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_with_warden.jpg) Thomas Mott Osborne, warden ofSing Sing with two of his jailers. | |
| Occupation | |
|---|---|
Activity sectors | Corrections |
| Description | |
| Competencies | Managerial skills, knowledge of the law |
Education required | University or vocational education |
Fields of employment | Prison |
Related jobs | Prison officer |
Thewarden (US,Canada) orgovernor (UK,Australia), also known as asuperintendent (US,South Asia) ordirector (UK,New Zealand), is theofficial who is in charge of aprison.
In theUnited States,Mexico, andCanada,warden is the most common title for an official in charge of a prison or jail. In some U.S. states includingNew York,Pennsylvania,New Jersey,Massachusetts,Connecticut,Rhode Island,California, andHawaii, the post may also be known as asuperintendent. Some small county jails may be managed by the localsheriff orundersheriff.
In theU.K. andAustralia, the position is known as agovernor. InNew Zealand and private prisons in the U.K., the position is known as adirector.
InIndia,Pakistan,Bangladesh, andSri Lanka, the English-language title is ajail superintendent or justsuperintendent. The exact title varies depending on the type of prison.
The prison warden supervises all the operations within the prison. Prisons vary in size, with some housing thousands of inmates. They are responsible for the prison's security, the performance of staff of the prison (includingprison officers, prisondoctors,janitors,cooks and others), the management of its funds, the maintenance of its facilities and the welfare of its inmates. In practice, the day-to-day management of security is typically delegated to the head of security, who will be an assistant or subordinate of the warden.
A warden's regular work may involve supervising security, making inspections, carrying out disciplinary procedures, writing reports, managing admissions and liaising with other professional staff who visit the prison, such as medical staff,probation officers, and social workers. Wardens are sometimes members of aparole board. They may also train staff to work in the prison service. These duties, and the efficiency in which they are performed, has varied over time and within different prisons.
The nature of the work depends on the size and type of prison. The amount of security a prison needs varies fromopen prisons tosupermax or high-security prisons.
Prisons in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka are run by the provincial prison service. Each jail or prison is managed by asuperintendent. The precise title varies by prison and state. A superintendent is typically assisted by a deputy superintendent and one or more assistants.
There are currently 139 operational prisons in England and Wales, 16 in Scotland and three in Northern Ireland. There are three separate prison services coveringEngland and Wales,Scotland, andNorthern Ireland. The manager of a prison is known as aprison governor. The exception is a number ofprivate or contracted-out prisons which are managed by adirector instead. The director is assisted by acontroller, appointed by theMinistry of Justice.
Entry and training varies between these services. Prospective governors would need to pass medical, eyesight and fitness tests, and should be a UK citizen or EU national and be prepared to relocate if necessary. The companies that run private prison establishments each have their own entry requirements and recruitment methods. Entry to governor jobs is competitive, by whichever route. In England and Wales graduate vacancies are advertised each year (usually October) in the national press. Opportunities for direct entry in Scotland are advertised in both the Scottish and national press.
In England and Wales there are two main routes into becoming a prison governor. The first is for existing staff to move up through the ranks (from being a prison officer, for example, or to move across from other management roles). The second route is through the Prison Service Intensive Development Scheme (IDS). This route is only open to those holding degrees, with a preference for candidates with relevant experience in the armed forces or police. The upper age limit for prison governor entry is 57. With this scheme it is possible to reach senior management in less than five years rather than the usual average twenty years.
InScotland, there are two ways to enter. This is again through promotion from prison officer ranks or through direct entry. Direct entry applicants usually need a degree and substantial management experience.
The associate warden is the name of an acting warden in the US that would run the prison during the absence of the actual warden.[1]
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