What does a parole officer do?
Parole officer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real parole officer resumes:
- Manage significant DUI caseload to court-ordered and conditional probation completion.
- Monitor clients every movement through GPS equipment provide by the division.
- Perform random drug testing, monitor GPS equipment, install GPS monitoring on high risk offenders.
- Perform superior case management responsibilities; serve subpoenas and request warrant issuance.
- Comply information on clients' social and legal history in order to formulate effective rehabilitation strategies.
- Prepare documents including information in computer base management system, warrants, subpoenas, other legal documents etc.
- Prepare and maintain investigative reports, records, and summary documentation of observations and recommendations for special community service rehabilitation.
- Work involves providing supervision to offenders; conducting parole investigations; and obtaining information for and preparing parole administration documentation.
- Enforce parole conditions to protect the community while providing supervision and guidance to parolees to facilitate their successful reintegration into society.
- Supervise DUI diversion participants as well as assisting with regular probationary case load.
Parole officer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Parole Officers are proficient in Sex Offenders, Criminal Justice, and Social Work. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Emotional stability, and Organizational skills.
We break down the percentage of Parole Officers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Sex Offenders, 15%
Research, organize, maintain, and disseminate a directory of approved polygraph examiners with specialized sex offender specific polygraph designations.
- Criminal Justice, 12%
Coordinated college internship program with Colorado Mesa University Criminal Justice program, Lectured at CMU and was adjunct professor teaching corrections.
- Social Work, 8%
Perform both social work and law enforcement functions which include job placement and New York State Registry program.
- Public Safety, 8%
Managed and supervised offenders to provide public safety and opportunities for successful re-entry of offenders into the community.
- Substance Abuse, 6%
Completed evaluations and referred clients for treatment; including psychological, anger management, substance abuse, vocational or educational.
- Mental Health, 5%
Make referrals to outside agencies for mental health/mental retardation treatments, employment resources and alcohol/controlled substances rehabilitation.
Most parole officers use their skills in "sex offenders," "criminal justice," and "social work" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential parole officer responsibilities here:
Communication skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a parole officer to have is communication skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "probation officers and correctional treatment specialists must be able to effectively convey information to different types of people, including clients and their families, lawyers, judges, and treatment providers." Parole officers often use communication skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "maintain an open line of communication and working relationship with law enforcement officials, community resource and social service agencies. "
Organizational skills. parole officers are also known for organizational skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to parole officer responsibilities, because "probation officers and correctional treatment specialists must be able to manage multiple cases at the same time." A parole officer resume example shows how organizational skills is used in the workplace: "analyze the social, political, and organizational behavior in criminal justice. "
The three companies that hire the most parole officers are:
- Texas Department of Transportation6 parole officers jobs
- Indiana State Police5 parole officers jobs
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Compare different parole officers
Parole officer vs. Correctional casework specialist
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.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a parole officer are more likely to require skills like "sex offenders," "criminal justice," "social work," and "public safety." On the other hand, a job as a correctional casework specialist requires skills like "board reports," "legal data," "criminal cases," and "office equipment." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Correctional casework specialists tend to reach higher levels of education than parole officers. In fact, correctional casework specialists are 6.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.8% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Parole officer vs. Treatment specialist
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, parole officer responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "sex offenders," "public safety," "law enforcement agencies," and "parole." Meanwhile, a treatment specialist has duties that require skills in areas such as "behavioral issues," "mental illness," "social histories," and "developmental disabilities." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
On average, treatment specialists earn a higher salary than parole officers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, treatment specialists earn the most pay in the non profits industry with an average salary of $44,419. Whereas parole officers have higher pay in the non profits industry, with an average salary of $53,136.In general, treatment specialists achieve similar levels of education than parole officers. They're 0.6% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.8% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Parole officer vs. Probation agent
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from parole officer resumes include skills like "sex offenders," "social work," "substance abuse," and "mental health," whereas a probation agent is more likely to list skills in "risk assessments," "substance abuse treatment," "conduct interviews," and "prince. "
When it comes to education, probation agents tend to earn similar degree levels compared to parole officers. In fact, they're 0.9% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Parole officer vs. Probation counselor
Types of parole officer
Updated January 8, 2025
