Department Of Correctional Services Code Of Conduct
Department Of Correctional Services Code Of Conduct, Communities rely on federal and state prisons, county jails, and other correctional facilities to help ensure public safety by operating secure facilities.
Correctional officials recognize that their work is a public service and that unethical behavior and misconduct erode public confidence. For this reason, corrections departments across the country adopt and enforce codes of ethics and conduct for correctional officers and other employees whose job involves overseeing correctional facilities and the prisoners in them.
Code of Ethics & Conduct for Corrections Officers
Identification
Many correctional officer codes of ethics and conduct are based on the Code of Ethics adopted by the American Correctional Association (ACA), a national organization for correctional employees. The ACA Code of Ethics, adopted in 1994, outlined the association’s expectations that its members display honesty, respect, and a commitment to professionalism in their work. Correctional officer codes of conduct and ethics in many states are similar in content to that of the ACA. Florida, for example, states that its correctional officer standards of conduct supplement those of the ACA.
Features
Correctional officers work in a stressful environment, facing the constant threat of assault by prisoners. ACA’s Code of Ethics requires that correctional officers respect the civil and legal rights of all people, and refrain from any form of discrimination, including racial, gender, religious or national origin. The ACA code also prohibits correctional officers from using their positions for personal gain and from accepting gifts or favors that might imply obligations that are inconsistent with professional duties.
Considerations
Correctional officer codes of conduct and ethics not only outline expectations for treating prisoners, but also for fostering professionalism among facility staff and within correctional departments. The ACA states that members should make public criticism of their agencies only when such criticism is verifiable, constructive and warranted. In addition, the code requires correctional officers and others to report corruption and unethical behavior to the proper authorities.
Service
Because of the importance of the correctional system in protecting the public from dangerous criminals, correctional officer codes of ethics and conduct emphasize the value of public service. ACA requires that officers respect all disciplines within the criminal justice system, respect the public’s right to information and protect the public’s right to safety from criminals. Correctional officers and other prison employees also are required to preserve the integrity of confidential information.