The Mississippi Department of Corrections is gearing up for a mass hiring of probation and parole agents and correctional officers, with advertisements of openings beginning this week.
“If you want a job, we have one for you,” Commissioner Cain said. “These are good, stable jobs that will enable you to provide for yourself and your families, and these are exciting jobs where you can help us ensure the safety of our state. These are jobs for the future.”
Under Commissioner Burl Cain, a hiring process that previously took weeks is now streamlined to speed up the approval process, with more than 60 correctional officers hired since June 1, 2020.
Applicants for the probation/parole agent positions must apply through the Mississippi State Personnel Board. Interviews could begin as soon as three weeks from the advertisements going out this week, with qualified applicants being hired as soon as the following weekday.
“You can be on the payroll the day after we hire you,” Commissioner Cain said. “You won’t have to wait long for a paycheck after you have started working.”
Starting pay for a probation/parole agent is $37,185 and for a probation/parole agent trainee is $31,567.82. The starting pay for a correctional officer trainee is $27,149. With the opportunity for hardworking agents and officers to earn more, Commissioner Cain asks that Mississippians look beyond the starting salaries to all the benefits they can receive as an employee of the department.
“Consider the benefits – free or low-cost health insurance, good retirement benefits, low-cost life insurance, and paid leave, including vacation. Plus, you can start a career,” Commissioner Cain said.
Interviews will be held simultaneously at different locations to provide flexibility so potential applicants won’t have to travel far from their homes. All interviews for probation and parole agents must be scheduled. To make it easier for applicants, the MDOC will conduct interviews at these six locations:
- Leflore County Probation/Parole – Greenwood
- Lee County Probation/Parole Office – Tupelo
- Hinds County Probation/Parole Office – Jackson
- Forrest County Probation/Parole Office – Hattiesburg
- Jackson County Probation/Parole Office – Pascagoula
- Lauderdale County Probation/Parole Office – Meridian
Walk-in candidates for correctional officer positions are still welcome at the three state prisons – Mississippi State Penitentiary, Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, and South Mississippi Correctional Institution – from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Following social distancing guidelines from the CDC and Mississippi State Department of Health, the department asks that all potential candidates wear a mask during the interviews.
All applicants, whether for a parole/probation agent or correctional officer, must have a high school diploma or equivalent. For additional information about qualifications and other questions, contact the MDOC Job Line at 1-866-783-9359.
