| Submit your comments on this article |
| Economy |
| California Prison Academy: Better Than a Harvard Degree |
| 2011-05-01 |
| Roughly 2,000 students have to decide by Sunday whether to accept a spot at Harvard. Here's some advice: Forget Harvard. If you want to earn big bucks and retire young, you're better off becoming a California prison guard. The job might not sound glamorous, but a brochure from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations boasts that it "has been called 'the greatest entry-level job in California'—and for good reason. Our officers earn a great salary, and a retirement package you just can't find in private industry. We even pay you to attend our academy." That's right—instead of paying more than $200,000 to attend Harvard, you could earn $3,050 a month at cadet academy. It gets better. Training only takes four months, and upon graduating you can look forward to a job with great health, dental and vision benefits and a starting base salary between $45,288 and $65,364. By comparison, Harvard grads can expect to earn $49,897 fresh out of college and $124,759 after 20 years. As a California prison guard, you can make six figures in overtime and bonuses alone. While Harvard-educated lawyers and consultants often have to work long hours with little recompense besides Chinese take-out, prison guards receive time-and-a-half whenever they work more than 40 hours a week. One sergeant with a base salary of $81,683 collected $114,334 in overtime and $8,648 in bonuses last year, and he's not even the highest paid. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #4 Yokay, I'll bite, is it just me or is the California DOCR + Sacramento trying hard not to say they expect the current illegal immigration bubble into CA vee over-the border, Cartels-led violence to MASSIVELY EXPAND = EXPLODE IN THE NEAR-TERM??? [KURT RUSSELL + ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES here]. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2011-05-01 20:37 |
| #3 Even in California recent polls are showing the voters are willing to take on the unions, although the [politicians aren't close to that point. Nonetheless, in the end no unionized government job is going to have anything near the pay and perks they do now. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2011-05-01 16:12 |
| #2 Tipper that was a good find. Around here Federal Corrections are the best. The work is not for everyone. Usually irregular shift work, Fewer officers per inmate. Then the high divorce rate. The strong union could address some of those issues. Many of the inmates have it better on the inside than they ever had it outside. Corrections rely on high tech more and more. Then for inmates to survive you got to stay with you own kind. No rehab so recidivism rates have to be very high. |
| Posted by: Dale 2011-05-01 15:43 |
| #1 Yup, the California Correctional Peace Officers Assn. (prison guard union) is one of the strongest and politically connected public unions in California. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2011-05-01 15:26 |