CORRECTIONAL OFFICER SOCE EXAMS SCRIPT
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔Testimonial Evidence - ✔✔Verbal evidence obtained from a witness, victim, or
suspect.
✔✔Chain of Custody - ✔✔Documentation of every individual who handled evidence as
well as when, why, and what changes, if any, were made to it.
✔✔944 and 776 F.S. - ✔✔Two statutes that govern all use of force by a correctional
officer.
✔✔Reasonable Force - ✔✔The type and amount of force that the officer reasonably
believes to be necessary to overcome resistance.
✔✔Graham vs. Connor(US 386) - ✔✔The case that the Supreme Court held that all law
enforcement cases are to be judged by an objective reasonableness standard based on
the Fourth Amendment.
✔✔Objective Reasonable Test - ✔✔Test that requires the officer to answer two
questions about the level of force used in any situation: Was the action reasonable and
necessary and was the amount of force applied reasonable and necessary?
✔✔Hudson vs. McMillan (502) - ✔✔US Supreme Court case that established that intent
determines reasonableness in use of force situations in a correctional settings.
✔✔F.S 944.35 - ✔✔Statute that an employee of the Department of Corrections is
authorized to apply physical force upon an inmate only when and tot he extent that it
reasonably appears necessary. Also, imposes penalties if an officer fails to document a
use of force.
✔✔F.S. 776.07 - ✔✔Statute that states that a correctional officer or law enforcement
office is justified in the use of force, including deadly force, when he or she reasonably
believes to be necessary to prevent the escape from a penal institution of a person
whom the officer reasonably believes to be lawfully detained in such institution under
the sentence for an offense or awaiting trial or commitment for an offense. Also
addressed in 944.35 for state correctional officers and 944.105 for private correctional
officers.
✔✔Criminal Liability Penalty - ✔✔Penalties that are identified in specific Florida Statutes
✔✔Civil Liability Penalty - ✔✔Penalties that are lawsuits that are against the officers
and/or the agency.
, ✔✔Federal Civil Rights Liability Penalty - ✔✔Penalties that are both civil and criminal.
✔✔Administrative Liability Penalty - ✔✔Sanctions imposed by the employing agency
and CJSTC.
✔✔Criminal Liability - ✔✔When an officer is found guilty of a crime.
✔✔Civil Liability - ✔✔Responsibility for a wrongful act or the failure to do an act that an
officer has a duty to perform that injures another person or property and most often
involves negligence.
✔✔Tort - ✔✔A civil wrong in which action or inaction of an officer or entity violates the
rights of another person.
✔✔Negligence - ✔✔Failure to use due or reasonable care, in a situation, where an
officer has a duty to act, that results in harm to another.
✔✔Elements of Negligence - ✔✔Duty to act with care, Breach of duty to act, and proof
that the breech caused damages, and actual damages resulted.
✔✔Damages - ✔✔Compensatory damages and punitive damages awarded by the
courts.
✔✔Compensatory Damages - ✔✔Damages that arise when a victim is physically
injured or suffers a property loss. The victim is paid for the actual loss.
✔✔Punitive Damages - ✔✔Damages that may be awarded in addition to compensation
to punish a defendant who acted with recklessness, malice, or deceit and to discourage
others from committing the same act.
✔✔Civil Rights Violation - ✔✔Unlawful interference with the fundamental rights of
another person, such as the rights to due process and equal protection under the law.
✔✔Color of Law - ✔✔When an officer acts or claims to act in the performance of official
duties under any law, ordinance, or regulation.
✔✔Chapter 111 - ✔✔Florida Statute that protects officers charged with civil and criminal
actions, provided those actions occurred within the scope and course of the officer's
employment.
✔✔Acting within the Scope of Employment - ✔✔The range of reasonable and
foreseeable activities that an officer does while carrying out the agency's business.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔Testimonial Evidence - ✔✔Verbal evidence obtained from a witness, victim, or
suspect.
✔✔Chain of Custody - ✔✔Documentation of every individual who handled evidence as
well as when, why, and what changes, if any, were made to it.
✔✔944 and 776 F.S. - ✔✔Two statutes that govern all use of force by a correctional
officer.
✔✔Reasonable Force - ✔✔The type and amount of force that the officer reasonably
believes to be necessary to overcome resistance.
✔✔Graham vs. Connor(US 386) - ✔✔The case that the Supreme Court held that all law
enforcement cases are to be judged by an objective reasonableness standard based on
the Fourth Amendment.
✔✔Objective Reasonable Test - ✔✔Test that requires the officer to answer two
questions about the level of force used in any situation: Was the action reasonable and
necessary and was the amount of force applied reasonable and necessary?
✔✔Hudson vs. McMillan (502) - ✔✔US Supreme Court case that established that intent
determines reasonableness in use of force situations in a correctional settings.
✔✔F.S 944.35 - ✔✔Statute that an employee of the Department of Corrections is
authorized to apply physical force upon an inmate only when and tot he extent that it
reasonably appears necessary. Also, imposes penalties if an officer fails to document a
use of force.
✔✔F.S. 776.07 - ✔✔Statute that states that a correctional officer or law enforcement
office is justified in the use of force, including deadly force, when he or she reasonably
believes to be necessary to prevent the escape from a penal institution of a person
whom the officer reasonably believes to be lawfully detained in such institution under
the sentence for an offense or awaiting trial or commitment for an offense. Also
addressed in 944.35 for state correctional officers and 944.105 for private correctional
officers.
✔✔Criminal Liability Penalty - ✔✔Penalties that are identified in specific Florida Statutes
✔✔Civil Liability Penalty - ✔✔Penalties that are lawsuits that are against the officers
and/or the agency.
, ✔✔Federal Civil Rights Liability Penalty - ✔✔Penalties that are both civil and criminal.
✔✔Administrative Liability Penalty - ✔✔Sanctions imposed by the employing agency
and CJSTC.
✔✔Criminal Liability - ✔✔When an officer is found guilty of a crime.
✔✔Civil Liability - ✔✔Responsibility for a wrongful act or the failure to do an act that an
officer has a duty to perform that injures another person or property and most often
involves negligence.
✔✔Tort - ✔✔A civil wrong in which action or inaction of an officer or entity violates the
rights of another person.
✔✔Negligence - ✔✔Failure to use due or reasonable care, in a situation, where an
officer has a duty to act, that results in harm to another.
✔✔Elements of Negligence - ✔✔Duty to act with care, Breach of duty to act, and proof
that the breech caused damages, and actual damages resulted.
✔✔Damages - ✔✔Compensatory damages and punitive damages awarded by the
courts.
✔✔Compensatory Damages - ✔✔Damages that arise when a victim is physically
injured or suffers a property loss. The victim is paid for the actual loss.
✔✔Punitive Damages - ✔✔Damages that may be awarded in addition to compensation
to punish a defendant who acted with recklessness, malice, or deceit and to discourage
others from committing the same act.
✔✔Civil Rights Violation - ✔✔Unlawful interference with the fundamental rights of
another person, such as the rights to due process and equal protection under the law.
✔✔Color of Law - ✔✔When an officer acts or claims to act in the performance of official
duties under any law, ordinance, or regulation.
✔✔Chapter 111 - ✔✔Florida Statute that protects officers charged with civil and criminal
actions, provided those actions occurred within the scope and course of the officer's
employment.
✔✔Acting within the Scope of Employment - ✔✔The range of reasonable and
foreseeable activities that an officer does while carrying out the agency's business.
