Correctional officers play an important role in maintaining the order and security of correctional institutions. They work in various shifts. Typically, these shifts are divided into three main categories: day shift, evening shift, and night shift. The duration of each shift also varies; 8-hour shifts, 10-hour shifts, and 12-hour shifts. It depends on the state, the facility, the institution, and the specific needs of the institution. Well, on this page, we will talk about the correctional officer 12-hour shifts schedule. Please read this entire text to get the information.
About Correctional Officer 12-hour Shift Schedule
In the United States, the Department of Corrections may implement different work shifts in each correctional facility. Like correctional deputies, correctional officers are also certainly needed at all times. Correctional institutions require correctional officers to switch between schedules, so shifts are alternated throughout the day and night. As such, correctional officers will inevitably work midnight to eight o’clock each shift or alternate between all available shift times at the correctional facility.
There are many correctional facilities that run a 12-hour shift schedule. Even most say that a 12-hour shift is the best shift to work in a correctional facility. We can also find the fact that nowadays most correctional facilities have switched to a 12-hour shift schedule. If the correctional facility applies 12-hour work days, then correctional officers will do three days on and two days off. For your information, there are several benefits of a 12-hour shift schedule in corrections, such as reducing the number of overtime hours required for correctional officers and reducing turnover by offering more days off, especially on weekends. Obviously, many correctional officers prefer working in 12-hour shifts as it provides a number of benefits to them.
In short, we can define that a 12-hour shift schedule in a correctional facility is where correctional officers must work for 12 hours. For example, correctional officers who work on a 12-hour shift schedule, they work from 6:00 am – 6:00 pm or 6:00 pm – 6:00 am. If you are a correctional officer working a 12-hour shift per day, you have 12 hours left. You can use 8 hours to sleep, 30 minutes to commute to the correctional facility, another hour to get ready for bed at night and get ready for work in the morning. Yes, you will definitely be a little busy with your 12-hour shift schedule. However, despite this, you will be able to have a long weekend where you can spend more time with your beloved family. That way, you can do whatever you want on the weekends.
Advantages of 12-Hour Shift Schedule
As we said before, a 12-hour shift is the best shift to run in a correctional facility. Of course, there are several advantages that correctional officers will get if working on 12-hour shifts.
-
Increasing self-care
If you are a correctional officer with a 12-hour shift, so you have more days off, then this can relieve stress. Even though you have to work for 12 hours, you will get a nice day off on the weekends. In addition, you will also be able to have time to recover from your shift. You can organize events that you want on the weekend such as attending classes or training.
-
Getting a better family and social life
Many companies or institutions operate on a 9-to-5 Monday to Friday working hours, and that is normal. Of course, that will give you the opportunity to have Saturdays and Sundays off. Usually, family or friends will have more plans on the weekends. With a 12-hour shift schedule, you will get twice as many weekends off throughout the year when compared to an 8-hour shift. Thus, you will have more opportunities to get together with your beloved family or friends.
-
Getting fewer consecutive work days
If you work 12 hours per day, it means you won’t be able to work too many consecutive days. Your body and mind will not work optimally if you work too many shifts in a row. With a 12-hour shift schedule, you only have 3 – 4 consecutive working days as opposed to 5, 6, or 7 consecutive days.
-
Getting more full days off
If in a week, you work four 12-hour shifts, and three 12-hour shifts the following week, it means that you work 42 hours in seven days. As such, you will get more full days off. If you have more full days off, of course you will have more time to make plans with your family members or friends. Aside from that, you can also have time for performing activities of your hobbies.
-
Less commuting time
With a 12-hour shift schedule, your travel time will also be less. For example, if you need 30 minutes to arrive at the correctional facility, then you have 30 minutes x (3 x 2) = 180 minutes or 3 hours in a week. Of course, this saves you two hours per week so you will have more time to do what you want to do.
Well, those are some of the advantages that you will get from running a 12-hour shift schedule.
Disadvantages of 12-Hour Shift Schedule
In addition to the advantages, there are also some disadvantages that you may get if you work in 12-hour shifts, including:
-
Irregular pay weeks
We’ve found that most 12-hour shifts schedules have alternating pay weeks of 36 and 48 hours. Most people plan their finances based on a 40-hour week, which will likely make it harder for you to budget your finances.
-
Difficult to schedule meetings
The disadvantage of a 12-hour shift schedule is that it is difficult to schedule meetings. If you are required to stay after your night shift for training or meetings, your working hours will likely be unreasonably extended. As a result, many correctional officers working 12-hour shifts conduct training and other meetings on scheduled days off.
-
Inflexibility of sleep schedule
The disadvantage of 12-hour shifts for correctional officers is the inflexibility of sleep schedules. When you have to work 12-hour shifts, the hours of rest during the workday are very limited. The reduced flexibility of sleep time will definitely disrupt your sleep schedule.
