Probation officers in West Virginia work for the Supreme Court of Appeals. The probation office for Wood County is located in Parkersburg, which is where most probation officer jobs in the area are located. Probation officers monitor the progress of their clients. They also work closely with community service agencies to help provide the probationers with beneficial services such as substance abuse treatment and mental health counseling.
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Adult probation officer jobs in Wood County involve conducting drug tests and initial assessments on individuals referred to them by the courts. These assessments help to determine the level of risk that an individual poses to the community and what sort of help or treatment would increase the chances of the probationer becoming a productive member of society.
Certain individuals are referred to the Wood County Drug Court, which helps non-violent offenders with substance abuse problems to shed their addictions and avoid future criminal contact. The drug court in Wood County was founded in 2007, and over 60 individuals have graduated from the program.
How to Become a Wood County Probation Officer
Bachelor’s Degree – Applicants who wish to become probation officers in Wood County are required to have a bachelor’s degree in a field such as behavioral science, public administration, criminal justice, or political science. The degree must be from an accredited, four-year college or university, and proof of the degree must be submitted when applying. Applicants will have to take a written test as part of the hiring process.
Intensive Supervision Unit Experience Requirements – Those who seek careers with the Intensive Supervision Unit must have three years of experience in addition to having a degree.
Training Academy – New employees of the Wood County Probation Office learn how to become probation officers through extensive training their first year. This entails 240 hours of formal training. An additional 40 hours of training a year is required.
Probation officers who opt to carry handguns must receive special firearms training equivalent to the training provided to law enforcement officers in West Virginia.