Probation Officer

Job Description

One very important law enforcement career is that of a probation officer. They act as agents for the court effectively enforcing the orders of the court making sure that offenders that are sent their way are supervised and following all of the orders of the court. If the probation officer determines that an offender is not following court orders they can send them back to the court and/or to prison.

An interesting point to make is that wherever a court can be found in the U.S. (local, County, State, or Federal) you will find at least one probation officer and usually several probation officers. Probation officers generally where civilian clothing (no uniforms) but do carry badges and normally a concealed weapon. Technically speaking, the probation officer is a peace officer and is subjected to the same certification and training requirements which we will discuss later.

A probation officer as an agent of the court could end up performing a variety of different functions as assigned by the court. This includes the traditional supervision of offenders, but also includes any investigations that the court may want them to perform in the trial stage. In other words, the offender doesn’t have to be convicted for the probation officer to investigate their personal and criminal history.

Some traits of probation officers include well above average communication skills as they will have to communicate with people of at all levels of society. They also need to have a vast knowledge of the criminal justice system as they will serve in many different roles sometimes on the behalf of a court, or the parole authority, the department of corrections, the prison bureau, or even local jails and police.

Requirements

Almost every jurisdiction will require their probation officers to have a bachelor’s degree and several will require a master’s degree or above (preferably in criminal justice or a closely related field of study). Since they are classified as peace officers they also have to attend the police academy and pass all of the same tests (civil service tests and other mental and physical exams).

Job Outlook

The job outlook for probation officers is steady to slightly growing. This trend should also continue into the future with no end in sight. Again, at a minimum every court will have at least one probation officer and given the diverse nature of the job, it is a very recession safe profession.

Find out more about degrees for Probation 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.

Delicious Digg This Facebook Reddit Stumble This Post