Career Overview
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.
Also Known As
- Correctional Counselor
- Juvenile Probation Officer
- Parole Officer (PO)
- Probation Officer
Alternate Job Titles
- Adult Probation and Parole Officer
- Adult Probation Officer
- Attendance Officer
- Community Corrections Specialist
- Community Supervision Officer
- Correctional Case Manager
- Correctional Casework Specialist
- Correctional Counselor
- Correctional Officer
- Correctional Probation Officer
- Correctional Probation Specialist
- Correctional Specialist
- Correctional Treatment Case Manager
- Correctional Treatment Specialist
- Correctional Treatment Specialist Case Manager
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- 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.
- Discuss with offenders how such issues as drug and alcohol abuse and anger management problems might have played roles in their criminal behavior.
- Supervise people on community-based sentences, such as electronically monitored home detention, and provide field supervision of probationers by conducting curfew checks or visits to home, work, or school.
- Investigate alleged parole violations, using interviews, surveillance, and search and seizure.
- Recommend remedial action or initiate court action in response to noncompliance with terms of probation or parole.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Law and Government
- Public Safety and Security
- English Language
- Psychology
- Therapy and Counseling
- Sociology and Anthropology
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Monitoring
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
- Written Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
- Oral Comprehension
- Inductive Reasoning
- Speech Recognition
- Speech Clarity
- Written Expression
- Near Vision
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Integrity
- Dependability
- Self-Control
- Stress Tolerance
- Social Orientation
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Support
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
- Recognition
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Breathalyzers
- Desktop computers
- Dictating equipment
- Drug testing kits
- Electronic tracking devices
- Laptop computers
- Laser facsimile machines
- Law enforcement handguns
- Metal handcuffs
- Mobile radios
- Multiline telephone systems
- Passenger cars
- Personal computers
- Photocopying equipment
- Plastic handcuffs
Work Environment
- Contact With Others
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $45,390 |
| Median | $64,520 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $106,290 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 86,820
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Correctional Officers and Jailers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $57,970
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $58,570
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $76,310
Rehabilitation Counselors
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $46,110
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $60,060
Is This Career Right for You?
Discover your perfect career match with our free comprehensive assessment! Get personalized recommendations based on your interests, skills, and values.
Take the Free Career Assessment →
Want Personalized Guidance?
For customized career recommendations, college selection strategies, and expert application support, explore the MehtA+ Admissions Consulting Program. We help students identify the right opportunities and navigate the path to achieving their academic and career goals.
Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.