Probation Parole Officer

State of Montana • Billings, MT

11h • Onsite

About The Position

The Montana Department of Corrections (DOC) is creating a safer Montana through Accountability, Rehabilitation and Empowerment. The Public Safety Division operates Montana’s prisons safely and securely and provides supervision and support for offenders in the community through its Probation and Parole Bureau. The work performed in this division is integral to the department’s mission to create a safer Montana through accountability, rehabilitation, and empowerment. The Probation and Parole Officer position, guided by the Department of Corrections (DOC) mission, plays a central role in managing the correctional population, promoting public safety and encouraging offenders to make positive life changing decisions for their future. The hourly rate of this position will increase by $1.00 per hour or 2.5%25, whichever is greater, effective July 1, 2026, in accordance with HB13.

Requirements

• College degree in a related field such as criminology, psychology, social work, sociology, or guidance and counseling and some formal training in behavioral sciences.
• POST Basic Certification after attending training at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy and successfully completing one year of employment with the Department of Corrections.
• Be a citizen of the United States of America.
• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Be fingerprinted for a criminal history search.
• Not have been convicted of a crime for which s/he could have been imprisoned in a federal or state penitentiary.
• Be of good moral character, as determined by a thorough background screen.
• Be a high school graduate or issued a GED or its equivalent.
• Possess or be eligible for a valid Montana driver’s license.
• Cover Letter
• Resume
• State of Montana Application
• Background screens which may include criminal records check, child/patient/offender abuse registries, and reference checks will be conducted for this position.

Nice To Haves

• Related work experience in the areas of corrections/detention, criminology, education, medicine, psychiatry, psychology, law, law enforcement, social work, sociology, psychiatric nursing, or guidance and counseling may be substituted for educational requirements at the rate of 1 year of experience for 9 months formal education if approved by the department.
• All present employees are exempt from this requirement but are encouraged to further their education at the earliest opportunity.

Responsibilities

• Cooperates with, and solicits information from, the public and criminal justice system and supervises and counsels 80-100 offenders.
• Conducts pre-sentence investigations and makes placement recommendations concerning those offenders sentenced to DOC.
• Makes recommendations for rehabilitation, treatment plans, conditions of probation, the need for incarceration, and appropriate level to the District Court and Parole Board through a written pre-sentence investigation report.
• Refers offenders to appropriate resources or programs using departments supervision standards, a risk and needs assessment as well as knowledge of state and community resources and monitors the progress of the client for compliance.
• Investigates alleged violations of probation or parole using knowledge of policies & procedures pertaining to violations, search warrants & investigations.
• Arrests and detains violators and testifies in district court and information hearings relative to sentencing or revocation of client’s probation or parole status.
• Handles situations if probation & parole offenders or inmates become hostile & pose a physical threat.
• May work varying schedules to include nights and week-end hours and may be called back to work at any hour of the day or night and be available 24/7 when called upon to assist any Department of Corrections Facility or Law Enforcement Agency.
• Physically makes an arrest, defends selves, in high-risk volatile scenarios in and away from the office.
• Travel for job may be required up to 10%25 of the time in addition to travel for training.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation
• Generous State of Montana Benefits
• State of Montana employment may qualify for student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree