How to Improve Conditions for Probation Officers

Criminal Justice Administration: Parole and Probation Officers Scenario

You are the administrator of the county probation/parole department and it's the time of the year when you need to evaluate the officers. There are two officers of special concern. The first one is a veteran who has been following all the procedures and protocols. However, he has not been showing good results; a high percentage of the probationers he supervises have violated their probation and they have been incarcerated. The second officer is a new recruit, and is due for his 90-day review. He has not followed proper procedures; however, he has shown good results.

• How would you, as administrator, handle the evaluations of these employees? Which is more important -- getting results or following procedures?

• For probation and parole officers, what specific characteristics of the job are motivational factors and why?

• What aspects of the position may lead to burnout? What can managers do to minimize the impact of factors that can contribute to job dissatisfaction and burnout?

• How does the subject of motivation and morale relate to supervision and evaluation? Are these concepts connected in any way?

While in the short run, getting better results vs. following protocol and procedures might seem optimal, in actuality the new recruit who is shirking his obligation to follow the agency protocols is opening up the department to potential future lawsuits. In the case of the veteran officer with a poor track record, this may possibly be due to the character of the persons he is exercising oversight over, rather than a direct fault of his own. Regardless, this demands future investigation. In the case of the new officer who has been ignoring proper procedures, he might have gotten 'lucky' with good results, but once there is a serious breach of security, the department could be open to liability.

For the veteran, discerning what is the problem -- why recidivism rates have been going up -- are essential. Is it because of his actions and personal demeanor or is it because of the changing demographics of the prison population that current procedures are not adequately addressing? In the case of the new recruit who is getting good results, he must be sternly informed of the need to follow protocol. Although his willingness to ignore rules might not have 'caught up' with him yet, there is a very serious risk that it might in the future.

While pay and promotion are natural extrinsic motivators of most individuals, parole and probation officers are also likely to be naturally motivated by seeing people turn their lives around, given their choice of career. Officers desire a sense of efficacy: they also likely want to feel respected in their work. A desire for autonomy might be one reason the younger officer has made the choice not to follow protocol. It is also very important to ensure that there are necessary safety precautions taken to protect officers given the substantial risks of the job. "Between 39 and 55% of officers have been victims of work-related violence or threats, according to surveys conducted in four States…Offenders sentenced to probation and released on parole commit more serious crimes than in the past, and more offenders have serious drug abuse histories and show less hesitation in using violence" (Gonzales 2005: 1). The stresses of the job, including heavy caseloads and bureaucratic red tape can also lead to burnout. "The average supervision caseload of a probation officer is very high: 139. Paperwork follows as the next most significant factor" (Gonzales 2005: 2). Cutbacks have led to inadequate staffing in recent years, shifting the burden onto fewer and fewer shoulders from the point-of-view of officers.

There also seems to be escalating tensions between officers and supervisors, perhaps because of frustrations inherent to the job and a lack of perceived sympathy of management. In a recent NIJ survey, "an astonishing 87% of probation officers, according to one survey, said they disliked their supervisor" (Gonzales 2005: 3). Better communication between supervisors and subordinates is essential to improve the plight of parole and corrections officers. This type of communication can also prevent the scenario described above, whereby the new recruit feels he has an allowance to bend the rules and the older recruit feels he is being held responsible for the character of his parolees, which he cannot control.