What Are the Duties of Parole Officers?
Parole officers, also referred to as probation officers, work with former convicts to help them get back into society. They also assist in pre-parole investigations, pre-sentence investigations and arresting offending parolees. Parole officers work with the police, the courts and with lawyers to help their parolees.
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Pre-Sentence Investigations
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When a parole officer has a parolee who may be going back to jail, he may assist in pre-sentence investigations. In some cases, he may also assist in pre-sentence investigations of those he does not know. When performing this role, the parole officer will assist the courts in determining a sentence for the offender. He will take into account the person's past and whether she is a habitual or a first-time offender. He will look into the offender's record and then present his findings to the court.
Pre-Parole Investigations
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When a parole officer is conducting a pre-parole investigation, he will be helping to determine if an offender should be released on parole. He will look into the offender's past criminal history and prison record. He will often collect further information by speaking to police, wardens, complainants and the offender's relatives.
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Rehabilitation
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Rehabilitation is often the most involved role of a parole officer. During rehabilitation, the parole officer will assist the parolee in being re-introduced into society. He will help her develop social skills and obtain job training, jobs and education. He may also assist parolees in obtaining housing and other forms of assistance, such as drug or alcohol rehabilitation. He will also monitor the parolee's progress. He will meet with the parolee on a scheduled basis and may make surprise visits for a pre-determined amount of time.
Arresting
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On some occasions, a parole officer will have a parolee who decides to commit a crime. When this occurs, he has the ability to arrest the parolee. Once he has arrested the parolee, he will turn her over to the police and often assist the police and the courts in sending the parolee back to jail or determining another form of punishment. Parole officers are able to carry guns; however, most municipalities advise them to obtain assistance from the local police when making an arrest.
Seeking Help
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If a parolee seems to be falling back into a life of crime, the parole officer may seek assistance from organizations or family members to try and get the parolee back on track. This can be done by forced interventions or by forcing the parolee to attend meetings at community organizations.
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