A Day in the Life, Beyond the Badge, Jobs, Training and Facilities

Meet Correctional Counselor Maria Zamora

November 26, 2024

Maria Zamora, correctional counselor, has been with CDCR for nearly 24 years.

For nearly 24 years, Correctional Counselor Maria Zamora has helped the department fulfill its mission of public safety through rehabilitation.

Zamora came to CDCR from the private sector where she worked as a dialysis technician at a clinic. It was there when she met some transportation officers from Central California Women’s Facility. Those conversations with the officers turned into recruitment as they shared career opportunities with her.

“That’s when my journey with CDCR began,” she recalls. “I applied and the rest is history.”

She’s spent her entire CDCR career at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla.

The institution’s public information officer, Lt. M.D. Williams, caught up with Zamora to discuss her correctional counselor career.

Learn about various CDCR job opportunities.

Q&A with Correctional Counselor Zamora

What are your responsibilities as a CDCR correctional counselor?

As correctional counselors, we have many responsibilities. One of our main responsibilities is classification of incarcerated individuals. As a general population correctional counselor, we review their central files in order to determine their appropriate placement for custody, housing and programs.

Maria Zamora

We conduct initial reviews upon their arrival from the reception center. Reviews are conducted annually while we also conduct program reviews as needed to address other pending casework.

We also complete DMV California identification applications so the incarcerated individual can have a valid photo ID upon their release. In addition, we complete required documentation for incarcerated individuals sentenced to life before their parole board hearings. We do so much but those are the basics. We also counsel, mentor, and encourage.

What do you find rewarding about your job?

I have the pleasure of working with wonderful coworkers who I can count on when needed. Also, I enjoy being able to assist and see incarcerated individuals turn their lives around for the better when they take full advantage of the programs CDCR has made available to them. I really also enjoy training new correctional counselors entering the classification.

Can you describe a typical workday?

A correctional counselor begins the day by running reports to check for intake-new arrivals, incarcerated individual movement, restricted housing unit releases and/or yard moves. Then, the Board Information Technology System (BITS) is checked for upcoming assignments.

All relevant casework impacting a correctional counselor’s caseload is to be prioritized and organized by importance and due dates. All tasks are to be completed in a timely manner.

A correctional counselor has multiple responsibilities but what I consider to be the most important is to classify and house incarcerated individuals accordingly and at the lowest level possible while meeting the program and safety needs of an Institution. As a correctional counselor, I assemble, analyze, organize and record information for classification and parole planning.

Interview and counsel incarcerated individuals and assist in their adjustment and modification of programs in prison. All in all, a correctional counselor is the primary link between an incarcerated person and institutional management.

What is one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?

People may be surprised to learn I was born here but grew up in Mexico. I came back to the States when I was 15 years old to be able to continue my education. The language barrier was a big challenge since Spanish was my only language, but the most challenging part was leaving my loved ones behind.

Why did you choose to work for CDCR?

I was searching for a good paying career with great benefits. I had a 4-year-old son at that time and knew I needed to achieve this goal before I had more children.

What is a common misconception the public might have regarding CDCR employees?

The common misconception is that we are lazy and don’t care. This is quite the contrary, as we care in abundance. We are very hard workers, taking pride in the work we do and the care we give.

What advice would you give someone considering a CDCR career?

I would first say to apply now. This is not an easy job. You need to have a positive mind set. There are plenty of opportunities to promote and move around within CDCR. But, it takes time to get there. The main key is not to give up.

How do you try to achieve a work/life balance?

I work hard to achieve a work/life balance. It is definitely not easy. As a correctional counselor, by the time we get home, we are mentally drained. However, I am mainly a home body, so I look forward to getting home and into my pajamas. Also, I love taking my dogs for a walk whenever I can. I spend most of my time off work with my family.

Story by Lt. M.D. Williams
Central California Women’s Facility

Interested Correctional Officer applicants can apply online at JoinCDCR.com.

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