Parole Officers

If you're known for being a good listener, are great at making plans, and can understand different people and their various needs, then you might have what it takes to become a parole officer. No, parole officers don't go around stopping criminals and looking for a robbery to foil, they're actually concerned with helping former felons get back into a life that's free of crime.

You see, a parole officer plays a unique role in the rehabilitation and the reintegration of parolees into the mainstream world. Handling between 70 to 130 individual cases at a time, parole officers interview parolees and set up plans regarding their employment, education, housing, etc., for when they are formally released.

How do I become a parole officer?
Parole officers who have been given full law enforcement powers are known as peace officers. In order to fulfill their duties, they must first attend police academies for the proper training and certification.

In most cases, jurisdictions require parole officers to have bachelor's degrees. Although specific parole officer programs are not offered, aspiring parole officers may attain their degrees in related fields such as criminal justice, counseling, social work, corrections, psychology, or sociology. So while there is no specific educational institution known as a "parole officer school," an education is still a very important part of moving towards a parole officer career.

In addition, federal parole officers may be required to have finished at least one year of graduate study in a related subject.

Also, depending upon the city or state in which you work, you may be required to have previous experience in a law enforcement field. Again, this changes from region to region so it's always a good idea to call ahead and ask before applying.

What will I learn in a parole officer school?
As stated before, there is no such thing as a parole officer school. However, if you choose to study in a related field like counseling, criminal justice, social work, psychology, corrections, or the like, you will certainly learn a number of valuable skills that are pertinent to a career as a parole officer. For example, you will learn how to work with and understand others and their needs if you study counseling, social work, or psychology. If you study corrections or criminal justice, meanwhile, you will gain a better understanding of the different motivations behind crimes, allowing you a better understanding of reformed (or reforming criminals) in the process.

Again, depending on whether you choose to work at a local or federal level, you may find yourself engage in anywhere from four to five years of schooling. If you choose to become a peace officer, however, you will attend a full-fledged police academy where you'll receive much of the same training and lessons that police officers do. Once you have satisfactorily completed your education at a police academy, and passed all of your physical, written, and psychological exams, you will then be granted full law enforcement powers and be distinguished as a peace officer.

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