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Career Details : Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists

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Description

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.

Experience

Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Education

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.

Training

Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers.

Tasks

  • Counsels offender and refers offender to social resources of community for assistance.
  • Provides guidance to inmates or offenders, such as development of vocational and educational plans and available social services.
  • Interviews offender or inmate to determine social progress, individual problems, needs, interests, and attitude.
  • Conducts follow-up interview with offender or inmate to ascertain progress made.
  • Reviews and evaluates legal and social history and progress of offender or inmate.
  • Determines nature and extent of inmate's or offender's criminal record and current and prospective social problems.
  • Conducts prehearing or presentencing investigations and testifies in court.
  • Prepares and maintains case folder for each assigned inmate or offender.
  • Develops and prepares informational packets of social agencies and assistance organizations and programs, for inmate or offender.
  • Assists offender or inmate with matters concerning detainers, sentences in other jurisdictions, writs, and applications for social assistance.
  • Makes recommendations concerning conditional release or institutionalization of offender or inmate.
  • Confers with inmate's or offender's family to identify needs and problems and to ensure that family and business are attended to.
  • Informs offender or inmate of requirements of conditional release, such as office visits, restitution payments, or educational and employment stipulations.
  • Consults with attorneys, judges, and institution personnel to evaluate inmate's social progress.
  • Formulates rehabilitation plan for each assigned offender or inmate.

    Related Careers

    Important Abilities

    General Work Activities

    Important Skills

    Frequent Work Context

    • Job-Required Social Interaction
    • Objective or Subjective Information
    • Consequence of Error
    • Persuade Someone to a Course of Action
    • Deal With External Customers

    Related Majors

    Major Add to MyFSA
    Child/Family Servicesadd Child/Family Services to MyFSA
    Child/Youth Servicesadd Child/Youth Services to MyFSA
    Clinical Social Workadd Clinical Social Work to MyFSA
    Family Life Servicesadd Family Life Services to MyFSA
    Family/Community Servicesadd Family/Community Services to MyFSA
    Human Service Studiesadd Human Service Studies to MyFSA
    Human Servicesadd Human Services to MyFSA
    Human Services Administrationadd Human Services Administration to MyFSA
    Law/Social Workadd Law/Social Work to MyFSA
    Psychology/Human Servicesadd Psychology/Human Services to MyFSA
    Social Planningadd Social Planning to MyFSA
    Social Serviceadd Social Service to MyFSA
    Social Servicesadd Social Services to MyFSA
    Social Services Administrationadd Social Services Administration to MyFSA
    Social Services Technologyadd Social Services Technology to MyFSA
    Social Services/Attendanceadd Social Services/Attendance to MyFSA
    Social Welfareadd Social Welfare to MyFSA
    Social Workadd Social Work to MyFSA
    Social Work Planning/Administration/Social Scienceadd Social Work Planning/Administration/Social Science to MyFSA
    Sociology/Human Servicesadd Sociology/Human Services to MyFSA
    Sociology/Social Workadd Sociology/Social Work to MyFSA
    Youth/Human Servicesadd Youth/Human Services to MyFSA
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