Parole Officer

Job Description

Parole Officers have the difficult task of keeping prior prisoners (people convicted of a crime) out of any additional trouble upon their release from prison. In essence, a parole board and/or court will order a prisoner to be released and put on parole (under the guidance of a parole officer). The convicted criminal then must check in with the parole officer on a periodic basis and the parole officer is also responsible for reporting how well the convicted criminal is readjusting to life as a civilian.

So as a part of this daunting task the parole officer will be a link between the convicted criminal and several different social services. He or she will help the convicted criminal try to get back on their feet by providing housing, counseling, education, and will even help the parolee find a job. In general the average parole officer will be providing these services to 20 to 300 parolee cases at a time.

As mentioned above, the parole officer will prepare reports for the court containing progress reports for each offender. In addition, it’s very possible that the parole officer will be called into court to testify against (or even for) a parolee under their care. Usually they are called into a trial to explain reports they have filed for a particular parolee in the event that the parolee finds themselves in trouble with the law again.

As another aspect of their job, they are required to follow up and investigate any allegations of violations of court-orders by the offenders they are responsible for. This job may have elements of physical fitness, but mostly requires officers to be mentally tough with the ability and desire to listen to and help offenders turn their lives around.

Requirements

In order to be licensed and certified as a parole officer, a person must be at least 20 years old and must be a U.S. citizen. Like many jobs in the criminal justice field, a parole officer cannot have a felony conviction on their own record. In addition, parole officers must have a bachelor’s degree and they are required to pass a rigorous battery of tests (oral, written, psychological, and physical exams).

Job Outlook

The job outlook for parole officers is expected to remain strong through the year 2016. Given the increase in crime rates and the over-population of many of our prisons, it is expected that more parole officers will be needed given that the maximum cases any single probation officer can comfortably handle is in the 50 to 100 offender range.

Find out more about degrees for Parole Officers by clicking below:

= Certificate Program
= Associate of Arts or Associate of Science Degree Program
= Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science Degree Program
= Graduate Program

Law Enforcement

Law Enforcement , Kaplan University
Law Enforcement, Upper IowaUniversity
Law Enforcement , American InterContinental University Online
Master of Science – Law Enforcement , Grand Canyon University

Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice , Kaplan University
Criminal Justice , Virginia College
Criminal Justice, South University
Criminal Justice, Upper IowaUniversity

You can also research the following top schools as well:

	American Intercontinental University - American Intercontinental University was founded in 1970 and has been providing a quality education ever sense. They offer multiple criminal justice degree options including specializations in forensic science, law enforcement, and special populations. American Intercontinental University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission which is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
	Everest University – This university has a great variety of both associate’s degree programs and bachelor’s degree programs in a variety of criminal justice fields. For example, they have some excellent criminal investigation degrees, homeland security degrees, and paralegal programs. Everest University is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools
	Kaplan University - Kaplan has several programs available in the Criminal Justice and law fields including an accelerated program that makes it easy for you to complete a degree if you have already taken some college credits. This is one of the top online colleges in the country and it offers a solid foundation in the areas of law enforcement, courts, corrections, and security. Kaplan University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission which is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
	Upper Iowa University – This university was established in 1857 and multiple CJU employees attended this great university. They have multiple criminal justice programs and some innovative emergency and disaster management degrees (including a bachelor’s degree in Fire Science). Upper Iowa University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association
	Virginia College - Virginia College has the widest selection of programs at all degree levels in Criminal Justice. Their programs will help you prepare for or enhance your law enforcement career. Each program will emphasize the use of technology to prepare you for the future of law enforcement where new technologies are constantly being introduced to combat, solve, and prosecute crimes. Virginia College is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools.
Don’t see the Criminal Justice College you are looking for? CLICK HERE to see a listing of all the colleges in your area.

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