Probation Officer Experience

My role in the department is assisting the Probation and Parole Officers with their workload, as well as gain an understanding how the department operates by promoting public safety, supervising the clients, and monitoring the client’s behavior. So far I have assisted the Officers with personal home contacts, providing help with collecting urine and DNA, preparing sanction plans, attending court hearings, and helping the client to accomplish their goals. At the beginning of my internship, I entered the agency with the mindset that I can save everyone. That the criminal justice system is not as effective as people would like because the employees do not take their time to search for the root of the problem. Well as the internship is winding
down, my mindset has changed. I would not say that I am not as opened minded as I was ten weeks ago, rather than that resources are limited and that the Officers can try to support the clients as much as they can, but at the end of the day the power relies on the client. Valuable skills I have gained from the internship are; performing COMPAS and Mental Health assessments without supervision, creating Major Violation Reports, scanning finger prints into the live scan system, updating a case plan to reflect the client’s goals, and enrolling low level clients on ShadowTrack. Additionally, I have knowledgeable in the task of transferring a client from one district to another, as well as writing a request for a release of supervision. My experience at the department has been fulfilling to say the least, I enjoyed my time here unpaid a more than my current job getting paid.
I am excited to finally being able to be put in a position where I can utilize my degree. Each day I am learning new information about the criminal justice system and how probation operates, there has not been a day since I started working here that I did not learn something new. Internship at the department did not change my attitude about the career choice I wish to work in, actually the experience gave me insight to see the depth of probation and parole and how the department functions. Initially, I was not knowledgeable of sector, but now I believe I have a full understanding how the branch works with the other sectors of the criminal justice
system. Although I am grateful for the experience, I am aware this is not the career path I would like to take.
My goal is to become a Research Analysis in the department of Homeland Security, I would like to research the treats made against the country that could interfere with national security. Even though working in Probation is not the career I would like to take, the experience has given me an understanding of the criminal justice system and I know the skills I have gained will prepare me for the career I want to pursue. Overall, I have gained a lot of useful knowledge from my internship at the department. I now can successfully without supervision can write up important documents as addendums, violations, and completion of probation letters. In addition, I am able to collect DNA, urine samples, photograph client’s tattoos as well as scars, and conduct meeting with clients. My skills have improved greatly from this experience, I am sure with my new skills I am a more marketable candidate for future jobs in the criminal justice
system.