Criminal justice refers to the delivery of justice to offenders through government agencies and institutions. The primary goals of the criminal justice system are the rehabilitation of criminals, the provision of moral support for the victims, as well as rehabilitating offenders. For that to happen, several institutions of the state and local governments have to coordinate efficiently. Such institutions include the police, courts, and prisons. For college students, the criminal justice department is a hive for many career choices ranging from parole officers, CIA agents, police officers, and Forensic Science technicians. The careers are different and important in their way, and hence it will be unfair to classify one career as more important. Nevertheless, when all said and done, the role of a parole officer remains to be one of the most critical in the criminal justice world. Once an individual has served their sentence and is released back to the community, it is the responsibility of the parole officer to help them adjust. The officer monitors the parolee to ensure that they not only abide by the terms of their parole but also get back on their feet. The officers interact with them for the set time by visiting their homes and their places of work. In doing so, the officers can make a positive impact on the parolees' lives. The are several responsibilities bestowed upon a parole officer. The first one is the assessment. Parole officers first initiate contact with the offender, their family, and the law enforcement official (Bolin & Applegate, 2018). The initial contact happens through the organization that the officer works for. In doing so, the officer can gather as much information about the family environment as possible to decide on the best family involvement model for the parolee. Some of the details collected include educational background, mental health, criminal history, and substance abuse (Bolin & Applegate, 2018). Such an assessment is crucial as it helps establish the parolee's familial, employment, familial, and financial needs. The second responsibility is case management. After a comprehensive assessment, the parole officer then sends out applications to the necessary community programs and partner organizations. Most of these are per the parole terms. Some of the common requests include training, housing, education, and employment (Bolin & Applegate, 2018). Based on the parolee's specific needs, there may be requests for mandatory rehabilitation, in the case of mental instability or drug problems. The officer often checks in with the paroles to determine and record progress as such records will determine their fate at the end of the program. Case management aims at discussing goals and focusing on averting situations that might lead to recidivism (Bolin & Applegate, 2018). Parole officers have technical and documentation duties in records management. One of the perks of the job is that they access justice information systems to manage the cases. Records management activities encompass screening, case planning, interventions, and various histories (Bolin & Applegate, 2018). In addition to that, to ensure accuracy and timelines, the parole officers upload the required forms into the program. It is also their responsibility to have a hard and soft copy of the parolee's progress, which they share with the appropriate law enforcement agencies. At times, the officers review the criminal's history to make trends and prepare statistical reports. Similarly, parole officers have a responsibility of supervision and intervention where necessary, particularly in court proceedings. The officers usually ensure the clients comply with the parole terms, one of them being the attendance of court hearings. The parole officers accompany the client to court, support recommendations for them, and confer with the legal representatives regarding the information gathered during the assessment (Bolin & Applegate, 2018). Although they make the offender adjust and get comfortable with life after incarceration, the parole officers must also balance equality by adhering to the needs of the victimized community and public safety. In as much as the criminal has served their sentence, the community and the victim of the crime need to be protected at all costs. When attending the court hearings, parole officers prepare reports on social histories, assessments, and other correspondence. Additionally, they may testify in delinquency petitions or a violation of parole terms (Bolin & Applegate, 2018). Doing so promotes accountability. Parole officers work for the local and state governments, whose employment is on a full-time basis. The requirements for hiring differ depending on the agency and state. Nonetheless, one of the general requirements is that all candidates must be at least 21 years old (Lovins, Cullen, Latessa, & Jonson, 2018). Moreover, all the applicants must possess a valid driver's license and must excel in a drug test, criminal background check, as well as competency exam. The aspiring officers also have to go through a mandatory physical and mental health exam. Finally, parole officers should well organized, emotionally stable, be amicable communicators, and have excellent critical thinking and decision-making skills. The minimum educational requirement is a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, social work, behavioral science, or any other closely related field (Lovins, Cullen, Latessa, & Jonson, 2018). Additionally, the aspiring officers are required to have vast experience. For college and university graduates who may not have the experience, some recommended training programs help them get a better understanding of the requirements. The topics covered in such training are psychology, criminal law, violence, and social problems (Lovins, Cullen, Latessa, & Jonson, 2018). Besides, the institutions provide opportunities for internships before graduation, which gives students first-hand experience. Although it is not a requirement, some employers prefer the potential parole officers to have some experience in a similar field, such as counseling, substance abuse treatment, or criminal investigation. Considering that those are some of the issues that the officers will be dealing with in the job, such an experience will enable them to perform their duties in a better capacity. Once they are hired, the officers are mandated to take the training. Some of the aspects of the classroom-based training are court parole procedures as well as state codes (Lovins, Cullen, Latessa, & Jonson, 2018). The training can also include extreme measures like firearm training, depending on the state, and this will add a couple of weeks to the program. As soon as the training is complete, the parole officers embark on their careers on a one-year trainee period before becoming permanent officials. The last requirement is joining professional organizations. One of the organizations is the American Probation and Parole Association, which brings the benefits of additional training, networking opportunities, and career growth (Lovins, Cullen, Latessa, & Jonson, 2018). The programs ensure that the parole officer and parolee relationship is smooth to facilitate a seamless transition back to the community. Being a parole officer comes with many benefits, one of them being a hefty salary. The average hourly wage is $26, which equates to $54,080 annually (Senior, 2016). The pay, however, fluctuates depending on the state. For example, in California, the annual salary is $81,750, which is 50% higher than in other jobs (Senior, 2016). Parole officers are also government employees, and that means that they receive compensation through union contracts. Some of the competitive fringe benefits that they receive include paid vacations, sick leaves, and pensions. In addition to that, the officers have the best health, dental, and life insurance coverage due to the nature of their jobs. The benefits vary, but they all follow the federal and state government schedules and policies. Parole officers are permanent employees, and they enjoy job security. Unfortunately, crime remains to be an integral part of human life and existence. Therefore, the criminal justice system is ever busy handling cases, and this equates to more work for the officers. As long as criminals keep committing crimes, parole officers will always have an influx of clients. Job security also comes through the protection of union contracts.
The other benefit of becoming a parole officer is career growth. Although some officers chose to remain in the same position until retirement, there are opportunities for career growth and advancement. Junior officers can advance into positions of supervising, which brings more responsibilities and salaries. For those who climb up to management positions, they oversee the running of the organization. The job is also highly marketable, and that means that officers from smaller jurisdictions can move to different states and still find employment quickly. The organizations also offer incentives for career development. Parole officers can enroll for training to equip themselves with skills to cope with the changing times. Lastly, parole officers add value to the community. Their role helps law enforcement agencies rehabilitate criminals (Lovins, Cullen, Latessa, & Jonson, 2018). The officers interact with the offenders for the period designated by the court and help them find resources and work. Moreover, they monitor their movements to ensure that there is no relapse and that the offenders fulfill all the requirements of the court. Successful rehabilitation, courtesy of the parole officer, helps the community by turning a criminal into a better and more productive community member.
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Challenges of the Job
In as much as the job is rewarding for the parole officers, they also encounter challenges in their work. To begin with, some difficult parolees may pose a threat to the community and the officer as well. On several occasions, the parole officer may encounter hardcore criminal offenders who may resist intervention. Considering that the job entails dealing with family members, victims, law enforcement officials, and the community at large, it can be stressful. For instance, criminals who were convicted of drug or possession are often released to the same community. Consequently, the gangs and other mob affiliations are still functional, which gradually reverts the parolee to the ways of crime. On several occasions, particularly when the criminal has access to a firearm, they may threaten the lives of previous victims and the parole officer (Kemshall, 2016). The parolee's family members may also fail to cooperate, which calls for a law enforcement intervention. The parole officer must make informed decisions that could impact the defendant's life and that of the family (Mullineux, Taylor, & Giles, 2019). In such a situation, the officer should consider all the involved parties and do what is best for all of them. When the defendant is being released on parole, there is usually an accompanying list of court-ordered terms that they must adhere to the latter. The areas that the offender can offer resistance include drugs and alcohol use, failure to work or submit to a drug-test, association with known criminals, and moving states without permission (Kemshall, 2016). At times, the offender can commit a new crime, which adds the supervision burden to the officer or leads to imprisonment.
The job also involves a lot of time-consuming paperwork. From the first step of assessing the parolee, the parole officer is required to fill in paperwork. Court appearances, work progress, drug tests, training programs, and other activities that the offender takes part in during parole all warrant for filling and sending reports to supervisors. For new employees, the work may be overwhelming, and they may take several weeks or months to familiarize themselves. The consequences of failing to file the paperwork may be fatal for the parolee as they may be imprisoned on the ground of technicalities (Senior, 2016). The other difficulty is a personal conflict between the parole officers and their supervisors. Although workplace conflicts are inevitable, the scenario is different in parole dynamics. For instance, a supervisor may disagree on the recommendations that a parole officer has given on a specific case. The supervisor may see the recommendation as too harsh or lenient. When that happens, the case is presented to a judge who makes the final decision about the fate of the offender. In the case of committing a crime while still on parole, the judge may set more rules, such as putting the parolee back on parole without any sanctions (Mullineux, Taylor, & Giles, 2019). The parole officer has no option but to accept the verdict and supervise based on the new terms. If the offender had finished the previous parole terms and was applying for revocation, it might lead to resistance since they will blame the officer for putting them back on parole.
The Application and Interview Process
The court appoints parole officers for monitoring parolees (Schaefer & Williamson, 2018). The standards of recruitments are pretty high since most of the hiring agencies consider college graduates for entry-level positions. There are several steps that an applicant must use to assess whether they are eligible for the job. The first step is meeting the minimum requirements. Other than the basic ones like being a US citizen, above 21 years, and having a college degree, there are other checks that the applicants go through. One of them is background checks. Background screening encapsulates looking into an applicant's character, work ethic, personality, and the capability to perform parole duties. Some of the procedures include retrieving information from FBI records, previous employers, government-recognizable credit bureaus, and social media (Schaefer & Williamson, 2018). Having served jail time for whatever reason guarantees automatic disqualification. Additionally, the applicants go through a psychological evaluation to ensure that they are at the peak of mental health. The aspect of the psychological evaluation is important since parole officers are expected to make informed and sound decisions about the parolees. The applicants are also subjected to a mandatory drug test. When it comes to physical conditions, some of the disqualifiable elements include impaired eyesight or hearing, severe varicose veins, mental illness, and cardiovascular problems (Schaefer & Williamson, 2018). Parole officers are always on their feet, especially during court proceedings, and hence should be at the peak of physical health. After fulfilling the minimum requirements in education, fitness, and all other areas, the next step is applying for the parole officer position. Due to the competition for jobs, hiring agencies often expect the application letters to be flawless. At this point in their lives, the applicants have formal education and thus comprehend the requirements of writing a formal application letter. Filling the positions prioritizes the applicants whose letters are neat. After application, the successful applicants are shortlisted for a panel interview that thoroughly scrutinizes all the details in their resumes (Schaefer & Williamson, 2018). The panel calls the applicants one by one and asks them questions. Some of the questions include the honors that the applicant has received, the internship experience, any specialized areas, and the reason for joining the force. The work of a parole officer revolves around criminals, and thus learning how to talk to them will determine a person's success in the department. For this reason, the interview panel usually looks for social cues. At times, the interview can involve a real-life situation where they interviewers create a scene requiring the applicant's critical thinking. In such a scenario, the interviewers are trying to evaluate how the potential officer will approach the cases and individuals. Consequently, the interviewee needs to be careful and respond accordingly. Besides gauging a person's capability to communicate, the interview serves as an eye-opener to detect any fraud or falsified information that may have been presented in the resume. After the initial screening, interview, and selection process is complete, the successful applicants undergo pre-employment training that lasts for 12 months (Schaefer & Williamson, 2018). Their employment agencies sponsor the training. Within that time, the trainees get to familiarize themselves with court routines, district policies, handle first aid and CPR and handle firearms. Furthermore, they learn how to apply defense mechanisms, conduct surveillance, and investigation, and to follow protocol when reporting a breach of the court order. The trainees also take part in some police training in the areas of pursing and arresting a rogue parolee as well as monitoring their movements. At this stage, the trainees are split according to their potential and capabilities, where each concentrate on specific areas such as sex offense, domestic violence, or substance abuse (Schaefer & Williamson, 2018). The training also includes sitting for a certification exam, and those who pass are given certificates and offered a permanent employment position. The final step in the recruitment process is swearing-in. The parole officers are divided into two, the sworn in ones who are permanently employed and the non-sworn individuals who play an auxiliary role. Sworn in officers have the police powers to make arrests while their non-sworn counterparts only work voluntarily and are not allowed to make arrests.
An Interview with a Parole Officer
In a quest to gain experience first-hand information about the job, there was a meeting with Mr. John Greene, who has been a parole officer in Atlanta for seventeen years. The interview was educative, with a lot of insight about the job. The first thing that he advised against was looking at the benefits of the job. In as much as everyone works to make money, the benefits of a parole officer should not drive someone to the job. As he said, there is a need to focus on the challenges and ways to ensure that one is safe, considering the job deals with criminals. John Greene echoed the statement that a parole officer may find themselves in a dangerous situation at times. One important point he put across was the importance of being friendly but not expecting to make friends. The statement makes sense, considering parole officers deal with convicted offenders. The element of danger made him share an encounter he had fifteen years ago when he was still a new employee. Greene had warrants for the arrest of a client who had refused to check into rehab. The criminal had been previously charged with drug possession, and so once he was released, his 'crew' back in Atlanta was more than eager to welcome him. When the officers went for the arrest, the friends barricaded his house, which led to a nasty confrontation. The friends shot at them, and although Greene managed to duck, his supervisor and one other police officer were shot dead. Although the criminals were later gunned down, that was a terrifying day for him. Subsequently, as he said, the training often comes in handy as one does not know how the encounter with the criminal will go. Additionally, John Greene emphasized the importance of organization. Time management is challenging, which calls for proper organization of the office and paperwork. However, he recognized the changes that had been made because, during his time, most of the entries were done manually. The parole officer has handled thousands of cases and attributes strong organization capabilities as one of the crucial personal requirements. Additionally, the job involves putting up with pessimists. As he highlighted, criminals are not the only ones who make life hard for parole officers. Ever since he joined the criminal justice fraternity, Mr. Greene has encountered people who belittle the importance of parole. Some of them refer to it as a waste of time since they believe that nothing works. Irrespective of that, he is very confident about what he does and is proud to be one of the people making a difference in his life. As he says, watching hardened criminals make the pact of improving their lives is rewarding. Nevertheless, he feels that the parole departments do not put in enough effort to advertise their success. For this reason, people have no idea how useful and illuminating the system is and hence are very critical. John Greene believes that if he could change anything in the department, it would be that aspect. He would invite members of the public and educate them on the importance of parole and reveal to them the good it is doing for the parolees, the victims, and the community around them. Parole officers need to be motivational. As John Greene observes, movies tend to ruin the occupation because they portray parole officers as dictatorial, dull, and stern. However, in real-life experiences, the officers should have a more uplifting tome when meeting with the clients. The clients may not be friendly as expected because most of them view parole officers as agents to foresee them go back to jail. Consequently, they are potentially hostile and unappreciative, which is expected. Mr. John Greene says that parole officers who encourage and at times, add humor when interacting with clients often, have more success. The job is a learning process, and there is no definite way to approach clients. In as much as all the other educational requirements and training are crucial, Greene says that the real help comes from a person's personality. Some officers have master’s in the field but have a tough time connecting with clients. While he was not trying to devalue education, Greene emphasized on education coupled with experience to help a parole officer get through the day. Therefore, the perception of the job has not changed. It is still a dream job to change lives by helping criminals’ transition into responsible citizens. Although it will not be a walk in the park, the educational background, training, and Mr. Greene's perspective will help in the journey to becoming a good parole officer.
Conclusion
Conclusively, the criminal justice department has many career choices, and one of them is being a parole officer. The responsibilities of such an officer include assessment of the parolee's home, work, and financial conditions as well as record management. Additionally, the officers attend court hearings and testify in case the parolee breaks the law. The requirements of becoming a parole officer include a valid driver's license, passing a drug test, and a physical exam. What is more, they must be at least 21 years old and hold at least a bachelor's degree in any field related to criminal justice. The benefits of such a career include a hefty salary, fringe benefits like paid vacations, best insurance coverage, and career growth. Parole officers also contribute to the betterment of the community. On the flip side, the challenges of the job are difficult paroles, possible threats, and hindrance from family members and friends. Moreover, a lot of time-consuming paperwork is involved. The process of becoming a parole officer is a long and complex one. After meeting the minimum requirements, the interested individuals apply for the positions, after which the successful applicants are interviews by a panel. The next step involves a 12-month rigorous training, which eventually leads to employment and swearing-in of the parole officer. A sit-down interview with a parole officer called John Greene only reaffirmed the desire to pursue a career in this field.
References
Bolin, R. M., & Applegate, B. K. (2018). Supervising Juveniles and Adults: Organizational Context, Professional Orientations, And Parole and Parole Officer Behaviors. Journal of Crime and Justice , 41 (4), 410-426.
Kemshall, H. (2016). The Rise of Risk in Parole Work: Historical Reflections and Future Speculations. In Parole and Politics (Pp. 195-213). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Lovins, B. K., Cullen, F. T., Latessa, E. J., & Jonson, C. L. (2018). Parole Officer as A Coach: Building A New Professional Identity. Fed. Parole , 82 , 13.
Mullineux, J. C., Taylor, B. J., & Giles, M. L. (2019). Parole Officers’ Judgements: A Study Using Personal Construct Theory. Journal of Social Work , 19 (1), 41-59.
Schaefer, L., & Williamson, H. (2018). Probation and Parole Officers’ Compliance with Case Management Tools: Professional Discretion and Override. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology , 62 (14), 4565-4584.
Senior, P. (2016). Forty Years and Counting–Communicating Parole. In Parole and Politics (Pp. 263-287). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
