Oregon classifies probation and parole officer jobs under one name: parole and probation officer. These jobs are under the direction of the Oregon Department of Corrections Community Corrections Division, but are hired at the county level. The only exceptions to this rule are parole and probation officer jobs in Douglas and Linn Counties, which are controlled directly by the Oregon Department of Corrections Community Corrections Division.
Sponsored School(s)
Education and Experience Necessary to Become a Parole and Probation
Officer in Oregon
While applicants can only become a parole and probation officer in Oregon through training, Oregon does have some expectations of its applicants. The state expects its parole and probation officers to hold a bachelor’s degree in social work, counseling, criminal justice or corrections plus have two years of experience. This experience must be working in either a criminal justice agency or working in case management or counseling.
Applicants who do not have a bachelor’s degree are eligible if they have completed at least 90 college credit hours in criminal justice, corrections, counseling or social work and have three years of work experience in criminal justice, counseling or case management.
Applying to Become a Parole and Probation Officer in Oregon
Because each county (with the exception of Linn and Douglas Counties) hires its own parole and probation officers, those interested in parole and probation officer jobs in Oregon should contact the Community Corrections office in the county in which they want to work. Each office has its own application and hiring procedures for parole and probation officers.
Training for Parole and Probation Officers in Oregon
After being hired, candidates must attain certification through the state of Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training in Basic Parole and Probation within 18 months of their date of hire. If the county in which a parole and probation officer works requires him or her to carry a firearm, the proper certification in firearms must also be maintained.
The 160 hour DPSST basic training course required of all parole and probation officers prior to certification include classes in firearms, leadership, domestic violence, child abuse and criminal justice. Voluntary classes are also offered in first responder, professional boundaries, and outlaw motorcycle club. All courses are held at the DPSST academy in Salem.
After certification, maintaining parole and probation officer careers in Oregon requires professionals to complete 40 hours of continuing education annually in order to keep certification.
Working in Oregon as a Parole and Probation Officer
Parole and probation officers in Oregon supervise approximately 32,000 persons on probation and parole. This number compares to the 14,000 felons currently in Oregon prisons. According to the Department of Community Corrections, it is much more cost-effective for parole and probation officers in Oregon to supervise felons in the community than it is to keep them housed in the state’s jails.