How to Become a Parole Officer

Here you'll find the qualifications, requirements, job description, salary information and some adivce that will help you on your way to becoming a parole officer.

Parole Officer Qualifications and Requirements

1) Earn a bachelor degree. A minimum qualification for most state and federal parole jobs is a bachelor degree. Commonly held degrees for parole officers include criminal justice, corrections, social work, psychology, couseling, sociology, business administration and related degrees. Federal parole officers are often required to have at least one year of graduate work in counseling, psychology, social work or related fields.

Ashford University offers bachelor's degrees in both psychology and sociology and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, as required by most parole officer jobs. Click here to request free information from their programs.

2) Minimum Requirements: Most state and county parole jobs will require you to be at least 20years old, must hold a bachelor degree, federal jobs require at least a year of graduate degree work, must have a valid state driver's license, must complete required training and certifications as required by state, county and federal regulations, must possess the required licenses for carrying a firearm in your state, pass a background investigation an drug screening, pass a psychological exam. Some states will require at least two years of work experience in a corrections setting or a counseling setting where the applicant would have had experience counseling and providing solutions to educational, occupational, personal or social problems.

3) Once you have met the minimum requirements, contact the department or agency you are interested in becoming a parole officer with to request application material and exam material.

Parole Officer Job Description

Parole Officers and Probation Officers are often talked about as one in the same with regards to education, training and job description, but this is not the case. Parole officers work with individuals who have been released from state or federal prison prior to their actual sentence release date. This release is conditional and can be revoked in any number of ways. A parole officer helps parolees adjust back into society as well as avert any actions that would jeapordize their parole status. Parole officers accomplish this by developing a plan for the parolee before he or she is released from prison. These plans consist of employment, housing, health care, education, drug screening and other activities that help the parolee's rehabilitation and function in a community environment. Parole officers attend parole hearings and make recommendations based on their interviews and surveillance of parolees. The work load is heavy and on average a parole office will have 70 to 130 active cases. This line of work can be very dangerous, as parole officers work with paroled convicts, their friends and family. Due to the high risk associated with this career, parole officers are required to carry a firearm for protection. A parole officer is most often employed by the state department of corrections, state criminal justice department, a youth authority/juvenile corrections, county or a federal justice department.

Find Criminal Justice Degrees

Parole Officer Salary and Job Outlook

Parole officer salaries will vary depending on experience and education. Indeed.com reports a range of annual salaries for all of their parole officer related job postings stretching from $20,000 and $93,000. Our own research found that annual salaries ranged from around $34,000 to $63,000 for adult and juvenile parole officers. Federal Parole Officers can be promoted up to the GS-13 pay grade, which ranges from $65832 to $85578. Promotions to this level can take some time and the best thing to do is excel in your position and continue your education.

Based on the increasing population and the growth of crime that coincides with an increasing population, the job outlook for parole officers looks solid. The Bureau of Labor Statistics backs this up, stating that the job growth in this field will increase with the average through 2014.

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Bachelor Degree Programs

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starUniversity of Phoenix: The University of Phoenix Criminal Justice and Psychology bachelor degree programs will help you meet the requirements for a parole officer career. University of Phoenix offers online and campus based degree options that fit your schedule. University of Phoenix is the largest university in North America. Request free information from their programs today!

BS in Criminal Justice
BS in Psychology

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starColorado Technical University: CTU offers a BS in Criminal Justice that can be completed in 15 months if the student already holds a two year degree. Let CTU help you pursue a career in parole. Request free information from the BS in Criminal Justice program today.

BS in Criminal Justice

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starCapella University: Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers the following master degree programs that can help you advance your career in parole or corrections as well as help meet the requirements to become a federal parole officer.

MS in Psychology
MS Human Services - Counseling

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starAshford University:Ashford Universiy will help you meet your personal and professional goals. Ashford accepts college transfer credits that will apply to your toward your degree. Start your future today. Request free information today.

BA Sociology
BA Psychology