High turnover and low pay with no advancement - Corrections Officer Texas Juvenile Justice Department Employee Review

Benefits people Remote Simple Job Security

Pay Monthly pay Pay Pay Pay

Benefits are good, and overtime opportunities are available for those looking to earn additional income.

Very stressful work environment that requires staff to remain constantly alert due to safety concerns and the unpredictable behavior of youths. This position is emotionally and mentally draining. Training does not fully prepare staff for the day-to-day realities of the job, and guidance varies significantly depending on coworkers, leadership, or what was taught during training. Expectations and rules vary depending on who you ask. No one follows policy, and the ones that do often struggle because the youths do not listen to them. Because expectations and rules are inconsistent, a lot of contraband is found in the dorms. There is a severe shortage of staff and constant call-ins, which results in employees working shifts on their days off. Everyone calls in. This has been by far the worst job. It is an extremely unsafe environment. Staff do not even get proper breaks to use the restroom due to the staff shortage. At times, restroom breaks are not possible because there is not enough coverage. TJJD is such a failure as an organization because it is too lenient on the youths. While the focus is rehabilitation and not judging previous actions, it becomes very difficult when youths do not want to change and do not respect authority. Nothing changes for many of the youths because consequences often feel like a slap on the wrist, yet behaviors continue. These youths still continue to be discharged, which raises serious concerns. It makes you question what case managers are telling judges in order to get these youths released when many continue to struggle with behavior, accountability, and following rules. Someone else mentioned in their review to fire the whole team or the whole lot and I agree because you have a lot of officers that are not following policy and are allowing the youths to get away with things they are not supposed to be doing. The other thing too, is there such a high turnover rate. Even the CEO acknowledged that it’s at 70%. That’s a huge red flag and there’s a reason why it’s 70%. This job is not worth your mental health. If you were considering this job think long and hard. If you are thinking of working here negotiate your pay . Lots of officers have the same title and ranking yet the pay was like $1000 difference per month . Negotiate because they need you .