Security and Safety Flashcards
7 cards from real CO practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Security and Safety flashcards as text
Under the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), correctional officers are REQUIRED to:
Answer: Report any knowledge or suspicion of sexual abuse or harassment immediately
PREA mandates that staff immediately report any knowledge or suspicion of sexual abuse or harassment to designated officials.
When an inmate threatens suicide, the FIRST priority for the responding officer is to:
Answer: Remove any means of self-harm and ensure the inmate is under continuous observation
Immediate removal of potential self-harm implements and maintaining continuous observation protects the inmate's life until mental health staff arrive.
During a facility-wide disturbance, an officer should avoid which of the following actions?
Answer: Attempting to single-handedly quell the disturbance without backup
Solo intervention during a large disturbance endangers the officer and can escalate the situation; coordinated response under command is required.
An officer notices a new inmate is being pressured by a group for their commissary items. This situation should be recognized as:
Answer: Extortion, which is a form of inmate-on-inmate victimization requiring intervention
Extortion is a criminal act and security threat that requires officer intervention, documentation, and supervisory notification.
Perimeter security checks require officers to inspect fencing, lighting, and barriers primarily to:
Answer: Detect tampering, breaches, or conditions that could facilitate an escape
Perimeter checks are designed to detect tampering or damage that could enable escape and must be documented and reported promptly.
Which of the following BEST describes 'cross-gender supervision' requirements in most US correctional facilities?
Answer: Officers of any gender may supervise inmates of the opposite gender but must follow announced entry and pat-search restrictions
PREA and most facility policies permit cross-gender supervision with restrictions such as announced entry into inmate living areas and limits on pat searches.
What is the significance of documenting a use-of-force incident accurately and promptly?
Answer: It provides an official account for review, accountability, and legal protection for staff and the facility
Accurate and timely use-of-force documentation creates an official record that supports accountability, internal review, and legal defensibility.