How to Become a Parole Officer
Parole officers don’t win many popularity contests. Described by one Maryland officer as “the court’s tattle tale,” a parole officer can send people back to prison when they violate the terms of their release…and nobody likes going back to prison. Yet, parole officers are also like social workers. They can help vulnerable people stay out of prison by getting them the help they need.
In other words, there’s no bad cop and good cop. As a parole officer, you’re both rolled into one. This challenging job needs people with the right mix of interpersonal skills and good judgment to take up the role.
What Does a Parole Officer Do?
Parole officers are peace officers hired by a government to uphold the law. They are paired with convicted criminals who have been let out of prison early. To stay out of prison, the offenders must demonstrate that they can integrate into society and follow the rules of their parole.
Good parole officers are post-prison guides, linking offenders to resources they may need: a career center where they can find a job, for example, or a 12-step group to kick the drinking problem that led them down the path to prison.
Parole officers are gatekeepers to the outside world, ensuring that parolees can eventually navigate their post-incarceration lives without supervision. To remain on parole, offenders must usually keep a job and notify officers of any changes in employment, stay within a defined area, stay away from crime, not have guns or other weapons, and subject themselves to searches of their property and possessions. Parole officers are charged with verifying parolees meet these and other guidelines. That may include administering drug tests, calling employers, making home visits, and keeping tabs on the parolee regularly, sometimes electronically.
Parole officers’ powers have been described as almost “God-like.” They even have the power to kill romantic relationships. Sexual offenders, for example, typically have to notify their parole officers about whom they’re dating, and the officer can veto the relationship. The same goes for unseemly work or home situations.
Most parole officers are hired by the government, usually at the state or local level, and are paid by the parole board, which makes final decisions on who gets parole and what conditions they must meet. However, several states allow probation and parole to be outsourced to for-profit companies or private providers.
Regardless of employer, parole officers have five general tasks:
Parole Officer and Probation Officers: What’s the Difference?
Parole and probation officers both work with people who have been convicted of a crime. While many of their duties are the same (in some jurisdictions, such as at the federal level, officers perform both roles), the primary difference is simple: a parole officer works with people who have been released from prison. A probation officer, on the other hand, works with convicted criminals who are not sent to prison.
This means probation officers are more likely to work with nonviolent or first-time offenders who a judge believes can benefit from working, going to school, or being at home. In general, they face fewer risks to their personal safety than parole officers do. Yet they still meet a lot with their supervisees, often in their home, just like parole officers. They still administer drug tests. And they still make sure offenders are following any treatment plans for mental health issues.
Parole Officer Salary
Official statistics on parole officer salaries are grouped with probation officers. The Bureaur of Labor Statistics lists a median salary of $59,860 for this position as of 2022. Because most parole officers are government workers, states typically have standard pay scales. For instance, an entry-level parole officer in Texas makes approximately $44,700 per year to start (Texas Department of Criminal Justice, 2023). After each year of service, they receive a pay bump.
Moreover, these scales group parole officers into classes with different pay grades. In Kansas, for instance, the Parole Officer II class takes on more difficult cases and supervises the Parole Officer I class. The extra responsibility comes with a higher salary.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projected probation officers and correctional treatment specialists – which it groups parole officers with – would see a job growth rate of 3% through 2032. However, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the number of people on parole went up 9.5% between 2006 and 2016 as the prison population slowly declined. If that trend continues, government agencies may have to hire more parole officers.
2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and employment figures contained here reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed November 2023.
Steps to Become a Parole Officer
Government agencies set minimum requirements for parole officers. For example, in California, you must be a U.S. citizen of at least 21 years of age with normal hearing, and no felony criminal background. Once you know that you qualify, you can get started on the following steps:
- Get your bachelor’s degree: Most states require a B.A. or B.S. in criminal justice or a related field, such as criminology, sociology, or even public administration.
- Apply for a job: Individual states – as well as the federal government – run their own parole career pages. Those are good places to start searching.
- Undergo a background check: Background checks are mandatory for most corrections workers. Employers look to make sure you don’t have a criminal record, haven’t falsified your resume, and don’t have any red flags, like unpaid tickets, a history of getting fired, or poor credit.
- Pass a series of medical and psychological tests: Most of these you can’t study for. You’ll likely have to have your vision checked, get a physical, and undergo a psychological screening.
- Pass a drug test: Evidence of an illicit drug in your system could disqualify you from consideration, although employers will consider the circumstances. Even if marijuana is legal in your state, using it may torpedo your application.
- Complete classroom and field training: Before starting, you’ll likely be required to complete a training program that lasts several months. It covers a variety of skills, including firearms training, arrest protocols, domestic abuse interventions, and report writing. Once you move to the field, you’ll be supervised for a set number of hours before working solo.
Parole Officer Education Requirements
The standard path for an aspiring parole officer is to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, which is often a requirement for the job. Students in this major learn several things:
Though criminal justice is not a law degree, you should be ready to take a lot of classes about the law. You’ll learn about rights granted in the Constitution, laws surrounding how evidence can be gathered and used, and laws related to criminal procedures. Bachelor’s degrees also mandate substantial general education credits, so you will be exposed to sociology, psychology, communications, and/or statistics.
If your program offers a concentration, particularly in corrections, it’s a chance to move away from the investigatory side of things to rehabilitation theories and practices. After all, that’s mostly what parole is about.
The standard bachelor’s degree takes four years of study with annual costs varying widely. State-run public universities are generally cheaper, at least for residents, and can run as low as $2,000 per year. At the other end, private universities tend to be more expensive, charging as much as $40,000 a year. However, these are just sticker prices. Prices may go way down for some students after they apply for federal, state, and institutional financial aid.
Resources for Parole Officers
