Online Parole Officer Classes and Courses Overview

Online classes for parole officers can be offered at the undergraduate or graduate level as part of a program in criminal justice or a related field. These courses teach aspiring parole officers how to optimize their interactions with parolees, the criminal justice system and the community.

Overview of Parole Officer Classes Available Online

Online classes for parole officers may be part of a program in criminal justice, psychology, sociology or social work at the associate, bachelor's or even master's degree level. Lessons cover parole and probation, crime and delinquency, communication and reporting skills, as well as various facets of the criminal justice system and ethics in corrections.
Parole officers may work at the local or state level. Federal parole officers exist, but are becoming increasingly rare. All parole officers monitor parolees in order to make sure that court-ordered terms of early release from incarceration are being met.

Course Requirements

A computer with an updated platform, minimum amount of available free space, high-speed Internet access and a current browser are required to participate in these courses. The ability to display graphics and play sound is also required. Common types of software utilized include a media player, Adobe Acrobat Reader and a word processing program. A personal e-mail address is typically also needed, if one is not assigned.

List of Online Parole Officer Courses

Parole and Probation Course

This course provides an overview of the history, structure and foundations of parole and probation while explaining the difference between the two. The role of the parole and probation officer is evaluated in depth as students discuss responsibilities like undertaking investigations, reporting and presenting to the courts and helping parolees reintegrate into society. Lectures may cover parole statutes and types of mandates that can be imposed upon parolees as conditions of release.

Corrections Course

An overview of the criminal justice system is provided in this course with a focus on the correctional system and its practices. Probation, incarceration and parole are addressed, along with different correctional approaches, such as punitive and rehabilitative measures. Correctional operations, administration, careers, services and civil liability are also covered.

Crime and Delinquency Course

This course considers different theoretical frameworks for examining crime, its characteristics, the categorization of offenses and society's response to crime. Risk factors for criminal activity, such as family violence and substance abuse, are evaluated. Deviance in relation to factors such as race, class, age and gender are also discussed.

Professional Communications in the Criminal Justice Field Course

This course discusses the range of communication skills required of the parole officer, including effectively writing and presenting reports, performing discreet investigations and effectively communicating with parolees. Ethical and privacy issues that arise in the profession are examined, along with issues that can may result from the sometimes conflicting goals corrections, rehabilitation, individual rights and public safety.