How to hire a correctional sergeant

How to hire a correctional sergeant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step correctional sergeant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a correctional sergeant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new correctional sergeant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a correctional sergeant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your correctional sergeant job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a correctional sergeant for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a correctional sergeant to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a correctional sergeant that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of correctional sergeants and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Correctional Sergeant	Description	Hourly rate
   Correctional Sergeant		$14-22
   Sergeant	A Sergeant is responsible for supervising a group of five or more Soldiers. Sergeants must oversee their daily activities, ensuring they are in proper disposition and are living under the conditions that adhere to the laws and regulations and training them according to the standards of the military... Show more	$16-31

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Security Procedures
   • Public Safety
   • Direct Supervision
   • Cleanliness
   • Disciplinary Actions
   • Criminal Justice
   • Emergency Situations
   • Firearms
   • Identify Issues
   • Correctional Facility
   • Administrative Paperwork
   • Institutional Policies
   • Incident Reports
   • Line Supervision

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Monitor and manage enlisted promotion boards and actions; publish promotion orders for soldiers being promote to SGT and SSG.
   • Join tactical unit, train in advance handcuffing techniques & defensive tactics, certify with chemical agents & firearms.
   • Prepare ACA files and review the same for compliance.
   • Serve as a CPR and first aid instructor, all annual in-service for facility.
   • Ensure all require agency and ACA standards are adhered to, by all departments.
   • Patrol perimeter for observing unusual behavior, breech in perimeter, and search for contraband.

   More correctional sergeant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the correctional sergeant job description is a good way to get more applicants. A correctional sergeant salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a correctional sergeant in Indiana may be lower than in Maine, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level correctional sergeant. Additionally, a correctional sergeant with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average correctional sergeant salary

   $37,962yearly

   $18.25 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level correctional sergeant salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 22, 2025

   Average correctional sergeant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$46,802	$23
   2	Illinois	$46,232	$22
   3	Nebraska	$35,647	$17
   4	Missouri	$34,180	$16
   5	North Carolina	$32,739	$16
   6	Arkansas	$31,530	$15
   7	Georgia	$30,744	$15
   8	South Carolina	$30,528	$15
   9	Indiana	$29,181	$14

   Average correctional sergeant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Washington State University	$55,650	$26.75
   2	State Of Illinois - Illinois Student Assistance Commission	$39,449	$18.97	63
   3	City of Louisville	$37,050	$17.81
   4	Wisconsin	$36,816	$17.70
   5	NC.gov	$36,803	$17.69	47
   6	State of West Virginia	$36,538	$17.57	86
   7	State Of Idaho	$35,947	$17.28
   8	State of Georgia: Teachers Retirement System of Georgia	$35,866	$17.24	68
   9	Indiana State Police	$35,729	$17.18	26
   10	Maine	$35,358	$17.00	11
   11	S.C. Department of Commerce	$34,376	$16.53
   12	Jackson Services Inc	$34,284	$16.48

4. Writing a correctional sergeant job description

   A correctional sergeant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a correctional sergeant job description:

   Correctional sergeant job description example

   Juvenile Correctional Sergeant
   
   JOB SUMMARY:
   
   Positively impact the lives of youth in the care of the Department of Juvenile Justice through the collaborative creation and maintenance of a safe, therapeutic, and educational environment in facilities. Provide support, guidance, and structure for our detained youth by modeling, encouraging, and reinforcing pro-social behaviors to include patience, empathy, cooperation, professionalism, and respect. Supervises, guides and/or instructs the work assignments of subordinate staff. Assists shift supervisor with administration of the facility.
   
   JOB DUTIES:
   
   * Assumes responsibility for the custody, security, and care of youth through adherence to policies and standard operating procedures governing the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice.
   * Ensures the provision of direct support, guidance, and structure for detained youth with an emphasis on safety, personal conduct, care, and rehabilitation
   * Completes administrative paperwork, preparation and maintenance of records, forms, and report
   * Inspects, inventories, and maintains control of various security equipment and technology to successfully support the safety and well-being of juveniles served in facilities.
   * Maintains order and discipline by intervening with youth through active supervision and controlling inappropriate youth behavior to maintain a safe and secure environment. Provides support in training, selecting, and orienting subordinate correctional security staff.
   * Reads and reviews youth information to identify issues that require special attention. Oversees officer activities and performance to ensure that the custody, security, and welfare of youth is maintained.
   * Position may serve as the Shift Supervisor in the absence of the Lieutenant.
   
   MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
   
   High school diploma or GED AND current and valid Georgia P.OS.T. certification AND Six (6) months of experience at the lower-level Juvenile Correctional Officer 2 (PSP221) AND successful completion of Leadership Core Basic Level 1 thru 3
   
   AND valid Driver License.
   
   Preference will be given to applicants who, in addition to meeting the minimum qualifications, possess one or more of the following:
   
   * Current and valid certification as a Juvenile Correctional Officer by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Council
   * One or more years of experience in a Juvenile Justice environment
   * Completion of one or more years of college
   
   Military Salary Incentive Amount:
   
   * 2.5% for one year of active-duty service
   * 5.0% for two years of active-duty service
   * 7.5% for three years of active-duty service
   * 10.0% for 4+ years of active-duty service
   
   THIS IS AN UNCLASSIFIED POSITION.
   
   THE SELECTED APPLICANT FOR THE POSITION WILL BE SUBJECT TO A REFERENCE CHECK AND CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK, WHERE APPLICABLE
   
   PLEASE INCLUDE ALL RELEVANT JOB INFORMATION ON THE APPLICATION FOR
   
   CONSIDERATION. ALL APPLICATIONS WILL BE PRESCREENED.
   
   DJJ IS AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
   
   High school diploma or GED AND current and valid Georgia P.OS.T. certification AND 6 months of experience at the lower level Juvenile Correctional Officer 2 (PSP221) AND successful completion of Leadership Core Basic Level 1 thru 3. Must have valid Driver License.
   
   Additional Information
   
   * Number of Openings: 1
   * Advertised Salary: $46,027.00
   * Shift: Day Job
   * Posting End Date: Oct 21, 2022

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find correctional sergeants for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your correctional sergeant job on Zippia to find and recruit correctional sergeant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with correctional sergeant candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new correctional sergeant

   Once you've decided on a perfect correctional sergeant candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a correctional sergeant?