Probation Officer Experience

This fall for my 2016 Internship, I had the opportunity to work with the Santa Clara County Probation Department. This opportunity was a pleasant surprise, because my career goal is to be a Probation Officer someday. Therefore, when I got the news of my acceptance, I was beyond excited. Upon the first day of training, I received the news that I was being placed in the Adult Probation Department. Furthermore, that I was being positioned under the Domestic Violence Unit. Gaining this internship has given me perspective to the risks and rewards a career in law enforcement encounters. I will describe my internship experience by giving an informative description of my many tasks, how working in the field compares to what I’ve learned in classes, …show more content…
Well, some have committed minor offenses, others have very serious felonies. My involvement with the Adult Probation Department allowed me to view different officer’s techniques and how they interact with their clients. Furthermore, I acknowledged that there has to be an unbiased approach, when dealing with any offender. In (Siegel, 2015) it’s argued that dedicated professionals who lead in federal probation and pretrial services believe that rehabilitation is still possible; they are not cynical and are willing to experiment with programs and policies to prove it. Having been part of the drug courts I would have to agree with this notion. I have been involved with officers who have had clients relapse several times and still remain ethical and hopeful. It is the officer’s job to help the probationer with rehabilitation. Therefore, many times I’ve observed officers offer classes or programs to aid in the process of the probationer’s rehabilitation. This is a beneficial factor because it helps probationers reintegrate back into the community. A community that we all …show more content…
I’ve learned a lot both professionally and personally. Receiving the hand on experience was a great addition to my education. This internship has allowed me to see how the justice system functions, and has gotten me more interested in politics along with the law. The numerous tasks I performed have set the tone for what I will be undertaking in the near future, when I become employed by an agency. Therefore, I feel that I got the most from my experience. Being involved with the Santa Clara County Adult Probation Department has prepared me with experiences in the field, which will help me on my career path, following