Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists held about 91,600 jobs in 2018. The largest employers of probation officers and correctional treatment specialists were as follows:
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 54% |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 43 |
| Social assistance | 1 |
Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists work with probationers and parolees. While supervising individuals, 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.
Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists may have court deadlines imposed by the statute of limitations. In addition, many officers travel to perform home and employment checks and property searches. Because of the hostile environments they may encounter, some may carry a firearm or pepper spray for protection.
All of these factors, in addition to the challenge some officers experience in dealing with probationers and parolees who violate the terms of their release, can contribute to a stressful work environment. Although the high stress levels can make the job difficult at times, this work can also be rewarding. Many officers and specialists receive personal satisfaction from counseling members of their community and helping them become productive citizens.
Work Schedules
Although many officers and specialists work full time, the demands of the job sometimes lead to working overtime and variable hours. For example, many agencies rotate an on-call officer position. When these workers are on-call, they must respond to any issues with probationers, parolees, or law enforcement 24 hours a day.
Extensive travel and paperwork can also contribute to more hours of work.
Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists usually need a bachelor’s degree. In addition, most employers require candidates to pass competency exams, drug testing, and a criminal background check.
A valid driver’s license is often required, and most agencies require applicants to be at least 21 years old.
Education
A bachelor’s degree in social work, criminal justice, behavioral sciences, or a related field is usually required. Requirements vary by jurisdiction.
Training
Most probation officers and correctional treatment specialists must complete a training program sponsored by their state government or the federal government, after which they may have to pass a certification test. In addition, they may be required to work as trainees for up to 1 year before being offered a permanent position.
Some probation officers and correctional treatment specialists specialize in a certain type of casework. For example, an officer may work only with domestic violence probationers or deal only with substance abuse cases. Some may work only cases involving juvenile offenders. Officers receive the appropriate specific training so that they are better prepared to help that type of probationer.
Other Experience
Although job requirements vary, work experience obtained by way of internships in courthouses or with probationers in the criminal justice field can be helpful for some positions.
Advancement
Advancement to supervisory positions is primarily based on experience and performance. A master’s degree in criminal justice, social work, or psychology may be required for advancement.
Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists typically have an interest in the Helping, Persuading and Organizing interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Helping interest area indicates a focus on assisting, serving, counseling, or teaching other people. The Persuading interest area indicates a focus on influencing, motivating, and selling to other people. The Organizing interest area indicates a focus on working with information and processes to keep things arranged in orderly systems.
If you are not sure whether you have a Helping or Persuading or Organizing interest which might fit with a career as a probation officer and correctional treatment specialist, you can take a career test to measure your interests.
Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists should also possess the following specific qualities:
Communication skills. Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists must be able to effectively interact with many different people.
Critical-thinking skills. Workers must be able to assess the needs of individual offenders before determining the best resources for helping them.
Decision-making skills. Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists must consider the relative costs and benefits of potential actions and be able to choose appropriately.
Emotional stability. Workers must cope with hostile individuals or otherwise upsetting circumstances on the job.
Organizational skills. Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists must be able to manage multiple cases at the same time.
The median annual wage for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists was $54,290 in May 2019. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $36,370, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $94,860.
In May 2019, the median annual wages for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | $57,920 |
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 52,500 |
| Social assistance | 35,730 |
Although many officers and specialists work full time, the demands of the job sometimes lead to working overtime and variable hours. For example, many agencies rotate an on-call officer position. When these workers are on-call, they must respond to any issues with probationers or law enforcement 24 hours a day.
Extensive travel and paperwork can also contribute to more hours of work.
Employment of probation officers and correctional treatment specialists is projected to grow 3 percent from 2018 to 2028, slower than the average for all occupations.
Employment growth depends primarily on the amount of state and local government funding for corrections, especially the amount allocated to probation and parole systems.
Because community corrections is viewed as an economically viable alternative to incarceration in some cases, demand for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists should continue. Parole officers will continue to be needed to supervise individuals who will be released from prison in the future.
Job Prospects
Many job openings will result from the need to replace those who leave the occupation each year due to the heavy workloads and high job-related stress. Job opportunities should be plentiful for those who qualify. The ability to speak Spanish is also desirable in this occupation and may present better job prospects.
For more information about probation officers and correctional treatment specialists, visit
American Probation and Parole Association
For more information about criminal justice job opportunities in your area, contact the departments of corrections, criminal justice, or probation for individual states.