What Do Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist Do?
Job Description & Duties 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.
Life As a Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist
- Participate in decisions about whether cases should go before courts and which court should hear them.
- Develop and prepare packets containing information about social service agencies, assistance organizations, and programs that might be useful for inmates or offenders.
- Identify and approve work placements for offenders with community service sentences.
- Develop liaisons and networks with other parole officers, community agencies, correctional institutions, psychiatric facilities, and aftercare agencies to plan for helping offenders with life adjustments.
- Provide offenders or inmates with assistance in matters concerning detainers, sentences in other jurisdictions, writs, and applications for social assistance.
- Assess the suitability of penitentiary inmates for release under parole and statutory release programs and submit recommendations to parole boards.
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Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist Required Skills
These are the skills Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists say are the most useful in their careers:
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Related Job Titles
- Detention Worker
- Offender Job Retention Specialist
- Classification Case Manager
- Probation Counselor
- Attendance Officer
Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist Employment Estimates
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 91,300 jobs in the United States for Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 5.7% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 5,200 new jobs for Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist by 2026. The BLS estimates 8,300 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist are Nevada, Texas, and Arkansas. Watch out if you plan on working in Maryland, New Jersey, or Alaska. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of a Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist
The typical yearly salary for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists is somewhere between $34,630 and $94,770.

Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists who work in California, Rhode Island, or New Jersey, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $45,680 |
Alaska | $67,320 |
Arizona | $54,670 |
Arkansas | $38,700 |
California | $89,240 |
Colorado | $60,150 |
Florida | $35,630 |
Georgia | $43,100 |
Idaho | $42,680 |
Illinois | $67,910 |
Indiana | $48,460 |
Iowa | $70,360 |
Kansas | $43,010 |
Kentucky | $38,080 |
Louisiana | $48,280 |
Maine | $46,510 |
Maryland | $59,070 |
Massachusetts | $69,190 |
Michigan | $60,490 |
Minnesota | $67,000 |
Mississippi | $36,790 |
Missouri | $37,320 |
Montana | $45,890 |
Nebraska | $45,810 |
Nevada | $61,340 |
New Hampshire | $63,790 |
New Jersey | $73,810 |
New Mexico | $42,970 |
New York | $70,690 |
North Carolina | $44,710 |
North Dakota | $54,950 |
Ohio | $50,410 |
Oklahoma | $37,730 |
Oregon | $61,100 |
Pennsylvania | $55,280 |
Rhode Island | $83,060 |
South Carolina | $43,660 |
South Dakota | $46,490 |
Tennessee | $41,930 |
Texas | $46,950 |
Utah | $51,150 |
Vermont | $64,530 |
Virginia | $48,250 |
Washington | $62,270 |
West Virginia | $39,530 |
Wisconsin | $47,760 |
Wyoming | $48,790 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Email software
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- Appointment scheduling software
- Case management software
- Speech recognition software
How to Become a Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist
What education or degrees do I need to become a Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist?

What work experience do I need to become a Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist?

Where Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists Are Employed

Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists work in the following industries:

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those thinking about becoming a Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist might also be interested in the following careers:
Career changers with experience as a Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Army Medicine via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Reusing_content_outside_Wikimedia
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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