Correction Officer - RICI

Work Location: 1001 Olivesburg Road, Mansfield, OH 44905. Schedule: Permanent Full‑Time, hours vary. Union: OCSEA. Contact: Christina Thomas – DRC.RICIRecruit@drc.ohio.gov.

About the Agency

Guided by a single mission “To reduce recidivism among those we touch,” the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction believes that everyone is capable of positive change. Our staff embrace these core values and serve as role models for pro‑social behavior conveying an attitude of dignity and respect in the treatment of others. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction has been tasked with front‑line crime reduction through rehabilitative treatment and programming efforts provided in a safe, secure and humane correctional environment and effective community supervision. Our goal is to protect the public through helping individuals turn away from crime and become productive, contributing members of our communities, ensuring a safer Ohio for all Ohioans now and in the future.

Responsibilities

• Maintaining control of the institution to provide for safety and security of the facility, inmates, staff, and general public by enforcing rules, regulations, policies and procedures
• Supervise and direct inmate activity in assigned areas of the facility/institution
• Assuring assigned area is clean, safe, and secure
• Monitoring and operating security controls, equipment, and computers
• Operation of automotive vehicles in perimeter security and the transportation of inmates
• Conducting inmate counts, security rounds, and searches
• Completes required reports and serves on committees
• Prevents escapes or incidents which threaten security
• When necessary, uses physical force, unarmed self‑defense, firearms, or other force to detain or secure inmates

Pay

• Step 1: $24.88 per hour
• Step 2: $25.61 per hour after 6 months of employment
• Shift differential: additional $0.60 per hour for 2nd or 3rd shift

Qualifications

• High school diploma or G.E.D.
• Valid driver’s license required for positions assigned to transportation section and/or requiring a commercial driver’s license to drive vehicles qualifying as commercial
• Must successfully pass the correction officer assessment or have successfully completed the assessment within the past 24 months, or be a current Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction employee previously certified as a correction officer
• Probationary period: 365 days
• Pre‑employment drug testing (urinalysis) required; positive test disqualifies applicant. Medical marijuana is not accepted as a valid medical explanation for a positive test.
• Pre‑employment background investigation required; individual assessment of prior criminal convictions will be made before exclusion.
• Prohibited from hiring: individuals under a federal or state weapons disability if the position requires firearms certification; individuals who have engaged in sexual abuse in a confinement facility; individuals convicted of soliciting or providing support for terrorism or money laundering to support terrorism; individuals convicted of a felony with a direct correlation to the position (e.g., fraud, deceit, theft from a state agency).

Benefits

• Medical coverage
• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
• Public Retirement Systems (such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation (Ohio Deferred Compensation)

Skills

• Corrections
• Law Enforcement
• Communications
• Criminology/Criminal Justice
• Security
• Ethics and Values
• Listening
• Situational Awareness
• Teamwork
• Observation