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The differences between adult probation officers and treatment specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an adult probation officer and a treatment specialist. Additionally, a treatment specialist has an average salary of $53,673, which is higher than the $46,598 average annual salary of an adult probation officer.
The top three skills for an adult probation officer include criminal justice, social work and mental health. The most important skills for a treatment specialist are social work, mental health, and rehabilitation.
| Adult Probation Officer | Treatment Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $46,598 | $53,673 |
| Hourly rate | $22.40 | $25.80 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 56,961 | 67,604 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An adult probation officer works with offenders, monitoring their behavior and activities to prevent them from committing crimes. Part of their job is to evaluate the offenders' criminal history and overall profile to determine and develop rehabilitation and treatment plans, arrange suitable programs or refer them to other services, coordinate with the offender's family and friends, and facilitate regular drug tests and other examinations. Moreover, an adult probation officer is also responsible for conducting regular interviews with the offenders and their families, communicating with programs to verify the offenders' compliance, and preparing progress reports and records.
The duties of a treatment specialist depend on their line of work or industry of employment. In the medical industry, a treatment specialist is primarily responsible for developing treatments according to the needs and conditions of a patient. They gather and analyze a patient's medical history and records, conduct extensive tests and examinations, coordinate with other medical experts, and discuss the extent of treatments to patients. Furthermore, a treatment specialist must maintain an active communication line with staff for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Adult probation officers and treatment specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Adult Probation Officer | Treatment Specialist | |
| Average salary | $46,598 | $53,673 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $70,000 | Between $34,000 And $82,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Lake County | Delaware State Government |
| Best paying industry | Government | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between an adult probation officer and a treatment specialist in terms of educational background:
| Adult Probation Officer | Treatment Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between adult probation officers' and treatment specialists' demographics:
| Adult Probation Officer | Treatment Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.3% Female, 51.7% | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 21.2% Asian, 2.1% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 2.1% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |