The modern criminal justice system is not perfect – every lawyer can prove that. Indeed, there are cases when judges were too mild to offenders, and sent them on probation. Probation is supervising an offender for quite some time, ordered by the court. Probation is sentenced instead of sending a criminal to a jail. In some cases, probation applies to community sentences. Sometimes, it happens that probation officers should supervise those who came out from a prison on parole. Every offender on probation should follow special rules, set by the court. The most common are: no gun maintenance, live in a special district, find a job. The probation officer supervises how an offender follows all the rules. If at least one rule is broken, there is a threat for every criminal to come back to the prison (or appear to be in a prison). Hence, it is in a criminal’s interest to follow all the rules. However, there are those who disagree to obey. For such cases, every probation officer is trained. It is illegal to use a firearm. In 39 states of the country, probation officers are armed. Although, it seems so simply, just to watch for a criminal, there are many challenges an ordinary probation officer faces every day.
A probation officer works with criminals. Most of them are rather difficult persons. The point is that most of criminal have a psychological disease or abnormality. Hence, it will be difficult for every person to work with criminals. The point is in not only misunderstanding, or when a criminal refuses to obey – sooner or later, a criminal will have to do that. The problem is that many criminals are aggressive.
Another problems is the problems that almost every police officer faces – paperwork. Police officers have to fill in different forms, blanks, write many reports. On the other hand, probation officers need to do even more paperwork. It is not only boring, it is time consuming, as well. Instead of tracking a criminal, or talking to him (or her), a probation officer will need to write a report or fill some forms. Besides, there is one more problem – the colleagues. The problem in staff of the department. It usually happens that supervisors simply do not agree to probation officers in one or another point. When the both sides cannot find a solution on a particular case, they go to the judge. The judge makes a decision. The point is that a probation officer may be fined. I have mentioned only several problems every probation officer faces.
On the other hand, regardless all the problems, some young men strive to be probation officers. Some young men become probation officers because the occupation does not require much knowledge or training. Some may say that it is an easy job. Besides, to become a probation officer one does not need many qualifications. Another point for becoming a probation officer is that the occupation is rather popular on the modern labor market. The statistics expected the growth of the amount of probation officers on 18 % (legalcareerpath.com). The longer a person works, the higher is one’s salary. For some people, this in one of the main factors of a job.
Having evaluated all the pros and cons of the occupation, I do not think that it is a good idea to become a probation officer. The point is that one should work hard with criminals, as well as with a bunch of papers to fill. Besides, the career path does not appear to be magnificent. I have mentioned that one earns more the longer one works. However, there is no career growth. In some years, a person will have bad nervous system and not desire to strive for anything more. However, those who adore the occupation can undoubtedly become probation officers. The work will be interesting. The main thing is to love one’s job, regardless the salary and the career path.
Resources:
n. a. (2014) Probation Officer. Retrieved from http://legalcareerpath.com/probation-officer/
n.a. (n.d.) Probation and Parole Officers. Missouri Career Education
