Probation Officer

Explore This Path

Help transform lives by guiding offenders towards a better future.
Make a positive impact on communities through rehabilitation and support.
Unique role combining social work, law, and personal development.

💰 Earn $82K-$122K

📚 Bachelor Degree

⏱️ 24–48 MONTH TRAINING

📈 3.6% JOB GROWTH

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What You’ll 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.

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.

Scoop

Minimum Education

Bachelor Degree

Career Prospects

Good (Increasing by 1-5%)

Training Time

2 to 4 years

Job Openings

7,400 Annually

Median Earnings

$104,540 in California

$61,800 Nationally

$25K

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Real Talk Reel

Want to see what it's like to be a Probation Officer? We've curated a playlist for you to get a glimpse into a day in the life.

@liyahrenee

Best For You If...

YOU Like 💕

Influencing or leading others
Relating with or serving others
Using data or completing tasks

You are skilled in 💫

Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Speaking
Writing

You value 🙏

Having support
Job security
Personal relationships

Deep Dive

Probation Officer

Explore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.

Pathways to this Career

Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.

Bachelor's Degree

A bachelor's degree typically results in increased knowledge about a variety of academic subjects, specialized knowledge in a focused field of study, and is considered the foundational qualification for many careers.

🎓 College

⏱️ FINISH IN 4-5+ years

Associate's Degree

An associate's degree typically provides graduates with foundational knowledge and skills for entry-level jobs in the graduate's industry, or serves as a stepping stone towards further education.

🎓 College

⏱️ FINISH IN 2-3 years