California Correctional Officer Exam Correctional Ethics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An inmate offers a correctional officer cash to bring in cigarettes. What is the ethical and lawful response?
- Accept it just once since it seems harmless
- Refuse and report the bribery attempt to a supervisor (Correct answer)
- Bring the cigarettes but decline the cash
- Ignore the offer and say nothing
Correct answer: Refuse and report the bribery attempt to a supervisor
Accepting any gratuity or contraband request is bribery and must be refused and reported.
Question 2: A correctional officer witnesses a coworker using excessive force on a compliant inmate. What does the duty to intervene require?
- Mind your own business to avoid conflict
- Step in to stop it and report the incident (Correct answer)
- Wait to see if the inmate files a complaint
- Discuss it privately with the coworker later only
Correct answer: Step in to stop it and report the incident
Officers have an affirmative duty to intervene and report misconduct they witness.
Question 3: Which principle best describes treating all inmates fairly regardless of their crime or background?
- Selective enforcement
- Impartiality (Correct answer)
- Personal discretion
- Favoritism
Correct answer: Impartiality
Impartiality means applying rules equally without bias toward any inmate.
Question 4: An officer develops a personal friendship with an inmate and begins doing small favors. This is an example of what?
- Building rapport appropriately
- Undue familiarity that compromises security (Correct answer)
- Effective rehabilitation
- Standard professional courtesy
Correct answer: Undue familiarity that compromises security
Undue familiarity erodes professional boundaries and creates security and manipulation risks.
Question 5: Why is maintaining confidentiality of institutional security information ethically important?
- It makes officers seem more powerful
- Disclosure could endanger staff, inmates, and facility safety (Correct answer)
- It is only a suggestion, not a rule
- It lets officers gossip with coworkers
Correct answer: Disclosure could endanger staff, inmates, and facility safety
Leaking security information can compromise safety and aid escapes or attacks.
Question 6: A correctional officer makes a mistake on a count and is tempted to falsify the log. What is the ethical action?
- Alter the log to avoid getting in trouble
- Report the error accurately and notify a supervisor (Correct answer)
- Ask another officer to cover for the error
- Leave the log blank
Correct answer: Report the error accurately and notify a supervisor
Integrity requires honest, accurate reporting even when it reveals a mistake.
Question 7: Which of the following best reflects the ethical concept of 'professional distance' with inmates?
- Sharing personal phone numbers
- Keeping interactions respectful but firm and rule-based (Correct answer)
- Treating inmates as personal friends
- Discussing one's home life freely
Correct answer: Keeping interactions respectful but firm and rule-based
Professional distance keeps interactions respectful while preserving authority and security.
California Correctional Officer Exam Correctional Ethics 2
An inmate offers a correctional officer cash to bring in cigarettes.
What is the ethical and lawful response?