How Does a Prison Guard Spend a Workday?
Beginning the Day Working as a prison guard has very little to do with the brutality depicted in most Hollywood movies. In even the most highly secure American prisons, working as a guard is more about routine and watchfulness than violence and conflict. The most important duty of a prison guard is to be aware of his surroundings. The problem is that because most days fall into a standard routine, the guard most be wary of becoming complacent. Complacency can result in injury or even death when the inmates get violent. Oh, the paperwork As a bureaucrat in a uniform, prison guards are often subjected to enormous amounts of paperwork. Guards need paperwork to authorize transfers or report any incidents that happen. Guards most record their observations and report them to the shift commander and the warden, usually in writing, so that patterns of behavior can be observed. Emergencies Prison guards must also be prepared to react to a variety of emergencies within the prison walls. Most obv
