A January 2012 report from The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) shows that 1540 criminal cases were filed in Montgomery County in that one month alone. Of those cases, 696 were found guilty, 38 not guilty, and 117 were disposed to probation before judgment. That same month, 12,759 motor vehicle citations were filed in Montgomery County. A total of 1266 were found guilty, 359 not guilty, and 930 were filed as probation before judgment. In Montgomery County, parole and probation agent jobs involve dealing with these types of cases to serve the cities of Silver Spring, the county seat of Rockville, Gaithersburg and many others.
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Education Necessary to Become a Parole and Probation Agent in Montgomery County
Job seekers interested in the field of corrections may wish to learn how to become parole and probation officers in Montgomery County by meeting the degree requirements imposed by DPSCS. The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services oversees all probation offices throughout the state, and insists that all of its parole and probation agents have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree.
This degree must include or be supplemented by 30 credits in coursework specific to corrections, behavioral science or the social sciences. DPSCS and Montgomery County do not require parole and probation agents to have field experience to be eligible for available jobs.
Hiring Process to Become a Parole and Probation Agent in Montgomery County
Available parole and probation agent jobs in Montgomery County will be displayed at the State of Maryland Job Openings website. Applications for these positions should be filed online.
Well-qualified individuals may then be contacted to take the state’s parole and probation agent exam. Passing this test places candidates on a list of individuals eligible to become parole and probation agents throughout the state of Maryland. Names will remain on this list for one year or until an individual is called to proceed in the application process for vacant Montgomery County parole and probation officer jobs.
Training and Continuing Education for Parole and Probation Agents in Montgomery County
Because Montgomery County parole and probation agents do not need work experience prior to beginning their careers, the first year of work for a probation and parole agent in Montgomery County will be heavily focused on training. At least 400 hours of training will be completed under the supervision of the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commission in Sykesville.
Montgomery County’s parole and probation agent agents are expected to fulfill 18 hours of job-related continuing education training per year.