Have you ever been to prison?
"When I was in college, majoring in criminal justice with a minor in criminology, we visited a few prisons and interviewed several employees and a few inmates. It was similar to this."
Being convicted of a felony will disqualify anyone. It's a given that there will be an extensive background check performed on any viable candidate. Therefore, this question is likely not seeking to ascertain whether you have served time for a prison sentence, but rather what life experiences you've had regarding exposure to a prison environment. The test here is how you present your answer to the question, and how you interpret the language to the question. They'll be looking for any emotional tells or biases you'll exhibit towards prisons when answering this question.
Whether you've been to prison, visited someone in prison, or worked in a prison environment, it's best you answer honestly. Try to tie it in with your motivation for wanting to pursue this position. If you haven't, best to relay that as well.
Try to focus on positive experiences, and an understanding of how these facilities work with their daily regimen, shift patterns, rules, etc. Going into the interview, exhibit familiarity with what the position you're applying for entails, the level of exposure you'll have to the different facets of a prison environment while exuding respectful confidence. The goal is to present that you are comfortable with the prison environment and with your understanding of what the job entails.
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
I don't have any experience with prisons, I want to work here though. I think that I can help rehabilitate inmates and be a solid member of the team.
Marcie's Feedback
This question may be asking if you've ever been convicted of a crime and sent to prison, or perhaps the interviewer is looking to see if you have any past experience working at prisons. In either case, try to avoid beginning your answer with a negative ('I don't have any experience..') Instead, discuss your openness to working in that type of environment and why you think you'll excel in this type of role. Assure the interviewer that you are law-abiding and someone who will adhere to the rules.
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