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Training & Development

Per RCW 43.101.221, all new corrections personnel employed by the Washington State Department of Correcitons (DOC) will successfully complete core training requirements.

The development of employees is essential to helping the department meet the challenges of today's quickly changing world. Foundational training as listed below will help employees to perform the duties defined in their positions. Then continued training throughout the employee's career continues to develop and prepare employees to be successful within their positions in the department.

Virtual New Employee Orientation Academy

New Employee Orientation (NEO) is the department's foundational academy for new employees who work in correctional facilities and offices. The purpose of NEO is to provide new staff with an overview of the department, including its operations, policies, and performance expectations. It has been designed to meet Washington Administrative Code (WAC) standards, keeping in mind the department's mission and vision.

The department is committed to providing new employees with the core knowledge and skills necessary to succeed as corrections professional. VNA includes WAC driven courses in an online format and a Virtual Instructor Led session that covers topics including Security Mindset and Professional Communications.

Online VNA Courses Include

  • DOC Mission, Vision, Values
  • DOC Overview, Strategic Plan, and Legal Foundations
  • DOC Respect in a Diverse Workplace
  • DOC - WA State Suicide Awareness
  • DOC FEMA ICS 100
  • DOC FEMA ICS 700
  • DOC FEMA ICS 100 And 700 Completion Verification
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Correctional Worker Core Academy

The Correctional Worker Core (CORE) curriculum is a foundational set of courses that introduce new corrections officers (CO), and those who work in prison facilities, to the knowledge, skills, and basic work functions that are at the core of corrections. Practical skills application and testing is conducted via skills clinics and class quizzes throughout the course. It is based on performance standards that are specific to achieving the department mission, including individual, teamwork, and organizational competencies.

The work of a corrections officer, and the required training can be physically demanding at times. See Physical Training & Control Tactics Descriptions (pdf) for a description of the training you’ll receive and the associated requirements.

Correctional Worker Core Academy Courses and Lesson Topics Include

  • Addressing Behavior
  • Agency Values
  • Cell and Area Searches
  • Communication Skills
  • Control and Impedance Tactics
  • Counts
  • DOC Overview
  • Drug and Alcohol Testing
  • Emergency Response Procedures
  • Escorts
  • Foundations of Behavior
  • Gender and Age
  • Hostage Survival
  • Inspections and Inventories
  • Interacting with Incarcerated Workers
  • Proper Use of Force
  • Restraints
  • Stress and Resilience
  • Legal Foundations of Corrections
  • Mental Health in our facilities
  • DOC Mission, Vision and Values
  • Tactical Verbal Skills (Verbal De-escalation)
  • Team Tactics
  • Oleoresin Capsicum
  • Pat and Strip Searches
  • Perspective on Prison Culture
  • Physical Plant Safety
  • Principles of Containment
  • Prison Discipline
  • Prison Property
  • Radio and Equipment Operations
  • Report Writing
  • Resolution Program
  • Respect in a Diverse Workplace
  • Rights of Incarcerated Individuals
  • Searches and Contraband
  • Security Information Sharing
  • Security Mindset
  • Security Threat Groups
  • Self Defense
  • Sex Offender Treatment and Assessment Program
  • Staff Professionalism
  • Suicide Prevention and Intervention
  • Transports and Vehicle Searches
  • Use of Force Report Writing
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Case Management Academy

Case Management Academy (CMA) is a basic academy for employees who make supervision decisions regarding incarcerated individuals and those under department supervision in the community. The academy introduces employees to the systems for making informed decisions concerning inmate risk assessment, programming needs, and facility or community placement.

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Community Corrections Officer Academy

Community Corrections Officer Academy (CCOA) is the basic academy for employees new to the department who were hired as community corrections officers (CCO) and will work in the field doing community supervision. Case Management Academy is a pre-requisite for CCOA.

The work of a community corrections officer and the required training can be physically demanding at times. See Physical Training & Control Tactics Descriptions (pdf) for a description of the training you’ll receive and the associated requirements.

The primary goal of CCOA is to provide training of foundational correctional practices, methods and skills to prepare field officers for interacting with those under Community Supervision in a variety of settings and situations.

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Reentry Academy

The Reentry Academy provides Reentry Center staff the knowledge, skills, and basic work functions in a Reentry Centers. This academy is based on performance standards that are specific to achieving the department mission, including individual, teamwork and organizational competencies.

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