Correctional Officers and Jailers
Also called: Correctional Officer, Corrections Officer (CO), Detention Officer, JailerGuard inmates in penal or rehabilitative institutions in accordance with established regulations and procedures. May guard prisoners in transit between jail, courtroom, prison, or other point. Includes deputy sheriffs and police who spend the majority of their time guarding prisoners in correctional institutions.
On a phone, press and hold a picture to save it to Photos.
opens your phone's share sheet, where you can save both to Photos
What the data says: AI could halve the time on 9 of its 26 rated tasks, and jobs are projected to shrink 7.4% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 2.3% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 4.3 hires for every 10 job openings in government, which employs about 95% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.4.3 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,660 | $35,900 to $64,140 | 4,970 |
| Alaska | $71,360 | $64,440 to $79,560 | 850 |
| Arizona | $54,970 | $49,140 to $62,340 | 14,230 |
| Arkansas | $40,330 | $36,330 to $45,100 | 4,460 |
| California | $96,370 | $76,370 to $109,580 | 37,860 |
| Colorado | $62,140 | $56,350 to $75,350 | 7,290 |
| Connecticut | $64,750 | $59,210 to $70,710 | 3,780 |
| Delaware | $65,880 | $56,160 to $70,500 | 1,730 |
| Florida | $49,710 | $47,130 to $65,230 | 24,280 |
| Georgia | $47,520 | $43,290 to $53,390 | 10,640 |
| Hawaii | $69,570 | $69,570 to $76,780 | 1,310 |
| Idaho | $53,580 | $49,610 to $62,100 | 2,370 |
| Illinois | $79,190 | $65,900 to $88,790 | 12,190 |
| Indiana | $48,340 | $44,840 to $56,480 | 8,060 |
| Iowa | $53,040 | $49,920 to $63,370 | 3,440 |
| Kansas | $56,120 | $46,210 to $59,650 | 3,380 |
| Kentucky | $42,310 | $36,480 to $50,310 | 6,770 |
| Louisiana | $39,850 | $35,960 to $46,620 | 7,960 |
| Maine | $52,730 | $49,820 to $58,230 | 1,090 |
| Maryland | $64,250 | $59,700 to $66,680 | 6,060 |
| Massachusetts | $86,310 | $71,280 to $91,980 | 6,360 |
| Michigan | $64,020 | $54,630 to $68,520 | 8,220 |
| Minnesota | $66,040 | $59,630 to $76,250 | 5,350 |
| Mississippi | $38,720 | $30,730 to $44,640 | 4,040 |
| Missouri | $42,620 | $42,620 to $46,420 | 6,670 |
| Montana | $49,180 | $46,910 to $57,220 | 1,430 |
| Nebraska | $63,380 | $60,160 to $72,820 | 3,250 |
| Nevada | $76,490 | $72,010 to $93,790 | 3,240 |
| New Hampshire | $61,360 | $56,700 to $72,380 | 680 |
| New Jersey | $94,770 | $72,420 to $106,570 | 7,570 |
| New Mexico | $47,940 | $42,830 to $52,370 | 2,740 |
| New York | $76,820 | $68,450 to $91,250 | 27,770 |
| North Carolina | $50,550 | $44,460 to $54,680 | 11,900 |
| North Dakota | $52,460 | $49,440 to $61,130 | 1,290 |
| Ohio | $59,370 | $49,480 to $66,850 | 12,610 |
| Oklahoma | $45,690 | $37,780 to $49,360 | 3,730 |
| Oregon | $83,690 | $72,230 to $87,660 | 3,650 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,460 | $50,500 to $79,390 | 15,560 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,030 | $30,080 to $39,650 | 3,740 |
| South Carolina | $47,890 | $43,790 to $58,530 | 4,870 |
| South Dakota | $53,040 | $48,110 to $59,140 | 1,490 |
| Tennessee | $50,940 | $46,750 to $57,740 | 6,990 |
| Texas | $52,670 | $48,880 to $57,330 | 44,700 |
| Utah | $67,290 | $59,120 to $79,190 | 2,050 |
| Vermont | $53,810 | $48,320 to $64,170 | 450 |
| Virginia | $50,140 | $47,570 to $59,030 | 11,270 |
| Washington | $79,460 | $70,600 to $81,550 | 6,800 |
| West Virginia | $52,890 | $49,730 to $59,950 | 2,980 |
| Wisconsin | $73,470 | $62,550 to $84,990 | 7,360 |
| Wyoming | $54,780 | $52,530 to $61,780 | 920 |
Nationally: $58,940. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 9 of its 26 rated tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Inspect conditions of locks, window bars, grills, doors, and gates at correctional facilities to ensure security and help prevent escapes. | Not published |
| AI alone | Conduct head counts to ensure that each prisoner is present. | Not published |
| AI + software | Monitor conduct of prisoners in housing unit, or during work or recreational activities, according to established policies, regulations, and procedures, to prevent escape or violence. | Not published |
| AI + software | Record information, such as prisoner identification, charges, and incidents of inmate disturbance, keeping daily logs of prisoner activities. | Not published |
| Not much | Search prisoners and vehicles and conduct shakedowns of cells for valuables and contraband, such as weapons or drugs. | Not published |
| Not much | Participate in required job training. | Not published |
See all 27 tasks
| Not much | Conduct fire, safety, and sanitation inspections. | Not published |
| Not much | Use weapons, handcuffs, and physical force to maintain discipline and order among prisoners. | Not published |
| AI + software | Provide to supervisors oral and written reports of the quality and quantity of work performed by inmates, inmate disturbances and rule violations, and unusual occurrences. | Not published |
| AI alone | Use nondisciplinary tools and equipment, such as a computer. | 0.18% |
| AI + software | Counsel inmates and respond to legitimate questions, concerns, and requests. | Not published |
| Not much | Settle disputes between inmates. | Not published |
| Not much | Take prisoners into custody and escort to locations within and outside of facility, such as visiting room, courtroom, or airport. | Not published |
| AI + software | Maintain records of prisoners' identification and charges. | Not published |
| Not much | Guard facility entrances to screen visitors. | Not published |
| Not much | Serve meals, distribute commissary items, and dispense prescribed medication to prisoners. | Not published |
| Not much | Issue clothing, tools, and other authorized items to inmates. | Not published |
| Not much | Assign duties to inmates, providing instructions as needed. | Not published |
| Not much | Inspect mail for the presence of contraband. | Not published |
| Not much | Drive passenger vehicles and trucks used to transport inmates to other institutions, courtrooms, hospitals, and work sites. | Not published |
| AI alone | Arrange daily schedules for prisoners, including library visits, work assignments, family visits, and counseling appointments. | Not published |
| Not rated | Take fingerprints of arrestees, prisoners, or the general public. | Not published |
| Not much | Supervise and coordinate work of other correctional service officers. | Not published |
| Not much | Investigate crimes that have occurred within an institution, or assist police in their investigations of crimes and inmates. | Not published |
| AI + software | Process or book convicted individuals into prison. | Not published |
| Not much | Sponsor inmate recreational activities, such as newspapers and self-help groups. | Not published |
| Not much | Search for and recapture escapees. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 1 of the 27 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 27 tasks fall under 21 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
- #13 Operate computer systems or computerized equipment
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintain safety or security | |||
| Record information about legal matters | |||
| Supervise activities in correctional facilities | |||
| Monitor safety or security of work areas, facilities, or properties | |||
| Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise | |||
| Operate computer systems or computerized equipment | |||
| Communicate with others about operational plans or activities | |||
| Investigate criminal or legal matters |
Show all 21 activities
| Inspect characteristics or conditions of materials or products | |||
| Counsel others about personal matters | |||
| Collect information about patients or clients | |||
| Inspect facilities or equipment | |||
| Administer basic health care or medical treatments | |||
| Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures | |||
| Assign work to others | |||
| Operate transportation equipment or vehicles | |||
| Provide food or beverage services | |||
| Inspect commercial, industrial, or production systems or equipment | |||
| Mediate disputes | |||
| Replenish inventories of materials, equipment, or products | |||
| Escort others |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- An analysis or summary12%
- An explanation or answer11%
- A document or report9%
- Configuration or infrastructure8%
- A script or snippet4%
How they worked with Claude
66% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for correctional officers and jailers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 78,847 moves out
- 1 Security Guards Moderate +0.9% 10%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 6%
- 3 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers High +3.5% 4%
- 4 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 3%
- 5 First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives Moderate +3.3% 2%
Where people moved in from
of 63,649 moves in
- 1 Security Guards Moderate +0.9% 9%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
- 3 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 4%
- 4 Cashiers High -6.5% 3%
- 5 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers High +3.5% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 92% high school
- 8% associate's
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 25 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 2% less than high school
- 34% high school
- 32% some college
- 14% associate's
- 14% bachelor's
- 3% master's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 3,298 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
4 programs, such as Criminal Justice and Corrections, General, Corrections and Juvenile Corrections.
See all
- Criminal Justice and Corrections, General
- Corrections
- Juvenile Corrections
- Corrections and Criminal Justice, Other
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
86.6% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | 31.5% | 19.1% |
| a certification | 8.1% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | 52.5% | 2.8% |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 1 registered apprenticeship in this occupation (CORRECTION OFFICER). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Correctional Officers and Jailers” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/33-3012.00