California Correctional Officer Exam Correctional Officer Aptitude 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An officer finds a contraband cell phone during a cell search. The proper procedure is to:
- Keep it for personal use
- Confiscate it, document the find, and report it through the chain of command (Correct answer)
- Return it to the inmate with a warning
- Destroy it quietly to avoid paperwork
Correct answer: Confiscate it, document the find, and report it through the chain of command
Contraband must be confiscated, documented, and reported following institutional policy.
Question 2: Read: 'All visitors must be searched before entering the facility.' This means an exception is allowed for:
- Family members
- Attorneys
- No one (Correct answer)
- Off-duty staff
Correct answer: No one
The word 'all' indicates the rule applies to every visitor with no exceptions stated.
Question 3: An inmate claims to be ill and unable to move. The officer should:
- Ignore the claim entirely
- Assess the situation and request medical assistance per policy (Correct answer)
- Force the inmate to stand immediately
- Assume the inmate is faking and leave
Correct answer: Assess the situation and request medical assistance per policy
Officers must take medical claims seriously and follow procedure to summon health staff.
Question 4: A logbook shows entries at 0800, 1000, 1200, and 1400. What is the consistent time interval between entries?
- 1 hour
- 2 hours (Correct answer)
- 3 hours
- 4 hours
Correct answer: 2 hours
Each entry is spaced 2 hours apart.
Question 5: Which behavior best demonstrates good judgment under stress?
- Reacting impulsively to provocation
- Staying calm and following established procedures (Correct answer)
- Arguing with an agitated inmate
- Abandoning a post to avoid conflict
Correct answer: Staying calm and following established procedures
Remaining calm and adhering to procedure shows sound judgment in tense situations.
Question 6: The word 'volatile' best describes a situation that is:
- Calm and predictable
- Likely to change suddenly and become dangerous (Correct answer)
- Permanently resolved
- Slow and boring
Correct answer: Likely to change suddenly and become dangerous
Volatile means unstable and liable to erupt or change rapidly.
Question 7: An officer must distribute 84 meal trays equally among 4 housing tiers. How many trays per tier?
- 18
- 20
- 21 (Correct answer)
- 24
Correct answer: 21
84 ÷ 4 = 21 trays per tier.
An officer finds a contraband cell phone during a cell search.
The proper procedure is to: