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Probation Officers Job Overview

Probation officers oversee offenders sentenced to probation and parolees. Probation officers help clients rehabilitate by offering them counseling and by helping them obtain an education, housing and a job. Parole officers meet with their clients on a regular basis in order to evaluate their progress and learn about their activities.

Probation Officers Schools and Degrees

Many colleges and universities provide degrees in criminal justice, psychology and social work.

Job Requirements

Probation officers are usually required to have a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, psychology, social work or a related subject. Some employers prefer applicants who have a master's degree.

Most probation officers are required to complete a training program sponsored by the federal government or their state government. After they complete the training program they may have to take a certification test.

Nature of Work

• Write pre-sentence reports for judges
• Investigate violations of court-ordered sentences
• Provide reports to the courts regarding their client's behavior
• Develop and maintain a case folder for each offender

Probation Officers Jobs and Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected a 19 percent employment growth from 2008 to 2018 for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists which is faster than the average for all occupations.

The major employers of probation officers are shown below:

• State governments
• Local governments
• Probation office of the U.S. District Court

In 2009, the median annual earnings for probation officers was $46,530.

Job Numbers and Growth

Probation officers nationally number 94,000. The unemployment level for workers is low, compared to other occupations. About 4% of employees were unemployed recently.

Area Job Conditions

Employees are relatively common in Cumberland (Maryland), Pocatello (Idaho), and Tucson (Arizona). They are rarer in New Orleans (Louisiana), Huntington (West Virginia), and Austin (Texas).

Probation officers are paid highest in Riverside (California), Fresno (California), and Hartford (Connecticut), and lowest in Jonesboro (Arkansas), Tulsa (Oklahoma), and Johnson City (Tennessee).

Training and Education

Workers are generally expected to have a bachelor's degree. About 58% of employees hold a bachelor's degree or better. Currently 26% of probation officers have some college education, though not a degree. About 16% of workers were able to get their jobs with a high-school diploma. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

About 12% of probation officers work less than full-time.

Probation Officers by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

Nebraska

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

West Virginia

Wisconsin