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Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists

SOC 21-1092.00Job Zone 4 · Considerable Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers community and institutional supervision of probationers and parolees, including case management, violation investigation, court reporting, rehabilitative service coordination, and organizational leadership within a correctional treatment and community social service context.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Case folders for assigned offenders — compile and organize under direct supervisor guidance within a correctional or community supervision office.
  2. Offender background information — gather through structured interviews with clients, families, and collateral contacts using agency-provided protocols.
  3. Probation contract terms — review and explain to newly assigned probationers during intake appointments under supervisory oversight.
  4. Drug, alcohol, and anger management history — document in intake assessments by following standardized screening tools in a community corrections setting.
  5. Curfew check procedures — assist in conducting scheduled home and workplace visits alongside an experienced officer in a field supervision context.
  6. Case management software and databases — enter client data and update records accurately using agency CRM and office suite tools under direction.
  7. Applicable probation and parole statutes — identify and reference relevant law and government regulations when preparing basic case documentation.
  8. Referral resources for medical, mental health, and substance abuse services — locate and compile lists of available providers according to supervisor instruction.
  9. Written case notes and progress summaries — draft in clear, accurate language following agency formatting standards with editorial review by a senior officer.
  10. Scheduling and calendar software — use to track client appointment compliance and curfew obligations within a structured caseload management system.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Ongoing case files for a full caseload of probationers and parolees — maintain current and audit-ready with routine accuracy in a community supervision office.
  2. Regular progress interviews with probationers and parolees — conduct independently to assess goal attainment and contract compliance on an established schedule.
  3. Behavioral risk factors including substance abuse and anger management — discuss with offenders using motivational interviewing techniques in one-on-one supervision sessions.
  4. Electronically monitored home detention participants — supervise by analyzing monitoring data and conducting unannounced field visits across assigned geographic areas.
  5. Alleged parole violations — investigate through structured interviews, records review, and surveillance using agency protocols with limited supervisory input.
  6. Remedial action recommendations — prepare and submit to the court or parole board when probationers demonstrate noncompliance with established supervision conditions.
  7. Community treatment referrals for mental health and substance abuse — arrange and coordinate according to individual client needs and court-ordered requirements.
  8. Social perceptiveness and active listening skills — apply during client interviews to detect deception, assess emotional state, and identify emerging risk factors.
  9. Inductive and deductive reasoning — use when synthesizing background information from multiple sources to formulate individualized case plans in a correctional treatment context.
  10. Spreadsheet and project management software — utilize to track caseload milestones, compliance metrics, and appointment trends across an assigned client portfolio.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Complex, high-risk caseloads involving co-occurring disorders and violent offense histories — manage autonomously by integrating legal, psychological, and social service knowledge in community and institutional settings.
  2. Comprehensive presentence investigation reports — research, author, and deliver to courts, synthesizing offender background data, risk assessments, and evidence-based recommendations.
  3. Non-routine violation investigations involving surveillance, search and seizure, and multi-agency coordination — lead independently in accordance with constitutional and statutory requirements.
  4. Court actions in response to serious probation or parole violations — initiate and present with supporting documentation in formal legal proceedings.
  5. Individualized rehabilitation plans addressing criminogenic needs — develop and continuously evaluate by applying therapy, counseling, and behavioral science principles to diverse offender populations.
  6. Interagency service coordination across medical, mental health, substance abuse, and housing providers — negotiate and manage to meet complex court-ordered and individually assessed needs.
  7. Critical thinking and complex problem solving — apply when resolving competing legal, safety, and rehabilitative demands in high-stakes supervision decisions without supervisory escalation.
  8. Quantitative and qualitative case data — analyze using database query and spreadsheet tools to detect systemic compliance patterns and inform evidence-based supervision adjustments.
  9. Written reports, correspondence, and legal documents — produce with precision and professional authority for courts, parole boards, and partner agencies in high-consequence contexts.
  10. Time management and caseload prioritization strategies — implement across a full, autonomous caseload to ensure timely court submissions and field supervision requirements are consistently met.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Agency-wide supervision policies and evidence-based practice standards — develop and implement to align correctional treatment operations with current criminological research and legal mandates.
  2. Probation and parole officer teams — mentor, coach, and evaluate to build departmental competency in risk assessment, motivational interviewing, and violation investigation procedures.
  3. Interorganizational partnerships with courts, treatment providers, law enforcement, and community stakeholders — establish and sustain to expand rehabilitative resources available to supervised populations.
  4. Organizational case management and data systems — design selection criteria for and oversee implementation of CRM, scheduling, and database platforms across a division or department.
  5. Strategic resource allocation for caseload equity, officer safety, and community public safety outcomes — direct at an organizational level by analyzing aggregate performance and workload data.
  6. Ethical standards, integrity protocols, and compliance frameworks — model and enforce across the workforce to uphold public trust in community corrections and institutional supervision.
  7. Policy proposals and legislative recommendations — author and present to government bodies, drawing on law, public safety research, and field-level operational experience.
  8. Crisis response and critical incident protocols — lead the design and implementation of for high-risk offender populations in coordination with law enforcement and emergency services.
  9. Organizational training curricula on topics including risk-needs assessment, cultural competence, and legal compliance — develop and deliver to newly hired and experienced officers across the agency.
  10. Program evaluation and performance measurement systems — oversee to assess long-term recidivism, treatment engagement, and supervision outcome trends at an organizational or jurisdictional scale.

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Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

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Show O*NET source anchors60 anchors · skillscrosswalk.com

O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

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Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Adult Probation and Parole Officer · Adult Probation Officer · Attendance Officer · Community Corrections Specialist · Community Supervision Officer · Correctional Case Manager · Correctional Casework Specialist · Correctional Counselor · Correctional Officer · Correctional Probation Officer · Correctional Probation Specialist · Correctional Specialist
RAPIDS apprenticeships
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O*NET skills
Social PerceptivenessActive ListeningSpeakingCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionComplex Problem SolvingWritingMonitoringJudgment and Decision MakingActive LearningTime ManagementCoordinationPersuasionNegotiationService OrientationInstructing
Knowledge domains
Law and GovernmentPublic Safety and SecurityEnglish LanguagePsychologyTherapy and CounselingSociology and AnthropologyAdministrativeCustomer and Personal ServiceEducation and TrainingComputers and Electronics
Abilities
Oral ExpressionWritten ComprehensionDeductive ReasoningProblem SensitivityInductive ReasoningOral ComprehensionSpeech ClarityWritten ExpressionSpeech RecognitionNear Vision
Work styles
IntegrityDependabilitySelf-ControlStress ToleranceSocial OrientationAttention to Detail
Technology
Calendar and scheduling softwareProject management softwareOffice suite softwareData base user interface and query softwareCustomer relationship management CRM softwareMap creation softwareElectronic mail softwareWeb page creation and editing softwareSpreadsheet softwarePresentation software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Prepare and maintain case folder for each assigned inmate or offender.
  2. Gather information about offenders' backgrounds by talking to offenders, their families and friends, and other people who have relevant information.
  3. Interview probationers and parolees regularly to evaluate their progress in accomplishing goals and maintaining the terms specified in their probation contracts and rehabilitation plans.
  4. Discuss with offenders how such issues as drug and alcohol abuse and anger management problems might have played roles in their criminal behavior.
  5. Supervise people on community-based sentences, such as electronically monitored home detention, and provide field supervision of probationers by conducting curfew checks or visits to home, work, or school.
  6. Investigate alleged parole violations, using interviews, surveillance, and search and seizure.
  7. Recommend remedial action or initiate court action in response to noncompliance with terms of probation or parole.
  8. Arrange for medical, mental health, or substance abuse treatment services according to individual needs or court orders.
CIP education codes
44.0701

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me®, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.