This is a job where you will be dealing with the worst of the worst. Not all prisoners are bad, but those that are, are very dangerous. It takes a particularly tough and emotionally balanced type of person to survive it.
Even if you survive it, you will be impacted by the behaviour you encounter, and it could impact adversely on your home life.
I would suggest looking at almost any other job before this.

My mate used to work in the Max prison in Perth - knew Katherine Knight. She loved it until she had kids then she gave it up.

So not what you want to hear, but my dad prison officer and says unfortunately many (NOT ALL) female officers are easily groomed by prisoners. Also, cases of these easily groomed female officers forming sexual relationships with crims while they are in prison. Also, there have been some horrific incidents and attacks against female officers. A female officer who was held captive and repeatedly raped in a cell by a male inmate and after the ordeal suicided.
I think if you are mentally strong, are assertive, maybe to the point of almost being aggressive, and are definitely not someone who could be groomed it would be OK. I would never be able to work as one as I'm not at all assertive and I often don't realise I'm being groomed by losers until the last minute.

I think there are way toooo many other job to consider 1st

A female guard at Silverwater , which is a women’s prison was stabbed in the back by a 26 year old inmate at 8am this morning. Is this what you want to be wondering what will happen on your way to work each morning???

If you are physically fit and emotionally balanced it MAY work.
As a woman I wouldn’t recommend it though.
I know many people caught on the other side of the system.
There is no respect for the ‘screws’
I definitely wouldn’t work close to your home as it can be a safety issue outside of work, especially if you have children, instanced like you may meet ex inmates at school pick up, shopping centres etc.

Screws get assaulted more often then you hear about. Someone close to me (With an extremely intense drug problem) had a female screw unlatch just as he was about to inject himself, he kicked a sideways kick at her connecting to her face, broke her nose & jaw in one kick!!!
Drugs are a huge problem in any jail and more often then not you are dealing with drug affected inmates.
Maybe if this line of work interests you look into working in the intel side of the system.