CO Situational Judgment Scenarios 2

Question 1

During a routine count, you notice one inmate is lying unusually still and unresponsive in his bunk. What is your FIRST action?

Accepted Answer

Enter the cell and attempt to wake the inmate

Answer

Call for medical staff immediately and wait at the door

Answer

Mark the count as complete and notify your supervisor at shift change

Answer

Skip the cell and recount after completing the housing unit

Question 2

An inmate approaches you and offers information about a planned escape in exchange for a transfer to a better housing unit. How should you handle this?

Accepted Answer

Decline the deal but listen to the information and report it through proper channels

Answer

Promise the transfer to get the information, then report it to your supervisor

Answer

Ignore the inmate since informants are generally unreliable

Answer

Tell the inmate you will consider it and report only if the information is verified

Question 3

You witness a fellow officer using excessive force on a restrained inmate. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Intervene verbally to stop the excessive force and report the incident to your supervisor

Answer

Look away to avoid becoming involved in a colleague's disciplinary matter

Answer

Wait until after your shift to informally mention it to the officer

Answer

Support your colleague and say nothing to protect staff unity

Question 4

An inmate in general population tells you he is feeling suicidal. He begs you not to tell anyone because he doesn't want to go to the mental health unit. What do you do?

Accepted Answer

Immediately notify your supervisor and mental health staff regardless of his request

Answer

Respect his privacy and monitor him closely yourself without reporting

Answer

Promise confidentiality to build trust, then report after your shift

Answer

Tell him to speak with the chaplain instead

Question 5

While patrolling, you find a sharpened piece of metal hidden in a drain near the laundry area. What is your proper response?

Accepted Answer

Secure the area, preserve the contraband as evidence, and immediately notify your supervisor

Answer

Remove it quietly to prevent panic and dispose of it at end of shift

Answer

Leave it in place and watch to see who retrieves it

Answer

Give it to the housing unit officer to log at his convenience

Question 6

An inmate requests a specific medication that is not listed in his approved medical file. He claims the nurse forgot to update the records. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Contact medical staff to verify and defer to their decision on medication dispensing

Answer

Administer the medication since the inmate seems credible

Answer

Deny the request and tell the inmate to submit a sick call slip

Answer

Tell the inmate you will check his file yourself and handle it

Question 7

During a cell search, you find a letter that appears to be coded and may reference gang activity, but you are not certain. What do you do?

Accepted Answer

Confiscate the letter, document the find, and forward it to intelligence staff for review

Answer

Return it to the inmate since you cannot prove it is gang-related

Answer

Keep the letter for yourself to study and decode over time

Answer

Destroy the letter so it cannot be used against the inmate unfairly