Criminal justice careers touch almost every area of our society. In this line of work you can find a rewarding career helping others. There are many avenues to pursue when it comes to working in the field of criminal justice. A probation officer could be one of the jobs that interest you.

The probation officer is normally hired by a state or federal agency. The probation officer wears many hats on a routine basis. They must be a law enforcement officer at all times and make sure that the probationer stays a law-abiding citizen. Even receiving a citation for a traffic violation is considered breaking the rules of probation.

Probation officers must also be counselors both to the offender and at times the victim of the offender’s crime. Victims will call probation officers to check on the status of an offender’s employment. Many victims are owed restitution and want to make sure the offender makes timely payments. A probations officer works hard to help victims recover after a crime.