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Corrections Officer Entrance Exam Cheat Sheet

Practice this exam

Formats + Process

  • 20% of exam
  • NCOSI NCST Civil Service Hiring Steps Source Control

Reading + Writing

  • 25% of exam
  • Policy Reading Report Writing Grammar Objective Facts Chronology

Math + Observation

  • 15% of exam
  • Counts Schedules Tables Observation Contraband

Judgment + Behavior

  • 25% of exam
  • SJT Integrity Stress Teamwork De-escalation

Security + Safety

  • 15% of exam
  • Safety Priorities Use of Force PREA Emergencies Boundaries

Quick Facts

  • Format Agency-specific
  • NCOSI 30 + 42 items
  • NCOSI time 1h15 + instructions
  • NCST Reading/problem/writing
  • Pass No national cutoff
  • Score use Agency ranking varies
  • Next steps Background/medical/fitness
  • Skill Follow provided rule

SOURCE FO

  • Specific current agency notice beats generic prep.
  • Specific Official Updated Read Confirm Email

NCOSI vs NCST FO

NCOSI

  • IOS vendor
  • Cognitive + behavioral
  • 30 + 42 items

NCST

  • Stanard vendor
  • Reading/problem/writing
  • Jail environments
  • Use named exam

Source Picker FO

  • Need exact date → Testing notice
  • Need minimums → Job announcement
  • Notice names NCOSI → IOS page
  • Notice names NCST → Stanard page
  • List ranking shown → Civil service
  • Sources conflict → Hiring contact

Format Map FO

  • Agency notice Controlling source
  • Testing notice Exam-day rules
  • NCOSI IOS selection inventory
  • NCST Stanard selection test
  • Civil service Local list process
  • Agency-written Local job test
  • Vendor page Current skill facts
  • Old booklet Style only

NCOSI Facts FO

  • Provider I/O Solutions
  • Cognitive 30 items
  • Behavioral 42 items
  • Admin time 75 minutes
  • Instructions 15 minutes
  • Measures Ability + orientation
  • Ethics Integrity domain
  • Stress Tolerance domain

NCST Facts FO

  • Provider Stanard
  • Reading Understand job text
  • Problem solving Apply workplace facts
  • Report writing Grammar + punctuation
  • Audience Jail environments
  • Purpose Pre-employment screen

Hiring Steps FO

  • Application Eligibility screen
  • Written test Selection checkpoint
  • Interview Judgment evidence
  • Background Suitability review
  • Drug screen Compliance check
  • Medical Fitness review
  • Psychological Suitability review
  • Academy Post-hire training

FACTS RE

  • Find actual content; then select.
  • Find Actual Content Then Select

Fact vs Assumption RE

Fact

  • Directly stated
  • Observed or quoted

Assumption

  • Added by you
  • Not supported
  • Answer from passage

Reading Picker RE

  • Policy excerpt given → Apply excerpt
  • Exception appears → Check condition
  • Timeline asked → Sequence events
  • Report passage given → Find stated facts
  • Best revision asked → Preserve meaning
  • Opinion appears → Reject unsupported

Policy Reading RE

  • Must Required action
  • May Allowed discretion
  • Only if Condition required
  • Except Rule limit
  • Immediately Do now
  • Notify Tell authority
  • Document Create record
  • Verify Confirm facts

Objective vs Opinion RE

Objective

  • Seen/heard facts
  • Neutral wording

Opinion

  • Labels motive
  • Emotional wording
  • Reports need facts

Report Writing RE

  • Who Named people
  • What Observed action
  • When Time anchor
  • Where Specific location
  • Source Observed or stated
  • Action Staff response
  • Result Outcome recorded
  • Tone Neutral wording

Grammar RE

  • Subject Actor named
  • Verb Action clear
  • Tense Time consistent
  • Pronoun Reference clear
  • Punctuation Meaning separated
  • Spelling Professional record
  • Active voice Responsibility clearer
  • Plain words Less ambiguity

COUNT MA

  • Present plus verified equals accounted.
  • Count Others Update Name Total

Present vs Accounted MA

Present

  • Physically counted
  • Seen now

Accounted

  • Verified elsewhere
  • Total reconciled
  • Label each group

Math Core MA

  • Present Physically counted
  • Verified away Known location
  • Unaccounted Total minus verified
  • Capacity Maximum beds
  • Percent Part per hundred
  • Ratio Compared quantities
  • Interval Time between
  • Roster Name list

Observation MA

  • Person Identity details
  • Clothing Visible description
  • Direction Movement path
  • Object Item details
  • Location Exact area
  • Time Sequence marker
  • Change Before/after difference
  • Unsupported Not a fact

CALM JU

  • Control actions; lower momentum.
  • Communicate Assess Limit risk Maintain control

Assertive vs Aggressive JU

Assertive

  • Clear direction
  • Policy based

Aggressive

  • Personal anger
  • Humiliation tactics
  • Firm, not hostile

SJT Picker JU

  • Immediate danger → Protect life
  • Security risk → Control/notify
  • Rule conflict → Clarify chain
  • Coworker misconduct → Report properly
  • Angry person → Calm direction
  • Unclear facts → Verify first

Judgment Values JU

  • Integrity Tell truth
  • Respect Professional treatment
  • Accountability Own actions
  • Reliability Follow through
  • Teamwork Share information
  • Assertiveness Act directly
  • Composure Stay controlled
  • Boundaries No favoritism

De-escalation vs Avoidance JU

De-escalation

  • Reduces risk
  • Keeps control

Avoidance

  • Ignores problem
  • Delays required action
  • Act on risk

SJT Priorities JU

  • Life safety First priority
  • Facility security Control risk
  • Policy Rule boundary
  • Supervisor Escalation path
  • Medical Health response
  • Mental health Self-harm concern
  • Documentation After control
  • Fairness Consistent treatment

SAFE SE

  • Safety, accountability, facts, escalation.
  • Safety Accountability Facts Escalation

Discretion vs Favoritism SE

Discretion

  • Allowed by policy
  • Documented reason

Favoritism

  • Personal preference
  • Unequal rule
  • Policy sets limits

Incident Picker SE

  • Medical symptoms → Call medical
  • Self-harm signs → Immediate referral
  • Contraband found → Secure/document
  • Count mismatch → Report/verify
  • PREA suspicion → Mandatory report
  • Force used → Stop/document

Security Terms SE

  • Contraband Unauthorized item
  • Count Accountability check
  • Search Find contraband
  • Restraints Movement control
  • Key control Access security
  • Chain custody Evidence tracking
  • PREA Sexual abuse prevention
  • Force Proportional control

Force vs Control SE

Force

  • Threat response
  • Stops when neutralized

Control

  • Direction/restraints
  • Prevents movement
  • Use proportionately

Emergencies SE

  • Fire Evacuate/account
  • Medical Call help
  • Fight Request assistance
  • Self-harm Immediate report
  • Escape risk Secure perimeter
  • Hostage Contain/notify
  • Missing tool Report/verify
  • Threat Assess/report

Common Traps

Universal Exam

  • One national format ≠ Agency-specific notice

Old Logistics

  • Old booklet timing ≠ Current testing notice

Pass Score

  • National cutoff ≠ Local score use

Outside Policy

  • Your experience ≠ Provided rule

Report Tone

  • Inmate was crazy ≠ Observed yelling/pacing

Count Math

  • Present only ≠ Present plus verified

SJT Extremes

  • Heroics/retaliation ≠ Policy-based action

PREA Suspicion

  • Wait for complaint ≠ Report suspicion

Last Minute

  • 1. Agency notice controls logistics
  • 2. NCOSI = IOS inventory
  • 3. NCST = reading/problem/writing
  • 4. Read must/may/except carefully
  • 5. Answer from stated facts
  • 6. Reports need neutral chronology
  • 7. Counts reconcile every person
  • 8. SJT: safety before paperwork
  • 9. De-escalate without ignoring risk
  • 10. Integrity beats coworker pressure
  • 11. Contraband requires secure documentation
  • 12. PREA suspicion requires reporting

Corrections Officer Entrance Exam

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