CSNSW Correctional Officer Round One Assessment flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Least-force principle

Any force used must be lawful, necessary, reasonable and no more than the minimum required to control the identified risk; it ends as soon as the risk is contained.

Dynamic security

Security built on professional relationships, observation of behaviour and intelligence gathering, working alongside physical barriers, cameras and counts rather than replacing them.

Cannot say response

The correct verbal-reasoning choice when the passage does not contain enough information to confirm or deny the statement, even if real-world knowledge suggests an answer.

Contraband definition

Any item an inmate is not authorised to possess, including weapons, drugs, alcohol, phones, SIM cards, tools, money and unauthorised written or digital material.

Percentage decrease formula

Percentage decrease equals the fall in value divided by the original value, multiplied by 100; a drop from 80 to 60 is a 25% decrease.

Objective report language

Describing observable behaviour and exact words rather than labels or conclusions, so the record stays factual, verifiable and defensible in later review or legal proceedings.

Duty to report misconduct

An officer who becomes aware of a colleague's corruption, excessive force or dishonesty must report it through the proper channel; collegial loyalty never overrides that obligation.

Active listening sequence

Attend to the speaker, paraphrase the content, reflect the underlying feeling, then clarify what is needed before responding or acting on the request.

Escalation trigger

A circumstance such as a weapon, fire, hostage situation or medical collapse that overrides routine procedure and demands immediate action plus urgent notification.

Quantifier shift trap

A wrong answer option that changes words like all, most, some or none; even with matching subject matter, the altered strength makes the statement false.

Reverse percentage method

To recover an original value after a known percentage change, divide by the multiplier: a value of 460 after a 15% rise means 460 divided by 1.15 equals 400.

Contemporaneous notes

Notes made during or immediately after an incident, recording times, observations and exact words, forming the reliable basis for a later formal written report.

Conflict of interest declaration

Disclosing any personal, financial or family connection to an inmate or associate so supervisors can manage or remove the conflict from your duties.

Assertive communication formula

Describe the specific behaviour, state its impact, make a clear request, and state the consequence, delivered calmly and without personal attack.

Count discrepancy procedure

When a count does not reconcile, immediately recount and notify the supervisor; never assume an explanation or record a figure that has not been verified.

Proportionate response

A response matched in type and degree to the actual risk presented, reassessed continuously so that force or restriction is reduced as soon as the risk falls.

Inference versus stated fact

A stated fact appears directly in the passage; a valid inference must be logically forced by the text, not merely plausible from general life experience.

Ratio sharing method

Add the ratio parts, divide the total by that sum to find one part, then multiply by each share; a 3:5 ratio of 96 gives 36 and 48.

Verbatim quotation rule

Words spoken by an inmate or witness are recorded in quotation marks exactly as said; any interpretation is written separately and clearly labelled as a summary.

Gift acceptance prohibition

Officers must not accept money, gifts or favours from inmates, their families or associates, regardless of value or the stated intention behind the offer.

Handover essentials

Shift handover covers current risks, behaviour or health changes, outstanding tasks, equipment status, and any intelligence or safety alerts affecting the next shift.

Strip search conditions

A strip search requires the authorisation and privacy conditions set by policy and law, is conducted by approved officers, and is documented with reasons and witnesses.

Decision hierarchy

Order of priority in a custodial incident: safety of people first, then security and containment, then procedural and administrative steps once the situation is stable.

Cause and correlation trap

Two events reported together in a passage do not establish that one caused the other; any answer asserting causation without textual support is invalid.

Shift duration calculation

Convert start and end times to minutes from midnight, subtract, and convert back; 22:45 to 06:15 spans 450 minutes, which is 7 hours 30 minutes.

Incident report skeleton

Standard sequence: date, time and location; persons involved; observations and exact words; action taken; notifications with times; outcome; signature, rank and date.

Falsifying records

Altering, backdating, destroying or inventing a report, log or note is a serious integrity breach in its own right, separate from the original incident.

Psychological first aid

After a critical incident, support focuses on safety, stabilisation, connection to support people and practical information, rather than formal debriefing by untrained colleagues.

Total institution effect

Loss of liberty, rigid routine and dependence on staff can produce institutionalisation and heighten suicide and self-harm risk, shaping every interaction with inmates.

Authority boundary check

Confirm whether the required action sits within your delegated powers; decisions such as classification, sentence matters or medical direction are referred to the responsible officer.

Scope check technique

Before choosing an answer, confirm whether the statement refers to the whole passage, one paragraph, or a single quoted opinion within the text.

Unit rate method

Reduce a problem to a per-unit figure such as incidents per officer per shift, cancel the units, then scale to the quantity the question asks for.