The Office of the Commissioner of Probation, under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Trial Court System, oversees Boston, Massachusetts probation officer jobs. The administrative offices of the Office of the Commission of Probation and of the Division of Community Corrections are also located in Boston. A probation officer career in Boston, Massachusetts could be involved in community service and/or corrections, drug and mental health courts, the sex offender containment unit, the electronic monitoring program (ELMOA), or a myriad of other programs under the supervision of the Office of the Commissioner of Probation. Across the commonwealth of Massachusetts, probation officers supervise over 180,000 probationers. As of 2007, Massachusetts’ per capita probation rate was 47 percent above the national average probation rate.
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Education and Experience Necessary to Become a Probation Officer in Boston
Although candidates may only become a probation officer in Boston through training, there are some qualifications candidate must possess prior to applying. All candidates need a bachelor’s degree and at least one year of experience in human services. If a candidate also has a graduate degree in education, criminal justice, law, management, or administration in addition to a bachelor’s degree, this negates the experience requirement.
Application Process to Become a Probation Officer in Boston
As vacancies exist for probation officers in Boston, they will be posted at the Massachusetts Court System’s Human Resources Department website. After applying online, the Human Resources Department reviews all applications and the credentials of all candidates. Qualified candidates may be contacted to continue with the hiring process, including an interview, drug testing and psychological testing.
Training for Probation Officers in Boston
All new Boston probation officers must attend the Massachusetts Probation Service Training Academy and complete basic orientation within six months of the first day of employment. Coursework includes topics such as search and seizure, the Electronic Monitoring Program (ELMO), management principles, basic CPR and first aid, and interviewing skills. Individual probation officers are not certified, but instead, entire groups of probation officers are certified once they complete training.
Continuing Education for Probation Officers in Boston
Probation officers in Boston, Massachusetts must complete an in-service training at least every three years to maintain their jobs, according to the law of the Commonwealth.
Boston Probation Officer Jobs
A career as a probation officer in Boston can be exciting and innovative, as the city has pioneered many of the state’s probation programs. They include Operation Night Light, a specialized program providing surveillance of youth and juveniles on probation, which started in 1992; GPS Electronic Bracelet/ELMO monitoring services, which was pioneered by probation officers in Boston in 2001; and the entire idea of probation, which was started in Boston in 1841 and soon spread to other states across the nation.