- Numbers
The IPS employs all together about 3500 personnel.
- Uniforms and Ranks
The Israel Prison Service is considered one of Israel's security services.
It is subordinate to the Ministry of Interior Security, which is responsible
for the Israel National Police and for the Israel Prison Service.
Subsequently, all IPS staff is uniformed from the guards up to the Commissioner
of prisons, including also medical, social and technical personnel.
All IPS staff carry ranks, equivalent to the ranks used in the Police and in the
Army, though named slightly differently. The lowest rank is "private" and the
rank of the Commissioner is Major General.
Prison directors generally carry the rank of Colonel or Lt.-Colonel.
The IPS uniform is very similar to that used by the Israel Police: dark
blue pants and blue shirts with the IPS emblem on left upper sleeve.
- Working conditions
The security personnel in the prisons (as opposed to the office staff)
work in shifts of 24 hours, after which they go home for 48 hours.
During the 24 hour shifts the guard gets some 4-6 hours rest during the late evening or
night. In every prison there is a dormitory for the guards, where they
have rooms, beds and cupboards and a place to watch TV.
- Recruting
In order to be recruted to the Israel Prison Service one has to meet the
following criteria: maximum age 35, completion of full Army service, 12 years
of formal education, Israeli nationality.
The candidate has to register with the IPS national recrution center
in Tel-Aviv, where he is given medical and psychometric exams and has to
pass security screening.
After passing all this the candidate is ready to enter service in the IPS.
- Training
The IPS has one national Training School near the town of Kfar Sava in
central Israel. Here all professional courses are given:
The Basic Training Course: 6 weeks of classes, 3 months of field work and then another
6 weeks of classes. On completion the student is qualified to function as prison guard.
The Sergeants' Course: 3 months. On completion one gets the rank of sergeant.
The Officers' Course: 5 months. On completion one is qualified to function as officer
in the IPS and gets the rank of 2nd lieutenant.
The Senior Officers' Course: 5 months. This course qualifies for senior
officers' ranks (major and up).
In addition the training school gives many other courses for non-security
personnel and specific professional courses.
- Salary and Pension
The salary of the prison service personnel is linked and equal to that
of the professional Army personnel of the same rank and is therefore considered
a quite reasonable salary, higher than the average salary in Israel.
The IPS personnel get retired at the age of 55, as in the Israel Police.
(in comparison, Army personnel get retired at 45 and all other government
personnel get retired at 65.)
The retired IPS personnel get a pension of 2% for each year of service,
with usually some extra percents, up to a maximum of 76%.
[Home] [Feedback]