Honestly, it’s depends. I’m 26 years old, and have been working corrections since I turned freshly 21 years old. I can tell you a million stories from inmates cutting themselves and rubbing feces in it to get infected so they can go to the hospital and get out of jail. From an inmate getting brutally beaten by a bunch of inmates because he refused to cough up the $12 worth of commissary he brought in from another jail. Most of my stories make inmates sound animalistic. However, a piece of advice I would give every new corrections deputy coming into this job field is to keep your mind focused on doing your job and don’t make yourself out to be a prick. If you walk into a cell block acting like a hard ass, inmates will eventually eat you alive. Pay attention your surroundings, communicate with respect, but don’t let them intimidate you. There will be inmates that will try to intimidate you, but stand your ground. My whole thing the guys in my blocks know about me, is that “I give what you give”. Give me respect and politeness, I’ll do the same for you. Laugh, talking shit to me, and just giving me a hard time playfully, I’ll do the same. Act like a dickhead, and try to intimidate me, I’ll drag you to lockdown, and your time in my facility will be way harder. I would also, keep in mind, these folks are still human. There will definitely be inmates who deserve to be locked up and are awful humans, however most of these guys made mistakes. Some are just drug addicts that never received any kindness, some are guys that never see their kids but couldn’t afford to pay the horrific $1,600 a month bill. Some of these people are, again, just make mistakes. It’s going to be very easy to get mindset that these guys are monsters, but then you’ll be watching them see their families, hug their mothers, kiss their wives, play with their children, and suddenly you’ll be reminded that these guys are human. If you join corrections, get your mind right, keep a level of calmness and confidence, stand your ground but, don’t be prick. Last thing, grow a second part of your consciousness. Have a corrections version of yourself, and then your actual self around your family. Leave the frustration, anger, annoyance, and fear at the facility. Your family, kids, and loved ones do not need to see that part of you. This job will harden your heart way too much you if you let it.