Probation Officers & Correctional Treatment Specialists

offender information court social interests rehabilitation plan parole officer progress sentence background inmate

Correctional Counselor, Juvenile Probation Officer, Parole Officer (PO), Probation Officer

What they do:
Provide social services to assist in rehabilitation of law offenders in custody or on probation or parole. Make recommendations for actions involving formulation of rehabilitation plan and treatment of offender, including conditional release and education and employment stipulations.
On the job, you would:
  • Prepare and maintain case folder for each assigned inmate or offender.
  • Gather information about offenders' backgrounds by talking to offenders, their families and friends, and other people who have relevant information.
  • Interview probationers and parolees regularly to evaluate their progress in accomplishing goals and maintaining the terms specified in their probation contracts and rehabilitation plans.

Knowledge

Safety and Government

  • law and government
  • public safety and security

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Math and Science

  • psychology
  • sociology and anthropology

Health

  • therapy and counseling

Skills

Basic Skills

  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • talking to others

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Social

  • understanding people's reactions
  • bringing people together to solve differences

Abilities

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • read and understand what is written

Ideas and Logic

  • notice when problems happen
  • use rules to solve problems

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking.

They do well at jobs that need:

  • Integrity
  • Self Control
  • Dependability
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Attention to Detail
  • Concern for Others

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Electronic mail software

  • Email software
  • Microsoft Outlook Hot Technology In Demand

Presentation software

  • Microsoft PowerPoint Hot Technology

Office suite software

  • Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
  • Microsoft Office software Hot Technology In Demand

Education

Education: (rated 4 of 5)
bachelor's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

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Job Outlook

Average
New job opportunities are likely in the future.
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