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Probation Officer
Legal & ComplianceYou supervise people the court decided aren't dangerous enough for prison but definitely can't be trusted without oversight. You'll check in on offenders, conduct drug tests, visit homes that make you reconsider your career, and write violation reports knowing your recommendation might send someone back to jail. The caseload is always too high and the emotional weight is always too heavy.
Salary Range
Low
$38k
Median
$55k
High
$80k
10-Year Growth
average
US Workers
99K
Education
Bachelor's in Criminal Justice, Social Work, or Psychology
Environment
both
Tools & Technical Skills
- ▸Risk/needs assessment tools (COMPAS, LSI-R, ORAS)
- ▸Case management software
- ▸Drug testing procedures and interpretation
- ▸Report writing for courts
- ▸Criminal justice databases and NCIC
- ▸Community resource referral systems
People & Mindset Skills
- ▸Firm but empathetic communication
- ▸Cultural competency
- ▸Conflict de-escalation
- ▸Ethical judgment
- ▸Resilience and self-care
Learn the skills
Courses and certifications to get you job-ready
Criminal justice databases and NCIC
What you'll actually do
- 01Conduct check-ins with probationers who range from genuinely trying to clearly not trying at all
- 02Administer drug tests and maintain the fiction that you're surprised by the results
- 03Visit homes and workplaces to verify offenders are following their conditions
- 04Write pre-sentence investigation reports that influence how much time someone gets
- 05Manage a caseload of 80+ people when best practices say 50 is the max
- 06Navigate the tension between helping people change and holding them accountable when they don't
Related Shifts
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