OSCA 452131

Correctional Officer

Overview

  • Employed persons

    20,000

  • Employment status

    90.8% Full time

    9.2% Part time

  • Median age

    45 years

  • Employment by sex

    30.0% Female

    70.0% Male

    Moderately male dominated

  • Indigenous employment share

    4.6%

  • Main employing industry

    Public Administration and Safety

Indicator Correctional Officer Total employment
Employed persons 20,000 12,049,400
Median age 45 years 40 years
Full-time share 90.8% 64.2%
Part-time share 9.2% 35.8%
Female employment share 30.0% 48.5%
Male employment share 70.0% 51.5%
Gender segregation intensity scale Moderately male dominated Gender balanced
Indigenous employment share 4.6% 2.2%
Main employing industry Public Administration and Safety Health Care and Social Assistance
Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

Occupation overview

Correctional Officers supervise and control the activities of inmates in a prison or other correctional institution.

What the occupation involves

  • Maintains security and order within a prison or other correctional institution
  • Inspects cells, common areas and facilities for weapons, drugs and other contraband items, and ensures compliance with institutional rules and regulations
  • Monitors inmate activities and behaviour, intervenes in situations that may pose a risk to safety or security, and prevents disturbances and escapes
  • Escorts inmates to and from various locations, such as medical facilities in the community, and the correctional institution
  • Provides support and guidance to inmates, including conflict resolution

Common occupation titles

  • Corrections Officer
  • Prison Officer

Specialisations

  • Custodial Officer

Note: Specialisations are examples of roles in within this occupation and are not separate OSCA occupations.

Skill level (education and experience level)

Skill level 4
equivalent to a lower‑level Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification (Certificate II or III).

Note: While skill levels are described using formal education levels, some people use a combination of informal learning, on-the-job training and personal experience to achieve an equivalent level.

Licensing or registration requirements

No licensing or registration requirements are listed for this occupation.

OSCA structure

Community and Personal Service Workers (4)

Employment

On this page

    Industries

    Top 10 most common industries, 2021

    Correctional Officer Total employment
    Industry Share of occupation Industry Share of occupation
    Public Administration and Safety 96.6% Health Care and Social Assistance 14.5%
    Construction 1.4% Retail Trade 9.1%
    Health Care and Social Assistance 0.5% Construction 8.9%
    Financial and Insurance Services 0.2% Education and Training 8.8%
    Professional, Scientific and Technical Services 0.1% Professional, Scientific and Technical Services 7.8%
    Accommodation and Food Services <0.1% Public Administration and Safety 6.6%
    Administrative and Support Services <0.1% Accommodation and Food Services 6.5%
    Education and Training <0.1% Manufacturing 5.9%
    Manufacturing <0.1% Transport, Postal and Warehousing 4.5%
    Other Services <0.1% Financial and Insurance Services 3.7%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

    States and territories

    Employment distribution by states and territories, 2021

    • New South Wales

      30.1%

    • Victoria

      23.8%

    • Queensland

      19.4%

    • South Australia

      5.9%

    • Tasmania

      1.8%

    • Northern Territory

      2.5%

    • Australian Capital Territory

      0.9%

    Correctional Officer Total employment
    State / Territory Employment Share of occupation Employment Share of occupation
    New South Wales 6,000 30.1% 3,684,200 30.6%
    Victoria 4,800 23.8% 3,162,900 26.2%
    Queensland 3,900 19.4% 2,444,100 20.3%
    South Australia 1,200 5.9% 839,400 7.0%
    Western Australia 3,100 15.6% 1,306,200 10.8%
    Tasmania 370 1.8% 254,700 2.1%
    Northern Territory 490 2.5% 107,000 0.9%
    Australian Capital Territory 180 0.9% 248,600 2.1%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

    Age and sex

    Employment distibution by age group and sex, 2021

    Correctional Officer

    Total employment

    Age group Correctional Officer Total employment
    15–24 years 3.1% 14.3%
    25–34 years 21.5% 22.7%
    35–44 years 23.5% 22.3%
    45–54 years 28.0% 20.4%
    55–64 years 20.1% 15.3%
    65–74 years 3.7% 4.3%
    75 years and over 0.1% 0.6%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.
    Sex Correctional Officer Total employment
    Female 30.0% 48.5%
    Male 70.0% 51.5%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

    On this page

      OSCA occupation profiles data

      This file contains data available from the OSCA Occupation Profile page.

      Use of this data must include the relevant attribution text provided.

      OSCA Occupation data - 2021 Census.xlsx

      xlsx 1236447

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      Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA)

      Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) is the skill-based classification used to categorise occupations across the Australian labour market. OSCA is used to define occupations across all official occupational statistics. OSCA replaces the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO).

      Each job is classified to one, and only one, group of jobs at each level of the classification with no overlaps. This prevents the accidental double-counting of roles within the Australian labour market. For more information about OSCA, visit the What is OSCA information page, or the ABS website.

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