To address its correctional officer shortage in Texas prisons and jails, state and local leaders are turning to teenagers to help fill the gaps, allowing them, they say, to jump-start their careers in criminal justice and obtain their jailer’s license.
The teenagers must be at least 18 to begin working inside the lock-ups. So far, only two counties have piloted training programs in local high schools. Teenagers do not have to complete any additional training beyond the required basic course for jailers from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement to start working in county facilities. In 2023, 68 18-year-olds obtained their jailer’s license. Naomi De-Anda, chair of the criminal justice department at Odessa College, said some students are lured in by the prospect of earning $65,000 a year as a jailer as soon as they graduate high school.
Some officials and educators maintain becoming a correction- al officer can serve as a segue into a career in criminal justice. However, critics argue teenagers lack the emotional maturity needed to work with inmates, many of whom are older or have mental illness or substance abuse issues.
