19-year-olds can now be correctional officers in Massachusetts

19-year-olds can now be correctional officers, the state’s Department Correction announced Thursday, citing a need for more long-term, motivated candidates.

The age was lowered from 21 to 19, following in the footsteps of the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, which lowered its age requirements for correctional officers in 2023. At the time, the department said there was a “critical shortage of officers.”

The Massachusetts Department of Correction said officers under the age of 21 won’t be assigned to posts or duties that require a firearm, but “any individuals hired for the position must maintain eligibility to obtain a license to carry a firearm.”

“The implementation of this age of appointment gives the DOC the flexibility to bring in more qualified applicants while providing them with early access to a fulfilling career in corrections,” DOC Commissioner Shawn Jenkins said in a statement. 

The department, which staffs 13 facilities across the state, said the change allows young adults to explore long-term careers and serve their communities. 

“Reducing the minimum age to become a Correction Officer will allow us to recruit more dedicated, highly skilled workers to these important roles,” Governor Maura Healey said in a statement. “This change will help us build the next generation of corrections professionals to deliver on our goals of protecting public safety and supporting rehabilitation.”

The eligibility requirements to be a correction officer, some of whom earn more than $250,000 a year, include a high school diploma, an equivalency certificate or at least three years in the Armed Forces as well as a “comprehensive screening process” and a 12-week training program.

The Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union has previously called attention to staffing and other issues at prisons, including the state’s only maximum-security prison. Last fall, five officers were injured by inmates in a single incident, and the MCOFU criticized the department’s lack of searches and use of tactical units.

“How much more do our members have to endure before you decide to keep them safe? The inmates are literally running the asylum. Do your jobs,” the union wrote on Facebook at the time.

In a statement about lowering the age requirements, Jenkins thanked the union for their “support.”

“The Massachusetts Department of Correction appreciates working collaboratively with Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union and their support as we work together to increase our professional workforce,” Jenkins said.

Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime, and more.