Free CDCR Practice Test Questions [2025]
Becoming a correctional officer in California requires passing the CDCR Written exam (AKA the California Correctional Officer Test).
You’ll have one hour and forty-five minutes (2 minutes per question) to answer 53 questions on Applying Rules\Information, Basic Math, and Written Communication topics (Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation).
JobTestPreps California Correctional Officer Practice Prep consists of:
- Written Communication practice with Information Presentation, Paragraph Organisation, Restatements, Spelling, and Sentence Completion Questions that will help finetune your grammar, spelling, and punctuation skills.
- Applying Rules practice with Applying Information, Applying Rules, Applying Instructions, Problem sensitivity, Deductive and Inductive Reasoning, and Applying Information Form questions that will perfect your ability to read, understand, analyze general rules, and apply them to specific situations.
- Basic Math practice with Addition and Subtraction questions that will help reduce the number of computation errors you’re making, and learn fundamental mathematical concepts and principles.
- Understanding and Working with Police Forms Practice with questions that will require keeping inventory records, and understanding and filling out police forms
- Police Situational Judgment practice with situations and scenarios related to providing service, working as part of a team, working under supervision, prioritizing tasks, following police values, and implementing police procedures and best practices.
California Corrections Officer Exam
Each practice test contains detailed answers and explanations
- 14 Written Communication tests
- 22 Applying Information tests
- 4 Basic Math tests
- 5 Police Forms tests
- 5 Police Situational Judgment tests
What Is the Correctional Officer CDCR Exam?
The Correctional Officer CDCR Exam is a multiple-choice cognitive test that evaluates your skill level in Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation, Applying Rules and Information, and Basic Mathematics.
It includes 53 questions and takes one hour and forty-five minutes to complete, or about two minutes per question.
Failing the CDCR written examination delays your application for at least 3 months so getting the required passing score of 70% or higher is critical.
Test yourself against some free CDCR sample test questions, and find out if you're up for the challenge.
Free California Correctional Officer Practice Test
In this free California Correctional Officer practice test, you’ll find example questions covering both Applying rules and Written Communication topics.
Try to solve the questions within the time limit by pressing the timer icon⏲️
Good luck.
Applying Information Sample Question
Read the RULE carefully and answer the question.
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RULE
Raccoons
A person may take raccoons only in accordance with the following regulations:
- Hunters must be on foot.
- Artificial lights may be used to locate, attempt to locate, or shoot a raccoon only if the raccoon has been treed or put at bay by dogs.
- Handguns used must be .17 or .22 caliber rimfire (including .22 magnum).
Note: a person may pursue and tree raccoons with dogs during the closed season and without a license.
Tom and his daughter ran after a raccoon until it climbed up a tree. While shining a flashlight on it, Tom used a .17 caliber centerfire handgun to take it.
How did Tom and his daughter violate the RULE?
Explanation
The answer is choice C.
According to the RULE, “Handguns used must be .17 or .22 caliber rimfire (including .22 magnum).” – Tom used a centerfire handgun to take the raccoon, and therefore violated the RULE.
Answer choice A is incorrect. Since the raccoon climbed up a tree the use of artificial lights is permitted.
Answer choice B is incorrect. Shooting raccoon is permitted as long as it is with an accepted type of gun.
Answer choice D is incorrect. We are told that Tom and his daughter ran after the raccoon; they therefore were on foot in compliance with the RULE.
Information Presentation Sample Question
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At 1:45 AM on June 21, 2013, I was dispatched to Rosie's' Bar at 459 Michigan Road regarding a fight.
- 4 men were playing pool at the back table.
- A fifth man spilled a drink on the table.
- A fight broke out.
- Bartender approached all the men and asked them to exit the bar.
- A pool stick hit the bartender.
Which one of the following choices most clearly and accurately expresses the facts presented in the notes?
Answer A: This answer is incorrect because the notes do not say that the fifth man was trying to play pool, it only says that the fifth man spilled a drink. Remember to stick to the facts.
Answer B: This answer is incorrect because it provides false information, we do not know if the four men were "drinking and fighting". Although the fight took place at a bar, and could be inferred that everyone was drinking, we do not know if everyone was drinking. We only know that a drink was spilled.
Answer C: This answer is incorrect because it provides incorrect information. The notes states that there were four men playing pool, not five. You need to be very careful about these details, check the notes carefully.
Answer D: Correct. The answer provides correct information that is in the notes. There was a fight by the pool table, and when the bartender tried to stop the fight he was hit by a pool stick.
Paragraph Organization Sample Question
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Read the following senences:
1. Social workers interact with a wide range of populations.
2. These patients can be seen in their homes, schools, hospitals or drug rehabilitation centers.
3. Their patients may include families of physically and mentally handicapped, children at risk or the elderly.
4. The demand for social workers is very high, unfortunately, because of budget cuts, many positions for social workers are not being filled at this time.
Select the answer choice that represents the most appropriate and effective ordering of the sentences above.
D – Represents the best-organized paragraph. Looking at the options you can determine that your introduction sentence is either 1 or 3.
Sentence 1 is very general – it presents a subject, not yet discussing it. Sentence 3 has a lot of information, it is a support sentence.
Once you determine that sentence 1 is a better introduction you can eliminate options A and C, leaving you with options B and D.
In this situation, when you have already identified the introduction sentence, it is sometimes to easier to try to find the closing sentence next.
Remember the closing sentence should not be introducing new ideas or supporting new ideas, it should only be summarizing what was stated in the paragraph.
In this case, the only two options you have closing sentence is 2 and 4. If you read sentences 2 and 4 closely, you can see that sentence 2 gives additional information while sentence 4 is a conclusion, summarizing what was stated in the previous sentences.
Remember a great paragraph introduces the idea (introduction sentences) then has 2-3 supporting the idea (supporting sentences) and then summarizes the information given (closing sentence).
Arranged correctly it should read:
Social workers interact with a wide range of populations. Their patients may include families of physically and mentally handicapped, children at risk or the elderly.
These patients can be seen in their homes, schools, hospitals or drug rehabilitation centers.
The demand for social worker is very high, unfortunately because of budget cuts, many positions for social workers are not being filled at this time.
Pass the Correctional Officer CDCR Test
JobTestPrep Employes a team of cognitive specialists to create the most accurate and comprehensive CDCR Officer Exam preparation around.
Each CDCR Written Exam practice test is thoroughly researched and frequently updated to ensure that you get the most accurate and comprehensive test practice available.
CDCR Test Score
A minimum score of 70% is required to pass the examination. In the event of failing the written examination or failing to appear on the scheduled testing date, the candidate will be disqualified and will be rendered ineligible to reapply for a period of three months.
CDCR Written Psychological Exam
The duties of a peace officer is both physically taxing and emotionally rigorous. The Psychological Evaluation serves as a tool to gauge your adaptive responses to stressors and multifaceted challenges.
The psychological assessment comprises three integral components:
- Administration of two distinct personality inventories.
- Completion of a Psychological History Questionnaire.
- An in-depth interview conducted by a licensed psychologist.
California Juvenile Corrections Officer Exam
This BSCC-produced selection examination is relevant for Adult Corrections Officers, Juvenile Corrections Officers, and Probation Officer Classifications Officers.
There will be approximately two hours and thirty minutes of total examination time for both paper-and-pencil and computer-based formats.
Here is an outline of the exam based on the Candidate Orientation Booklet of the BSCC of the state of California:
- Written Communication – Spelling, and Grammer.
- Reading Comprehension – Identify a Difference, and understand passages.
- Applying Rules – Logical Sequences, Appropriate Placement, Level of Priority, Forms, and Scenarios.
- Basic Math – Addition/Subtraction.
FAQ's
What is The CDCR Testing Schedule?
This is a schedule of corrections-related test dates page for various positions at correctional facilities. Positions in management and support.
Where Can I Find A CDCR Study Guide?
The official CDCR written exam study guide for correctional officers, provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), is readily available on the CDCR website. This guide provides an in-depth overview of the hiring process for correction officers.
It comprises of 20 representative questions designed to help candidates familiarize themselves with the complexity of the examination and anticipate the nature of the questions that will be presented.
Can You Use a Calculator on The Correctional Officer Test?
You will not be allowed to use a calculator on the CDCR written test. When entering the written examination room (in case you take it face to face), you'll be asked to put aside any personal belongings.
For that reason, it is important to sharpen basic mathematical skills (mainly subtraction and addition) expected to be performed without a calculator.
Who is Required to Take The CDCR Written Test?
The California Corrections Written exam is administered to applicants for the following positions: Correctional Officer (CO), Youth Correctional Officer (YCO), and Youth Correctional Counselor (YCC).
Helpful Links
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