How to hire a correctional supervisor

How to hire a correctional supervisor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step correctional supervisor 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 supervisor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new correctional supervisor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the correctional supervisor you need to hire. Certain correctional supervisor roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A correctional supervisor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, correctional supervisors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents correctional supervisor salaries for various positions.

   Type of Correctional Supervisor	Description	Hourly rate
   Correctional Supervisor		$13-26
   Supervisor	Supervisors are responsible for overseeing the daily functions of employees in a specific team, department, or even a work shift. They create work schedules, organize work processes and workflows, train new hires, provide necessary reports related to the team function and the employees, monitor and evaluate employee performance, and ensure that goals of the specific team or department are met... Show more	$14-44
   Correctional Sergeant	A correctional sergeant supervises correctional officers and oversees daily prison activities. Their duties are to enforce rules and regulations, conduct assessments and inspections, investigate suspicious activities and violations, resolve inmate conflicts, and monitor the inmates' progress in programs... Show more	$14-22

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Public Safety
   • Security Procedures
   • Direct Supervision
   • Correctional Facility
   • Criminal Justice
   • Emergency Situations
   • Incident Reports
   • Pepper Spray
   • Head Counts
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Disciplinary Actions
   • Law Enforcement Agencies
   • Institutional Policies
   • Security Checks

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage behavior modification and offender restoration rehabilitation.
   • Manage behavior modification and offender restoration rehabilitation.
   • Manage behavior modification and offender restoration rehabilitation.

   More correctional supervisor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your correctional supervisor job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A correctional supervisor can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, correctional supervisors' average salary in wyoming is 53% less than in maine.
   • Seniority. Entry-level correctional supervisors 49% less than senior-level correctional supervisors.
   • Certifications. A correctional supervisor with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a correctional supervisor's salary.

   Average correctional supervisor salary

   $39,968yearly

   $19.22 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level correctional supervisor salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

   Average correctional supervisor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$54,607	$26
   2	Hawaii	$48,237	$23
   3	Illinois	$46,188	$22
   4	Nebraska	$36,078	$17
   5	Kentucky	$35,784	$17
   6	Pennsylvania	$35,564	$17
   7	Colorado	$35,505	$17
   8	Florida	$32,323	$16
   9	Indiana	$31,118	$15
   10	Minnesota	$29,992	$14

   Average correctional supervisor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Washington State University	$64,579	$31.05
   2	TASC	$55,799	$26.83
   3	Hennepin County Library	$45,527	$21.89
   4	Ramsey County	$43,640	$20.98
   5	State Of Illinois - Illinois Student Assistance Commission	$42,675	$20.52	10
   6	Iowa Department of Transportation	$40,272	$19.36
   7	NC.gov	$39,153	$18.82	26
   8	Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania	$39,139	$18.82	3
   9	My Florida Regional Mls	$38,129	$18.33
   10	Florida Dept. of Health	$37,954	$18.25
   11	Alaska State Library	$37,875	$18.21
   12	State Of Florida	$37,253	$17.91	83
   13	Florida Department of Transportation	$36,231	$17.42
   14	Aramark	$34,683	$16.67	20

4. Writing a correctional supervisor job description

   A good correctional supervisor job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a correctional supervisor job description:

   Correctional supervisor job description example

   Klamath County is located in beautiful southern Oregon and offers everything for outdoor adventurers: hiking, camping, hunting, skiing, snowshoeing, kayaking, rafting, golfing and the list goes on! Home to Oregon Institute of Technology and Kingsley Field Air Base, home of the 173rd Fighter Wing, Klamath County seeks to find candidates who want to make this beautiful area their home and are looking for a position where their contributions are valued and recognized. We offer a generous benefits package which includes:
   * County contributions to health insurance
   * County contributions to a retirement plan
   * Paid life insurance
   * Paid short term disability
   * Paid holidays and more!
   
   Under the direction of the Community Corrections Director and Assistant Director this position organizes and supervises parole and probation field services and service operations consistent with evidence-based practices as well as the department's mission, principles, and values. This leadership position supervises assigned staff within the Community Corrections Department. This position also provides recommendations in the implementation of goals, objectives, policies and procedures, and, evaluates operations for recommendation of improvements and modifications.
   
   To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   
   Duties
   
   * Participates in the selection of staff; provides and coordinates training; works with employees to correct deficiencies; implements discipline procedures; provides staff timely, relevant, and accurate feedback as related to performance and outcomes.
   * Promotes staff development of evidence-based principles including awareness of research and the management of behavioral and organizational change.
   * Participates in budget preparation and administration; prepares cost estimates for budget recommendations; submits justifications for requests; monitors and controls expenditures.
   * Compiles relative statistical data for departmental use; maintains records of client assignments, service contracts, probation compliance, and staff reports.
   * Answers questions and provides information to the public; investigates complaints and recommends corrective action as necessary for resolution.
   
   Education, Certification, & Experience
   
   * One (1) to two (2) years related experience and/or training; or Bachelor's Degree from college or university; or equivalent combination or education and experience.
   * Valid Driver's License
   * Possession of, or ability to obtain within one (1) year of employment, DPSST Parole and Probation Certification. Advanced certification preferred.
   
   Skills & Abilities
   
   Knowledge of the principles, practices and procedures of behavior and adjustment problems of adult criminal offenders; probation counseling, case load management, and the adult criminal justice system, including sentencing and probation procedures; knowledge of correction theory and methods; knowledge of the principles of supervision, training and performance evaluation; knowledge of fiscal and program management; knowledge of individual, group, and alcohol-dependent psychotherapeutic methods.
   
   Ability to work effectively with adult offenders, fellow employees, court and law enforcement personnel; ability to work independently; ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing; ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with individuals, whether members of the public or coworkers, from diverse groups and backgrounds; ability to investigate cases and objectively evaluate information ;supervise a comprehensive probation and residential services program; ability to develop treatment plans; ability to supervise, train, and evaluate counseling personnel; ability to prepare and administer a division budget; ability to maintain accurate and complete records.
   
   Ability to speak effectively before groups of clients or employees; knowledge of DOC 400 Accounting Software; Electronic Home Detention Software Contact Management systems, Program Monitoring Database software, internet software, and office suite.
   
   Physical Requirements
   
   While performing the duties of this job, you would be regularly required to talk and hear; frequently required to sit; occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, and occasionally lift or move up to 10 pounds.
   
   Working Conditions
   
   While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions; fumes or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; outside weather conditions and explosives. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
   
   Salary and Work Schedule
   
   This is a salaried, exempt position, with a starting wage range of $7,326.80 to $7,997.60 per month. The normal work schedule is 40 hours per week; exact schedules are assigned by management.
   
   Klamath County is an equal opportunity employer.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right correctional supervisor for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit correctional supervisors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   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 supervisor

   Once you've decided on a perfect correctional supervisor 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new correctional supervisor. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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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