4421-NOC

Probation and parole officers and related occupations

(NOC 4155)
Annual Earnings
$83,278
Typical Education Background
Degree
Job Openings
(2022-2032)
430

Career Overview

Probation officers:

  • Check on the conduct and behaviour of criminal offenders serving probation terms

Parole officers:

  • Observe criminal offenders serving the remainder of sentences while being released into the community on parole under certain conditions

Classification officers:

  • Assess inmates and develop rehabilitation programs for criminal offenders in correctional facilities

People in this group:

  • Work for federal and provincial governments
  • Work in the community and in correctional facilities

Duties

Probation and parole officers

  • Interview offenders, police, family, friends, school authorities and employers to prepare pre-sentence reports and assess offenders' prospects for successful re-entry into the community
  • Plan rehabilitation programs with offenders, establishing rules of conduct, goals and objectives
  • Refer offenders to community and social service programs, as needed
  • Supervise the terms of a probation order and attend court
  • Interview probationers and parolees regularly to evaluate their progress in accomplishing goals and maintaining the terms specified in their probation contracts and rehabilitation plans
  • Recommend corrective action or start court action when terms of probation or parole are violated
  • May perform office management duties and supervise support staff
  • May participate in policy development

Classification officers, correctional institutions

  • Interview inmates to assess adjustment problems and develop suitable rehabilitation programs
  • Prepare classification reports recommending type of confinement and types of interventions considered most beneficial for the rehabilitation of the inmates
  • Plan rehabilitation programs with offenders, identifying needs and setting out goals and objectives
  • Work with the inmates' families and contacts in the community to maintain established bonds outside of the institution
  • Help inmates with their problems and evaluate their progress

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$83,278

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$45.64/hr
Median$39.93/hr
Low$28.00/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2022 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

1,000

% Employed Full Time

75%
Source: 2016 Census

Work takes place in a conventional indoor office setting.

Career Pathways

Progression to correctional service management positions is possible with additional training or experience.

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Social
Social

Job Titles

Caseworker, corrections - case manager
Manager, corrections - community case
Officer, corrections - clemency
Officer, parole - probation officer
Program officer, social assistance
Program worker, corrections - youth worker

Education, Training and Skills

  • A bachelor's degree in social work, criminology, psychology, sociology or other related social science discipline is required.
  • A master's degree in social work, criminology, psychology or other related social science discipline may be required.

Education programs in B.C.

The following program areas are related to this occupation:

  • Criminal Justice/Criminology
  • Human/Social Service Work
  • Psychology (Arts)
  • Psychology (Science)
  • Criminology/Criminal Justice
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Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

84%
Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

80%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

79%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

73%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

72%
Service Orientation

Actively looking for ways to help people.

71%
Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

70%
Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

70%
Judgment and Decision-Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

66%
Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

64%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

1,000
Source: 2016 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Employment (2022) % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 80 5.9%
Kootenay 20 2.0%
Mainland/Southwest 760 63.9%
North Coast and Nechako 40 2.4%
Northeast N/A 1.0%
Thompson-Okanagan 110 8.3%
Vancouver Island/Coast 200 15.6%
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2022-2032)

430
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2022-2032)

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 0 0.0%
Kootenay 0 0.0%
Mainland/Southwest 300 1.0%
North Coast and Nechako 0 0.0%
Northeast N/A N/A
Thompson-Okanagan 0 0.9%
Vancouver Island/Coast 100 0.5%
N/A: Data is not available for this region.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

IndustryJob Openings (2022-2032)
Public Administration49,200
Health Care and Social Assistance149,700
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services148,000
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Resources

Resource information is currently not available.