontline Staff (Prisons Based) Collective Agreement CANZ 2023-2026', February 2024.

(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our pay information)

What you will do

Corrections officers may do some or all of the following:

  • supervise prisoners' daily routine, which includes meal, work and recreation times
  • monitor, assess and manage the behaviour and safety of prisoners
  • patrol prison buildings and grounds
  • ensure the physical and mental safety of prisoners
  • monitor prison visits and record visitors' details
  • motivate prisoners to make changes to their behaviour
  • help control and lessen conflict in the prison
  • take part in rehabilitation programmes
  • prepare reports relating to prisoners and any incidents that occur
  • escort prisoners to court hearings, funerals or appointments with dentists or doctors.

Skills and knowledge

Corrections officers need to have knowledge of:

  • prison policy, procedures, rules and routines
  • control and restraint techniques
  • first aid and safety procedures.

Working conditions

Corrections officers:

  • work shifts, including public holidays, weekends and nights
  • work in prisons and courts. They also supervise prisoners in work groups on prison grounds or off-site
  • work in conditions that can be demanding and stressful as they may be at risk of verbal and physical abuse.

What's the job really like?

Corrections Officer role explained

Corrections officers share insights into their role at Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Department of Corrections)

Amy: That's when we have a lot of cool conversations and they talk about all the things they want to do, all the things they've missed and they're really really optimistic about not coming back.

Voiceover: Meet Amy, Meera, and Tavita, all Corrections officers for the Department of Corrections.

Amy: I really had no idea what Corrections did. You see movies and you think oh opening doors closing doors. Every day isn't just opening closing doors there's different roles and different specialties, that people can do.

Voiceover: Being a corrections officer is nothing like what you'd expect. It's a lot more diverse than people think, with a range of environments, security levels, focus units, opportunities to grow and of course people to work with.

It's about connecting with people, getting to know and understand them, supporting them to make positive choices to change their lives and keeping everyone safe.

Amy: So, when they come through the receiving office, we really assess their risk to interact with others. We assess also their risk to themselves because it's not an easy time.

Each day our Corrections Officers could be doing a range of things. Searching cells, supervising activities, or taking people to rehabilitation programmes or appointments. But it's the moments between the routine that can matter just as much.

Tavita: Even if they don't want to change, I keep on coming and talking to them. Sitting down with them, having a chat with them. And the more you do that then, the more you understand their situation.

Amy: I think it's important to be empathetic. I think it's important to remember that these guys have been judged, they they've done all that, that's not what we are.

Voiceover: The officers work with case managers, instructors, psychologists, nurses, and most importantly friends and family so that once their sentence is up what's next for them is something positive for everyone. Not just for the person themselves, but also the wider community.

Because by helping to reduce reoffending, Corrections Officers help keep the community safe. To support this change, officers need to be able to connect with anyone, no matter who they are or where they're from and not just when it comes to people in prison - the team they work with too.

Meera: I used to work as a manager in hospitality. I ran bars, motels and restaurants for more than 7 years.

Tavita: I was a civil in engineer for 15, 16 years.

Voiceover: The thing Corrections officers all have in common is a genuine driving desire to improve our communities and keep people safe.

Tavita: You just have to have the understanding that everyone is different. Once you understand that, it's hard you keep on working with them.

Voiceover: Sometimes they have to deal with physical confrontation. The team have training, equipment, and processes in place to help keep them safe in these situations.

Amy: We work as a team. When we follow processes and we work with our team, it limits the danger, it limits the ability for us to be put into bad situations.

Voiceover: Safety is the number one priority so there are also specialist teams at each facility tasked with detecting and preventing security issues and dealing with any incidents. Dylan is part of the Site Emergency Response Team.

Dylan: We primarily respond to incidents, conduct searches, Intel searches and we just protect the border from any contraband introduction. We'll also go and help when any prisoners are refusing the lock, any code Blues, any code Reds which are our incident calls. We'll go respond to that and give them a hand wherever they need.

Voiceover: Prison can be a volatile environment and quite minor things can quickly escalate into something more serious. When this happens, Corrections Officers have the immediate support of their SERT colleagues as well as other tactical teams trained and equipped to deal with the most difficult situations. However, talking is often the most effective way of de-escalating tensions and problem solving. So, among the corrections team are specialist communicators like Tessa - always cool, calm and understanding.

Tessa: Preventing incidents, you start at the lowest point which is just communicating. Sometimes the smallest thing can trigger off the biggest reaction. So, if you start with communication, if you've got the right communication from the beginning, things generally resolve quite fast.

Voiceover: In a job that's about working with people and helping them to turn their lives around, strong communication skills and the ability to relate to others goes a long way. It's also these skills which help Corrections Officers keep each other safe.

Amy: When people come in, they're aggressive, they’re angry. I really like stepping in and kind of helping them out through that.

Meera: You will learn a lot how to deal with different situations and I really encourage women to join.

Tessa: I live a lot by the word decency. Treat people with decency and show decency and you can change, we’ve all got the ability to change.

Tavita: When I see people change, when I see people happy, and I know straight away that's me. When I think of my kids, my family, I can see the people here they have families as well. I just like to see them happy. Finish their sentence, go back home, love their families.

Voiceover: They really do make lives better and you could too. Join the team, apply today.

Entry requirements

To become a corrections officer you need:

  • a current, full driver licence, or to be able to obtain this before you finish training
  • a clean criminal conviction record
  • the right to work in New Zealand, or to meet the Immigration NZ criteria for an Accredited Employer Work Visa.

You must also pass:

  • medical, psychological and physical fitness tests
  • drug tests.

The Department of Corrections provides training for new corrections officers, which includes workplace and classroom learning. Initial training takes 10 weeks. Full corrections officer training takes 12 months.

The Vulnerable Children Act 2014 means that if you have certain serious convictions, you can’t be employed in a role where you are responsible for, or work alone with, children.

Secondary education

There are no specific secondary education requirements to become a corrections officer. However, languages, social studies and te reo Māori are useful.

Personal requirements

Corrections officers need to be:

  • good at communicating with a range of people, including prisoners and their families and friends
  • dependable and honest
  • mature, non-judgemental and fair in their dealings with prisoners
  • observant, alert and accurate
  • able to follow orders 
  • able to work well under pressure 
  • able to remain positive in difficult situations
  • assertive and able to use their initiative
  • interested in helping others.

Useful experience

Useful experience for corrections officers includes:

  • work as a probation officer
  • community work
  • social work
  • coaching experience.

Physical requirements

Corrections officers need to be fit, healthy and strong as they spend a lot of time on their feet and the job can be physically demanding. They also need to have good hearing and vision.

Find out more about training

Department of Corrections
careers@corrections.govt.nz - careers.corrections.govt.nz
Check out related courses

What are the chances of getting a job?

Strong demand for corrections officers

There is strong demand for corrections officers due to not enough people entering the role.

Corrections Officers are on Immigration New Zealand's Green List. This means the Government is actively encouraging these skilled workers from overseas to work in New Zealand.

According to the Census, 4,218 correction officers worked in New Zealand in 2018.

Most corrections officers employed by Department of Corrections

Most corrections officers are employed by the Department of Corrections. 

Serco New Zealand employs corrections officers for the Kohuora Auckland South Corrections Facility.

Sources

  • Christian, H, 'Prisons across the Country are Short Hundreds of Staff, Corrections Reveals', 25 June 2018, (www.stuff.co.nz).
  • Cowlishaw, S, 'Budget 2018: Waikeria Prison on Hold', 17 May 2018, (www.newsroom.co.nz).
  • Davison, I, 'Budget 2018: Corrections Get Boost to Cope With Fast-Growing Prison Population', 17 May 2018, (www.nzherald.co.nz).
  • Department of Corrections, 'Briefing to the Incoming Minister 2017', 2017, (www.corrections.govt.nz).
  • Department of Corrections website, accessed May 2018, (www.corrections.govt.nz).
  • Fisher, D, 'Andrew Little: Longer Sentences, More Prisoners – it Doesn't Work and it Has to Stop', 22 February 2018, (www.nzherald.co.nz),
  • Gattey, M, 'Government Aims to Cut Prison Population and Fix "Abnormal" System', 29 March 2018, (www.stuff.co.nz).
  • Immigration New Zealand, 'Changes to Immigration Settings Announced, '23 September 2023 (www.immigration.govt.nz).
  • Ministry of Justice, 'Justice Sector Forecast 2011–2021, Forecast Update', March 2015, accessed May 2018, (www.justice.govt.nz).
  • Rakuraku, S, manager recruitment administration, Department of Corrections, careers.govt.nz interview, July 2018.
  • Stats NZ, '2018 Census Data', 2019.

(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our job opportunities information)

Progression and specialisations

Corrections officers may progress to work as senior corrections officers, principal corrections officers and unit managers.

Corrections officers may also move into jobs in management or policy at Department of Corrections or Ministry of Justice.

Perez Mupiu

Correction officers, like Perez Mupiu, motivate prisoners to make changes to their behaviour.

Last updated 16 August 2024