Be the one leading change every day and keeping our communities safe.
CAREER OVERVIEW
As members of BC Corrections and the Community Corrections Division, probation officers work to reduce reoffending and increase public safety by supervising and supporting adult clients under court ordered community supervision. On any given day, there are approximately 21,500 Community Corrections clients being supervised by probation officers throughout the province. These individuals have been ordered to await trial in the community or to serve a community sentence, such as a probation order, a conditional sentence order, or a recognizance order.
The goals of the Community Corrections division are to:
- Support behavior change through the strategic application of cognitive behavioral interventions.
- Provide strategic and innovative case management for the people under supervision.
- Strengthen communities through strong and collaborative partnerships
There are two classifications of probation officers; one which predominantly serves clients on bail, and the other which serves clients who have been convicted and sentenced to community supervision. Both have a multitude of complex duties including:
- Acting as the “eyes and ears” of the Court and monitoring compliance with Court ordered conditions.
- Preparing court ordered reports and testifying in criminal trials.
- Liaising with a variety of Justice and community partners and other “helping professionals”, who assists clients in managing their behavior.
- Referring clients to appropriate community-based resources.
- Developing case management strategies based in the Risk Needs Responsivity principle.
- Providing both individual and group interventions that target the factors that are the most linked to criminal recidivism. (This only applies to sentenced clients).
CAREER PROSPECTS
Probation officers are a specialized and important area of the correctional system. Over the next decade, BC Corrections anticipates a steady and significant need for new staff due to retirements and workforce projections. Probation officers work in in 56 communities across the province and job openings will occur in all locations with significant demand in the Fraser Valley, Lower Mainland and smaller communities.
Job opportunities are posted on the BC Public Service Website. Job applicants are required to create an account to view and apply to current positions.
For career outlook information for probation officers, visit the BC Public Service Featured Careers page.
Adult probation officer applicant information packages can be found here: Adult Probation Officer 14 or Adult Probation Officer 24 positions.
For more information about BC Corrections, including Community Corrections, visit the Profile of BC Corrections.
For information about parole officers, visit the Correctional Service of Canada website.
Probation officer competencies
- Continuous Development
- Decisive Insight
- Flexibility
- Integrity
- Cultural Agility
- Listening, Understanding and Responding
- Service Orientation
- Teamwork and Cooperation
For specific definitions of these competencies, visit the BC Public Service webpage.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
- 60 credits of post-secondary education (preferred completion of a bachelor’s degree in a relevant social science area of study from a recognized post-secondary institution)
- Successful completion of the JIBC Adult Probation Officer online course
- Valid Class 5 driver’s license (a valid Class 7 may be considered)
- Clean criminal record and successful completion of an enhanced security screening
- Educational requirements:
- Adult Probation Officer 14 - Completion of two years of credit towards a degree or education equivalency (60 credits of post- secondary education towards a diploma or degree will be accepted as equivalent to a two-year diploma). For more information, review the job application information package for Adult Probation Officer 14 positions
- Adult Probation Officer 24 - A Bachelor’s degree (4 years; 120 credits), instructed in the English language, from a recognized Canadian institution, with a minimum of 35% of the credits at 300 & 400 level courses. For more information, review the job application information package for Adult Probation Officer 24 positions.