Probation officers in Norfolk, Virginia save taxpayers money by reducing the prison population, while at the same time increasing the chances of successful offender rehabilitation. In the greater Norfolk metropolitan area there were 560 probation officers employed as of May 2012, a number that is projected to rise 18 percent during the current decade.
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Norfolk is in the 2nd probation and parole district of the Division of Community Corrections’ Eastern Region. The median annual national wage for probation officers was recently calculated to be $47,200 and officers in the Norfolk area made an annual average of $42,150 in May of 2012. Probation officers working in Norfolk have the advantage of working in a city that is considered the cultural, financial, and historic center of the region.
Education and Experience Requirements for Probation Officer Jobs in Norfolk, Virginia
The Division of Community Corrections, the agency that oversees the probation and parole system across Virginia, prefers that applicants for probation officer jobs have the following:
- A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, human services, or a related field such as social work and psychology
- Previous experience working in a criminal justice setting
- Knowledge of Virginia Code relating to felon supervision
Candidates interested in learning how to become probation officers in Norfolk must also meet the following minimum requirements:
- Valid driver’s license
- Experience working with a diverse set of colleagues and clients in a human services or criminal justice setting
- Previous experience supervising, managing, and documenting clients from a human services or criminal justice caseload
- Past involvement with counseling and referral direction for criminal justice or human services clients
- Demonstrated ability to gather and consolidate information into a report for presentation
Training to Become a Probation Officer in Norfolk
Once an applicant is hired into his or her new career as a probation officer, he or she will begin the training process. This involves 160 hours of classroom instruction and training at one of Virginia’s two Academy for Staff Development training centers. After the first year of employment, Norfolk probation officers must complete an annual in-service training totaling at least 40 hours. Training will focus on:
- Offender intake, evaluation, and assessment
- Community resource awareness and referral
- Offender supervision necessities and techniques
- Virginia State Codes