California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Reviews in Sacramento, CA Area

Pros

The job provides alot of stability. I would not care to be a correctional officer at this point in my career. The courts have really dictated how prisons are run. Inmate have better health care than anyone working in the real world. Additionally they have free education (college). It is kind of hard to see some of the treatment knee replacements cancer treatment, organ transplants ect ect , for murders rapest ect. It is a very stable job.

Cons

forced overtime,shiftwork, negative violent enviroment

Advice to Senior Management

recognition of subordinate employees

Pros

Good pay and benifits in the Peace Officer side of the house. Promotions are available with the ability to lateral into other departments a plus. Peace office retirement 3.0 at 50 years of age (excellent)

Cons

Poor management. Promotions not always given to the most qualified. Still a "good-old-boy" network. Working environment (prison) can be dangerous and depressing.

Advice to Senior Management

Discuss major decission and policy changes with line personal prior to implementation

Pros

- Good benefits
- Decent pay
- Almost impossible to get fired
- Many job opportunities
- Flexible hours on days you work
- Able to work 9/8/80 schedules or four 10's

Cons

- Cannot fire poor performing employees
- Must pay a union whether you want to or not
- Management does not communicate
- Unable to make change, even if it makes sense because of the bureaucracy
- Its all in who you know - they might show a vacant position, but they already know who they are hiring for it before the interview
- Large amount of waste of taxpayer dollars but management tells you not to talk about it
- Do not receive regular performance reviews, unable to know how you are doing
- Severely overstaffed in some areas and understaffed in others

Advice to Senior Management

Communicate with your staff. Bring them into your meetings and include them in the decision making process.

Pros

(1) Job security, (2) defined benefit plan, (3) good health benefit options, (4) flexible work week options, (5) decent salary (before the furloughs), (6) interesting work is available.

Cons

(1) Pay cuts, (2) furloughs, (3) lack of raises or cost of living adjustments for long periods of time (8 years at one point), (4) lack of available funds for staff training, (5) high Union dues, (6) continuing budget stalemate/crisis results in low morale, (7) top salary levels for IT workers are not competitive with industry (before the cuts).

Advice to Senior Management

Staff training and development is important to the success of our mission, especially when everything else is being cut.

Pros

Challenging work environment with growth opportunities. A good benefits plan including comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage. Additionally, all full time employees are provided with a pension plan.

Cons

High stress work environment in Case Record Offices.

Advice to Senior Management

Senior Management could benefit from more flexibility and proactive methods of controlling damage. Currently the management team seems to be reactive and are constantly attempting to perform damage control.