‘Behind Bars: Rookie Year’ — New Mexico’s Coldest Killers Meet New Correctional Officers In A&E TV Show Tonight

Behind Bars: Rookie Year is a thrilling new reality TV series that is set to debut on A&E tonight.

Behind Bars: Rookie Year will follow a group of men and women who want to make a difference in the world by becoming correctional officers. Though the new COS recruits have a general idea of what the job entails as they go through training and look directly into the eyes of New Mexico’s coldest killers, some will realize that they may have chosen the wrong profession.

We’ll meet Cabinet Secretary Gregg Marcantel and Senior Training Officer Aaron Bell. Bell will show these rookies how to defend themselves against some of the most notorious and most dangerous criminals in the penitentiary. Some of the recruits seem cocky and tough, but Officer Aaron Bell lets them know right away that they will be stepping into the prisoners’ house, and they need to develop the tools to defend themselves against prison inmates who have done nothing but prepare themselves to take down each officer — one at a time.

In addition to Officer Aaron Bell, viewers will meet COS rookies Francisco Villacana, Zach Chavez, Andrew Cordova, Cohen Mangin, Keith Pallesen, Carlos Rivera, Bruce Rounds, Tyler Yaryan, and Ariel Montoya, the female COS recruit.

Most of these prison guards are taking the job because they want a career in law enforcement. Some are doing it because it’s their dream job, and others are working in this field because they need the paycheck in order to take care of their family. The salary for most correctional officer jobs start rookies out from $3,000 to $4,000 a month, and can scale up to $5,000 to $6,000 per month for long-time corrections officers.

So what does being a correctional officer or prison guard entail? First and foremost, you’ve got to be tough. This job is not for the quiet and timid. Prison guards must be prepared to work some grueling hours and work under tremendous pressure. COS recruits know going in that every day they enter the prison could be their last day on earth. Correctional officer rookies will go up against mommy killers, baby killers, gang members, rapists, and child molesters.

Will these new corrections officers in tonight’s Behind Bars make it through the academy? More importantly, will they have the emotional and physical strength to deal with New Mexico’s toughest criminals? Will their first day on the job have them begging to leave, turning their backs on the prison system forever? To find out, you’ll have to tune into Behind Bars: Rookie Year tonight at 10 p.m. ET/PT on A&E.

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