A probation or parole officer is an official appointed or sworn to investigate, report on, and supervise the conduct of convicted offenders on probation or those released from incarceration to community supervision such as parole. Most probation and parole officers are employed by the government of the jurisdiction in which they operate, although some are employed by private companies that provide contracted services to the government.
Duties and functions
Responsibilities of a probation or parole officer are varied. While the majority of the public considers these officers as merely supervisors of offenders, their role within the legal system is significantly broader and more complex. While their roles vary throughout the world, they are commonly responsible for upholding conditions of supervision as sentenced by a court or other government entity which includes specific case management aimed at reducing an offender's risk to reoffend.
At a minimum, they are required to possess above average oral and written communication skills and have a broad knowledge of the criminal justice system. This includes knowledge of the roles, relationships, and responsibilities that are distributed among the government agencies and outside organizations such as the courts, the parole authority, the prison system, local jails, prosecuting attorneys, other law enforcement and corrections agencies, treatment providers, etc. Officers must understand applicable case law and sentencing guidelines. Additionally, they must have an ability to work with an extremely diverse population of individuals who have been convicted of various crimes. They must also accept the potential hazards of working closely with a criminal population. In the United States, most jurisdictions require officers to have a four-year bachelor's degree, and prefer a graduate degree for federal probation officer positions.
Officers are usually issued a badge or some other form of credentials indicating their position and sometimes rank. In some cases, they may carry a pistol openly or concealed, and often carry less-than-lethal devices such as pepper spray or tasers for self-protection. Typically, probation and parole officers do not wear standard law enforcement uniforms, but dress in plainclothes, business or casual attire.
The structure of probation and parole agencies varies. Traditionally, these agencies have a loosely based paramilitary command structure, and are usually headed by a chief, field supervisor, or director. In some U.S. states, probation departments fall under a county sheriff, and officers may be uniformed and integrated into the structure of the agency. In both systems, some parole and probation officers supervise general caseloads with offenders who are convicted of a variety of offenses. Others may hold specialized caseload positions, and work with specific groups of offenders such as sex offenders, gang members, offenders sentenced to electronic monitoring (such as house arrest) or GPS monitoring, and cases with severe mental health, substance abuse and/or violent histories.
Training
Probation and parole officer training will vary depending on the legislated power given or the socioeconomics of the region. In some jurisdictions, they may be certified law enforcement officials who have completed mandated police academy training. Other may act as court officials with a more social work oriented or bureaucratic role.
In North America, standard training usually includes: Use of force and restraints (i.e., handcuffs, leg-irons, belly-chains) Weapons (firearms, taser, pepper spray, etc.) Self-defense and subject control First aid and CPR Report writing Courtroom testimony Defusing hostility Interpersonal communication Correction law Criminal and criminal procedural law Case work and criminal investigations Gang intelligence
Many jurisdictions have also, in recent years, expanded basic training to include: Suicide prevention/crisis intervention Critical incident stress management Occupational Safety and Health Act (U.S.) or Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (Canada) Gang awareness and intervention Crisis negotiation Drug abuse training Rehabilitation programs Rapid response training Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)
By country
Australia
Probation and parole officers in Australia serve an active role in recommending community based supervision to magistrates and judges. They also make recommendations to parole boards to determine whether a prisoner should be granted parole. Probation officers are expected to not only supervise an offender while he or she performs community service, but to also develop the community service plans themselves.
