More About Parole Officers

Have you ever considered a career in criminal justice but weren't exactly sure about traditional careers like that of a lawyer or a police officer? Do you perhaps also have a knack for teaching others and/or counseling? Then you might have the right passion and innate skills needed to become a parole officer.

In case you're unfamiliar with this field, parole officers work to bridge the gap between prison and the real world by helping parolees reenter society. This profession requires you to have both passion and professionalism, as well as lot of dedication.

What does a parole officer do?
Parole officers are there for a parolee before they are ever released from prison. Through interviewing and observing the parolees they have been assigned, parole officers work hard to understand the special requirements of their cases and the steps that need to be taken to help them reenter society. After they are done making their observations, parole officers appear at the parole hearings during court to offer their recommendations to those assembled. Depending upon how the judge rules, the parole officer will then begin setting up the extensive plans that will allow the parolee to better integrate with society once they are released.

Plans made by parole officers cover such important aspects of life as education, employment, housing, and health care. In general, a parole officer is there to help the parolee find a place to live and the means of supporting themselves in the future. The overall goal is to help the parolee reenter the community outside of prison with minimal stress and complications, while giving them the tools they need to stay on the right side of the law.

Parole officers typically dress in business or business casual attire, and carry a badge. Parole officers may also carry firearms as part of their jobs. They should be careful planners who display a keen sense of forethought and understanding when it comes to the needs and concerns of the parolees to whom they are assigned.

How much for parole officers make, and what types of parole officer jobs can I get?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median yearly salary for probation officer and other correctional treatment specialists, which includes parole officers, was $42,500 as of May 2006. To compare with this, the top 10 percent of earners in the field were paid more than $71,160, while the bottom 10 percent took in less than $28,000.

Although their employment is dependent upon city, state and/or federal funding, parole officers are generally in demand in county justice departments, federal justice departments, state departments of corrections, and juvenile corrections.

In some regions however, jurisdictions are doing away with the notion of parole and instead assign recently released prisoners to be the under the supervision of community corrections agents who are referred as probation officers.

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