From infants to inmates: why I switched from nanny to prison officer

People are surprised when I tell them I’m a prison officer. They read about the crisis in prisons and don’t think a young woman will be safe, but I love my job.

I’ve been an officer for more than two years; before that, I was a nanny. I joined the prison service because I read about the work prison officers do to rehabilitate offenders. I was turning 29 and wanted to do some good. It felt like the right fit.

Of course, I was apprehensive at first– I went from looking after two children at a time to managing 1,600 male prisoners. A prison was a huge contrast. I remember walking in on my first day and thinking how loud it was on the wings. But my previous job was actually good training: looking after children taught me to communicate well, have patience and listen to others, all of which are skills I use now.

My friends and family think my job is like Orange is the New Black, full of riots and locking doors. But a lot of my time is spent chatting to prisoners, because that’s how a good officer prevents violence. By getting people on-side and creating a more positive atmosphere, you can find out where there has been conflict, or if someone is upset about family issues and therefore more likely to cause problems.

Positive behaviour can also help a prisoner lead a crime-free life upon release. I once escorted a lad home to see his dying father. I watched him say his final goodbyes. Everyone was crying, including me. Even though it was difficult, it was one of my proudest moments. Not only did I feel that I gave his family some comfort, I demonstrated to the prisoner how treating people in a decent, humane way can make a difference.

I am not saying being an officer is not challenging or stressful. You need to be a peacekeeper, a support system, a role model, a mother or just someone a prisoner can chat to if distressed – sometimes all in one day. But there is always help available, and I can speak to a dedicated care team if I need to.

It’s the fact that my job is filled with banter and laughter that people find hardest to believe. When unlocking someone’s cell in the morning it’s important to smile, as it can make their day easier. A well-timed joke can also deflect tension.

I had one difficult man who didn’t like me, because I was an authority figure who told him what to do and how to do it. He challenged me on many occasions, but by persevering and being my normal chatty self, I turned it around. He’s now so well behaved that I was able to recommend him for a job as a cleaner on my wing. Giving someone small responsibilities like that can really change their outlook, because it shows someone is willing to trust them.

As officers we undertake a lot of work to help rehabilitate prisoners, so they can be safely released back into society. One individual on my wing will go straight into a job when he is released because the gym staff here helped him qualify as a personal trainer, and organised an interview with a local fitness centre for him.

We do this because prisoners who get a job upon release are up to 9% less likely to reoffend, so he’s going to have the best chance to turn his life around, as well as give back to the local community.

All this work that officers do can seem small against the bigger picture painted of prisons, but is all part of keeping up a stable regime and rehabilitative culture. That is the reason why I look forward to coming into work, and why I know I am making a difference every day.