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What Is a Probation Officer?

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Probation is a type of punishment that a person can be sentenced to when found guilty of a crime. It can be used in conjunction with or in lieu of incarceration. For instance, a person may be sentenced to a year of probation, or six months of incarceration and six months of probation. During the specified probationary period, a person is typically forbidden from partaking in certain activities, such as drug use, and required to fulfill certain requirements, such as substance abuse treatment.

As the population of our country continues to grow, so will criminal activity – no matter how hard we work to prevent it. Because of this, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the need for qualifiedprobation officers will growin the coming years. Although a career as a probation officer can be somewhat stressful, it can also be very rewarding. Not only will you be in a growing law enforcement career, but you also have the ability to make a difference in someones life and help cut down on crime.

What Are the Education Requirements to Become a Probation Officer?

Typically, in order to become a probation officer, you need to hold a bachelor’s degree in corrections, criminal justice, or psychology. Whichever major you choose, your coursework should reflect that you have an in-depth understanding of things like criminal behavior, the justice system, substance abuse, and abnormal psychology.

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Why Do We Need Probation Officers?

On average, it costs thousands of dollars to keep a single inmate each year. Probation is a much less costly alternative to incarceration, on the other hand, since there’s no incarceration expenses.

Probation officers help keep inmates out of already crowded correctional facilities and reduce the amount that taxpayers need to pay to keep inmates incarcerated. They also work hard to help rehabilitate criminals and try to keep them on the right side of the law.

What Do Probation Officers Do?

As a probation officer, you will have a number of duties and responsibilities.

First, you will often be responsible for evaluating offenders. To do this, you may need to interview them and examine their criminal history as well as their current crime. Based on this information, you can make recommendations to judges regarding possible sentencing and treatment, and help set the conditions of probation.

Another big part of your job would be to make sure that the offenders under your watch don’t break any conditions of their probation and complete all necessary requirements. For instance, you may be required to make sure that offenders follow through with substance abuse treatment and don’t participate in any criminal activities while on probation.

Regular meetings with probation offenders is also usually necessary. During these meetings, offenders may give their probation officers updates on their situations, pay fines, or give samples of urine for drug and alcohol testing. These meetings also give probation officers a chance to make sure offenders are following through with the requirements of their probation, such as mental health counseling.

Where Do Probation Officers Work?

What Is the Salary of a Probation Officer?

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, probation officers and correctional treatment specialists earned an annual average salary of$53,360 as of May 2014. However, as with most careers in social work and public health, a probation officer’s salary will vary depending education, experience, and location. The BLS estimates the salary range as $32,810 to $83,920. Indeed.comestimates that the national average salary for probation officersis currently $53,000 but most of the jobs listed on the website offer hourly wages.

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