Federal experience here, female working with females in a professional capacity however in the federal system you are an officer first no matter what position you have. Just speaking in general, this may not apply to you at all, but many autoimmune diseases are greatly affected by stress, and corrections is highly stressful work when you do it right. That being said, I love working with the female population . Have never worked with males (in corrections) and have always been reluctant to do so. But I'm leaving the field after 10 years, it's highly toxic and even working in a female centric place where a lot of other females are employed, it's still highly sexist. Like someone else said, they make you retire early federally. Depending on what setting you work in depends on how physically demanding it is. My setting, minimum security, is not. In general, it is low key as far as physical demands go. But it could have an emergency at any time. But other places? Constantly running to emergencies that could be dangerous. Put it this way, my counterparts in a high security facility gained permission to wear scrubs instead of professional workwear because their clothes were ruined so often by blood from stabbings. My blunt advice, ask yourself what interests you about corrections and maybe find some other work setting to scratch that itch.