A day in the life of a prison officer

Jade is a Supervising Officer at HMP Manchester and previously served in the Armed Forces. She joined the Prison Service in 2020 through the Unlocked Graduates scheme. In January 2023 we followed Jade carrying out her duties on an early shift at HMP Manchester. The video was shot over one day and filmed via GoPro and hand-held camera.

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*Chapters*

0:00 Intro
0:14 Driving to work and thinking about my day
1:16 Getting through security, and shift patterns
2:20 Leading the morning briefing
3:38 Searching prisoners
5:53 Supervising prisoners to work or education
6:27 Prisoners working in the bakery
7:23 Engaging with prisoners and building relationships
9:25 Support you receive as a prison officer
10:32 Serving lunch
11:04 Sensing danger and dealing with incidents
13:28 Ending the shift
14:07 Thinking about becoming prison officer?

[HMPrisonandProbationService]

Jade is a Supervising Officer at HMP Manchester and previously served in the Armed Forces. She joined the Prison Service in 2020 through the Unlocked Graduates scheme. In January 2023 we followed Jade carrying out her duties on an early shift at HMP Manchester. The video was shot over one day and filmed via GoPro and hand-held camera.

[daniellangston]

Her rubbing them down is probably the best part of their day😂😂

[LOBBYTHEROBBER]

Tough tough job is Prison Officer. Constant risk and sorely underpaid. Kudos to those brave men and women who serve.

[D-yz]

A perfectly scripted 😂video from the prison service not showing the absolute circus it really is

[briannickson]

I spent 34 years in all grades from Officer to Governor. I wish my experience was the same as portrayed in this video. Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s a rewarding job without a huge amount of stress.

[London]

Before anyone applies for this position, a word of advice, speak to either past or present Prison Officers. You may have to deal with the lowest of the lowest on a daily basis and can have a real affect on your own mental health.

[Icecoldgaming-vlogs]

My gf lasted 2 months as officer 👮 under paid over worked under staffed and let’s say keep eyes around you 360’ cause u can be attack anytime for no reason.

[moments]

I don’t think it’s a good idea to disclose a prisoner officer’s identity, model of car, her position etc . Criminals might use any information against these hardworking officers.HMPs least job is to protect them.

[mmcfarlane]

This is a really great video. I work in healthcare in a cat B. I think being open and honest about these roles is really positive.

[andymcnab.]

One of the hardest jobs in the UK, you're only as good as your team.

[davercs]

Nothing like a prison officers day you don't show the violence the 23hr lockups due to the lack of staff 1 prison officer to 65 inmates

[richardgiles]

Massive well done to all you guys and girls that do this difficult job 👏

[MCFCRussSinfin]

Ive never been to jail but I can imagine this is not "a day in the life" and was filmed over more than one day

[mladenmladenov]

I'm a prison officer it's very bad job getting all the bullshite from the prisoners! Stressful environment! And managers don't give a fok about you!

[petergough]

Was in the prison service for 23yrs that was a life sentence in itself i got out of that service at the right time.

[JohnWilliamson_]

Can you show us a full video of how life is at HMP Wandsworth?

[DadThatCooks]

These are great insights to the daily working life of being part of HMPPS. Definitely would like to see more, maybe an OSG next and an educator

[rebeccajohnson]

Looks like a hard job that not many of us could do on a day to day basis. Well done to you all and good luck to anyone joining 👏🏻

[angloviking]

As a Supervising Officer, Let me give some advice to anyone thinking of joining the prison service. Let me tell you some real facts from on the ground. When the higher ups decided to turn the prison service soft, eliminate discipline and focus on rehabilitation they created a dangerous environment where the prisoners started to gain the control and the staff have become intimidated. Because of this, the bully and gangster prisoners who run the drug market inside run the wings and go unchallenged by staff, therefore creating an environment where rehabilitation can not take place, because all the prisoners that actually want to live in a safe environment and change their lives fear for their safety or are pushed into continuing their drug use ect by the prisoners that run the wings. Honestly, they have messed up big time. Discipline needs to be reinstalled, staff need to take back control, then you will have a safer environment for actual rehabilitation to take place. I don't believe this can happen as it's to far gone now unfortunately.

It is a failing and dangerous place. Discipline is completely gone, the prisoners will talk to staff like they are a piece of shit, and assault officers with no real repercussions, which then leads to more assaults on staff as the prisoners know they get away with the minimum for it. I myself have been assaulted a few times, and the most the prisoner got was loss of canteen for a week, the police are not interested in prosecuting prisoner on staff assaults unless it is very serious injury, as they just say it is not in the public interest to prosecute. The system is run on appeasement, that's the only way we maintain now the little control we have left. The prisoners are in control and go largely unchallenged due to staff fearing for their safety and a growing culture of just not challenging, so if you are one of the few officers who actually challenge poor behavior or rule breaking, you are then targeted by the prisoners. It is not the 90s anymore, and the criminals inside are more sophisticated and ruthless. They have the technologies and abilities through illegal smart phones and contacts to threaten the safety and security of staff. I myself have had my car windows broken at my home address as an intimidation tactic, although it didn't work. The prisons are also now full of officers far to young or with little to no life experience to deal with the sort of people locked up, and yes, the prisoners know this and prey upon them to manipulate. Don't get me wrong, I've had some enjoyable years in the service, and had good times with staff and prisoners, but things are changing rapidly, speak to most experienced staff and they will tell you the same thing. I myself am now leaving the service to go into a new career, so I am being honest and open. I would have stayed if I thought things might get better, but unfortunately they won't, they will continue to get worse as they do year on year. Just check the statistics, they don't lie, but they also don't tell the whole truth.

[rebornitsybitsy]

Very civil, organised and well behaved inmates, nothing like here in el salvador 🇸🇻 it makes uk prisons look like a kindergarten compared to what we have here.