BATAVIA, Ohio -- County jails in the Tri-State are seeing the effects of a nationwide corrections officer shortage.
In Ohio, jail overcrowding and jailer understaffing led to an estimated 500-worker shortage, according to the corrections officers' union.
Hamilton County has openings for corrections officers to work in the justice center, as well as listings for juvenile corrections officers.
In Clermont County, the 326 inmate jailhouse has two job openings.
Clermont County is looking for Corrections Officers. Starting Salary $38,000 plus. https://t.co/z3t096dB5f @WCPO
— Timyka Artist (@WCPOTimyka) February 17, 2017
Palmer said you don't need to have a background in law enforcement or a college degree to be a corrections officer. In Clermont County, former nurses, landscapers and bankers have started new careers at the jail.
"Can our correction officers listen -- that's important," said Joe Palmer, Clermont County jail administrator. "The people here, some of them are in crisis. We listen to what they have to say. That's 50 percent of working with the inmates: listening to them."
Starting salaries for corrections officers, according to online job listings, are around $40,000.
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