Prison service officers (below principal officer)
£32,850
Average salary
43 hours
Average weekly hours
2.06%
Unemployment rate
Definition: Prison service officers (below principal officer)
*SOC Code (Standard Occupational Classification): 3314
Prison service officers (below Principal Officer) direct, co-ordinate and participate in guarding inmates and maintaining discipline in prisons and other detention centres.
Common tasks include:
- escorts prisoners to and from cells and supervises them during meals, recreation and visiting periods
- watches for any infringements of regulations and searches prisoners and cells for weapons, drugs and other contraband items
- guards entrances and perimeter walls
- investigates disturbances or any other unusual occurrences
- escorts prisoners transferred from one institution to another
- runs prisoner rehabilitation and support programmes
- provides care and support to prisoners in custody including prevention of self-harm
- trains and supervises prison staff
- reports on prisoners’ conduct as necessary
Qualifications
There are no formal academic requirements for entry, but candidates must pass a pre-entry test and full medical examination. Basic training is followed by a 12 month probationary period during which further on-the-job training is provided. Background checks are required for entrants, and there are generally nationality restrictions and a lower age limit of 18 years.
*Introduced in 1990, SOC is a multi-purpose common classification of occupations in UK. Jobs are defined in terms of skill level and skill content, including qualifications, training and work experience.
Employment status: Prison service officers (below principal officer)
Regional employment: Prison service officers (below principal officer)
Future employment: Prison service officers (below principal officer)
Top 12 industries: Prison service officers (below principal officer)
Alternative & related job titles: Prison service officers (below principal officer)
Custodial manager Prison custodial officer Prison escort officer Prison officer Prison warden
Equality focus: Prison service officers (below principal officer)
Breaking down the official government big data sources by gender, age and region. Hours and pay data based on full time equlivalent roles.
Breakdown by gender
£28,679
Female average annual salary
£34,936
Male average annual salary
40
Female average weekly hours
44
Male average weekly hours
Average pay per hour: Prison service officers (below principal officer)
Workforce gender: Prison service officers (below principal officer)
Breakdown by region
£36,500
South East (England) - highest annual average salary
£29,721
North East (England) - lowest annual average salary
46
Wales - Highest average weekly hours
38
Scotland - Lowest average weekly hours
Average pay per week (£): Prison service officers (below principal officer)
Average weekly hours by UK region/nation: Prison service officers (below principal officer)
Breakdown by age
20 years
Lowest annual salary (£10,950)
years
Highest annual salary (£0) at this age