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Please read the following to the Recruit.
Interviewer: Good [morning/afternoon/evening], my name is (Rank, Name) and I will be conducting your interview today for a position within the Department of Corrections. (introduce any other FTP members in the room with you if applicable) Throughout this interview, you will be asked a combination of general and situational questions related to correctional operations such as inmate management, facility security, transports, and emergency response procedures. Your responses will help us evaluate your decision-making skills, professionalism, ability to maintain control in high-stress environments, and overall understanding of the responsibilities that come with working inside a correctional facility. At the conclusion of this interview, you will be given an opportunity to ask any questions you may have regarding the Department, the Field Training Program, or daily operational duties. Please be advised that if you are accepted into the Department of Corrections today, you will have a total of 37 days from the date of hire to successfully complete all required phases of training. If you foresee any conflicts that may impact your ability to meet this deadline, you must notify FTP Command as soon as possible. When you are ready, we will begin the interview.

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Question Bank:

  1. Why do you want to join the Department of Corrections?
  2. Do you believe you would be capable of maintaining control over inmates in a high-stress or hostile environment? Why or why not?
  3. In your own words, what does inmate rehabilitation mean to you? 
  4. How would you handle a situation where an inmate becomes verbally aggressive towards you?
  5. Explain how you would manage a conflict between multiple inmates within a housing unit.
  6. What would you do if an inmate refused a lawful order given by yourself or another officer?
  7. Do you believe communication or authority is more important when dealing with inmates? Please explain your reasoning.
  8. How would you ensure your own safety, as well as the safety of other officers, during inmate transports?
  9. How would you react in the event of an emergency situation such as a riot, inmate escape attempt, or hostage scenario inside the prison?
  10. How would you respond if you witnessed another officer acting unprofessionally toward an inmate?
  11. Are you comfortable taking orders from superior officers and following the established chain of command? Why is the chain of command important within the Department of Corrections?
    Feel free to ask any other questions that you have for the new recruit along with the ones which are in the question bank.