The Probation Officer

Probation and parole officers play a role in the criminal justice systems by supervising offenders released from prison or sentenced to non-custodial sanctions.
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Sokanu's free assessment reveals how compatible you are with a career across 5 dimensions! Probation officers work with criminal offenders, some of whom may be dangerous. While supervising offenders, they may interact with others, such as family members and friends of their clients, who may be upset or difficult to work with. Workers may be assigned to fieldwork in high-crime areas or in institutions where there is a risk of violence or communicable disease.


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  • What is a Probation Officer!

Probation officers must meet many court-imposed deadlines, which contributes to heavy workloads and extensive paperwork. Many officers travel to do home and employment checks and property searches, especially in rural areas. Because of the hostile environments probation officers may encounter, some must carry a firearm or other weapon for protection. All of these factors, as well as the frustration some officers and specialists feel in dealing with offenders who violate the terms of their release, contribute to a stressful work environment. Although the high stress levels can make the job difficult at times, this work also can be rewarding.

Many officers and specialists receive personal satisfaction from counselling members of their community and helping them become productive citizens. Although many officers work full time, the demands of the job often lead to their working much longer hours. For example, many agencies rotate an on-call officer position. When these workers are on-call, they must respond to any issues with offenders or law enforcement 24 hours a day. Extensive travel and paperwork can also contribute to their having to work longer hours.

Probation Officers Focused on Probation Services

We emailed you a login link when you signed up, so you likely don't have or need a password. Just click the link to log back in at any time. If you're still having trouble logging in, try the link below or contact our support team. Working with offenders or ex-offenders who have emotional, behavioural or psychological problems can make the job stressful and demanding. However, helping people better themselves can be a particularly rewarding role.

What does a Probation Officer do?

Responsibilities of the job include:. Probation officers typically work a hour week, although some overtime and on-call work may be necessary. In Scotland, probation work is carried out by criminal justice social workers in local authority departments. Positions in probation work attract strong competition so some relevant work experience is recommended.

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A number of probation services organise voluntary work experience schemes. Vacancies are advertised via careers services, in national newspapers and in specialist publications including Probation Bulletin , Community Care and their respective websites. To apply for the PQiP you will need a higher education qualification such as an honours or foundation degree, diploma of higher education DipHE , higher apprenticeship or vocational qualifications.

For many probation officers, the job involves long hours of travel to check on offenders at home and at work. She won several New England Press Association awards for her coverage of the fishing industry and coastal communities.

5 Duties of a Probation Officer - Social Work Degree Guide

Scott is a graduate of Vassar College and has a master's degree in American studies from Boston College. She also attended art school in Italy.

Paul Smith

Skip to main content. Juvenile Probation The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention notes that in , more than 2 million juveniles were arrested for crimes that ran the gamut from loitering to murder.

The Importance of Probation Officers

Adult Probation With many prisons packed beyond capacity, courts are turning more to probation as a practical alternative to incarceration. Probation Officers and Crime Victims Probation officers work to make offenders more accountable to victims.


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Salary and Job Prospects Probation officers work on all levels of the judicial system, in local, county, state and federal courts. Accessed 17 September The Importance of Probation Officers. Depending on which text editor you're pasting into, you might have to add the italics to the site name.