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Prison Officer

Public Safety & Defence

Guard inmates in penal or rehabilitative institutions in accordance with established regulations and procedures. May guard prisoners in transit between jail, courtroom, prison, or other point. Includes deputy sheriffs and police who spend the majority of their time guarding prisoners in correctional institutions.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Public Safety & Defence

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Conduct head counts to ensure that each prisoner is present.
  2. 2Inspect conditions of locks, window bars, grills, doors, and gates at correctional facilities to ensure security and help prevent escapes.
  3. 3Monitor conduct of prisoners in housing unit, or during work or recreational activities, according to established policies, regulations, and procedures, to prevent escape or violence.
  4. 4Search prisoners and vehicles and conduct shakedowns of cells for valuables and contraband, such as weapons or drugs.
  5. 5Guard facility entrances to screen visitors.
  6. 6Record information, such as prisoner identification, charges, and incidents of inmate disturbance, keeping daily logs of prisoner activities.
  7. 7Inspect mail for the presence of contraband.
  8. 8Search for and recapture escapees.
  9. 9Maintain records of prisoners' identification and charges.
  10. 10Use weapons, handcuffs, and physical force to maintain discipline and order among prisoners.
  11. 11Use nondisciplinary tools and equipment, such as a computer.
  12. 12Process or book convicted individuals into prison.
  13. 13Conduct fire, safety, and sanitation inspections.
  14. 14Supervise and coordinate work of other correctional service officers.
  15. 15Participate in required job training.
  16. 16Take prisoners into custody and escort to locations within and outside of facility, such as visiting room, courtroom, or airport.
  17. 17Take fingerprints of arrestees, prisoners, or the general public.
  18. 18Serve meals, distribute commissary items, and dispense prescribed medication to prisoners.
  19. 19Settle disputes between inmates.
  20. 20Provide to supervisors oral and written reports of the quality and quantity of work performed by inmates, inmate disturbances and rule violations, and unusual occurrences.
  21. 21Drive passenger vehicles and trucks used to transport inmates to other institutions, courtrooms, hospitals, and work sites.
  22. 22Counsel inmates and respond to legitimate questions, concerns, and requests.
  23. 23Investigate crimes that have occurred within an institution, or assist police in their investigations of crimes and inmates.
  24. 24Assign duties to inmates, providing instructions as needed.
  25. 25Issue clothing, tools, and other authorized items to inmates.
  26. 26Sponsor inmate recreational activities, such as newspapers and self-help groups.
  27. 27Arrange daily schedules for prisoners, including library visits, work assignments, family visits, and counseling appointments.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • CO
  • CCO
  • CSO
  • PSO
  • Guard
  • Deputy
  • Jailer
  • Jailor
  • Matron
  • Gate Guard

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. Typical entry

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationHigh school diploma

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
History (Sejarah)Draws directly on Law and Government — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BusinessDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EconomicsDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Public Safety and Security83%
  • English Language80%

    English

  • Law and Government76%

    History (Sejarah)

  • Customer and Personal Service70%
  • Administration and Management70%

    BusinessEconomics

  • Computers and Electronics69%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersVery high
  • Handling conflict situationsEvery day
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentEvery day

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Conduct security checks of the premises.

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

11%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

0.20%

Of Malaysian Claude conversations, about this kind of work

Measures how much people use Claude for this work, not how many Malaysians do this job — and more AI use can mean people relying on it, not that it's replacing them.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Police Inspector (PDRM)

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

Related careers

If this interests you, these are worth a look too.

About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Correctional Officers and Jailers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org