Do you look for excitement, rewarding challenges and a collaborative atmosphere at work? Is an ever-changing environment interesting and appealing to you? If so, a career as a Custody Service Employee (CSE) may be the career for you!
CSEs provide care, custody and case management services for the control and supervision of offenders in a facility setting. CSEs assist offenders in coping with incarceration, and they promote safe communities by strengthening offenders' abilities to live in and contribute to their communities. Correctional Officers, Facility Youth Workers, Parental Care Workers and Mental Health Correctional Officers are all CSEs.
There are many varied employment opportunities within the Saskatchewan Ministry of Corrections and Policing. The role of a CSE is thought to be one of the most challenging and fulfilling.
Some elements of the specific roles are explained below. CSEs are located at correctional facilities throughout the province.
Correctional Officer – Adult Facility and Reintegration Units
Correctional Officers provide dynamic security by working with offenders to develop respectful relationships and case plans to address their needs. They also provide static security, which includes such responsibilities as locking doors, radio communication, searching offenders, conducting counts and performing crisis intervention. They may be assigned to work in normal living units housing lower security offenders, or higher security areas for those needing additional control. Remand units exist for those awaiting trial or a disposition from the courts.
Mental Health Correctional Officers (MHCO)
MCHOs working at Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford are part of an interdisciplinary team working collaboratively to provide patient care following a therapeutic model. Mental Health Correctional Officers are responsible for dynamic and static security, the overall security of the hospital, assisting in patient care and providing programming to patients.
Correctional Officer – Reduced Custody Facilities
Correctional Officers work in a controlled residential environment to provide dynamic and static security, and participate in one-on-one and group interventions, addressing offender needs.
Facility Youth Worker – Youth Facility
A Facility Youth Worker works with youths aged 12 to 17 in an open and/or secure custody facility. Facility Youth Workers are responsible for ensuring the safety and well-being of the youth. This includes supervision and static security practices, as well as practising dynamic responsibilities through assessment, counselling, program delivery and case management.
Parental Care Worker – Youth Facility
A Parental Care Worker provides security and care for youth aged 12 to 17 in an open and/or secure custody facility. Parental Care Workers escort youth, observe behaviours and situations, and accurately report these to other members of the case management team, i.e. Facility Youth Workers. Parental Care Workers are also responsible to supervise groups of youth.
Whichever CSE career you choose, all individuals must meet the competency requirements, follow the application and selection process, and complete the training program.
Saskatchewan Corrections Code of Professional Conduct
Professional and ethical conduct is a personal responsibility. The Ministry of Corrections and Policing Code of Professional Conduct communicates the expectations for an employee's conduct both in the workplace and in their private life. CSEs are required to abide by the Saskatchewan Corrections Code of Professional Conduct.