Correctional counselors help criminal offenders get on their feet and back into the real world after prison. Also referred to as correctional treatment specialists or case managers, they play a huge role in rehabilitating former inmates, providing them with counseling, and creating unique treatment plans to help former prisoners adjust to life after incarceration.
Correctional Counselor Job Description
Most correctional counselors find themselves working in parole agencies, probation offices, jails or prisons. Daily work for a correctional counselor might include holding interviews with inmates and their families, conducting psychological evaluations and designing educational or job training programs for inmates to pursue after prison.
While working with each inmate, a correctional counselor is responsible for taking detailed notes concerning the case. These notes will aid the correctional counselor in creating a unique rehabilitation plan for a particular inmate. In addition to general services, correctional counselors may also be required to provide anger management, substance abuse and/or sexual abuse counseling.
Correctional Counselor Requirements
The job of a correctional counselor requires a cool head, positive attitude, loads of patience and, above all, compassion and a genuine desire to help inmates piece their lives together again after having spent time in prison. Educational requirements for correctional counselors vary, but, in most cases, a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a field like criminal justice, psychology or social work is necessary. A master’s degree in the above disciplines is common as well. Most correctional counselors also undergo a one-year, on-the-job training program before they are permitted to handle cases on an independent basis.
Correctional Counselor Career Outlook
Those interested in a career as a correctional counselor will be happy to hear that job prospects are projected to grow 19 percent from 2008 to 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS reports that the median annual salary for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists is $46,530.
Correctional Counselor Trends
Increased demand for correctional counselors can be attributed in part to growing prison populations. In some states, prison policy is being reexamined in light of budget concerns. There is potential for an increased emphasis on rehabilitative services, and in turn, counselors, as states try to decrease the expenses of holding offenders in prison for longer than necessary. In either case, correctional counselors are a needed resource within the correctional system.
