Deck 12: Career Pathways in Community Corrections

Question 1

All states and the federal system require annual in-service training for all probation officers.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Those opposed to officers carrying a firearm question whether the threat to probation officers is real or perceived.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

For-profit organizations that contract with the government have been providing services to community corrections organizations since the 1800s.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Referring offenders to drug and alcohol treatment, anger management classes, parenting classes, and other community-based services is one of the functions of community supervision officers.

Question 5

In states that have authorized private probation, most require agencies to sign a formal contract with the government that outlines the scope of services to be provided, the responsibilities of the contractor, and the obligations of the court.

Question 6

The initial selection of a probation officer may be the result of one of three systems, an appointment system, a merit system, or a combined system.

Question 7

In qualified immunity, workers are not liable for wrongdoing when their actions are found to be "objectively reasonable" and within the scope of employment.

Question 8

Most probation and parole officers in the United States must have a master's degree.

Question 9

Klockars's synthetic officer is distinguished by his or her recognition of the balance between the law enforcement and treatment components of the probation officer's role.

Question 10

In supervising juvenile delinquents, younger officers (younger than 35) tended to hold less punitive attitudes than older officers.

Question 11

As a result of the American Probation and Parole Association recommendations, probation and parole officers are not required to carry firearms in the performance of duties.

Question 12

Time-servers see their role as administering a form of treatment, introducing a probationer or parolee to a better way of live, and motivating constructive patterns of behavior.

Question 13

Most probation officers in the United States believe that the synthetic officer-approach is in fact the most effective.

Question 14

In the federal system, the judges of each federal district select all probation officers and staff members.

Question 15

Most of the mandated training hours for probation and parole officers are devoted to controls, restraints, and defensive techniques.

Question 16

There is a preference for probation officers to have an educational background in the academic fields of either criminal justice or criminology.

Question 17

Jurisdictions where probation is under the judicial branch have tended to strongly support the carrying of firearms.

Question 18

Juvenile probation officers often spend more time in training than do adult supervision officers.

Question 19

The merit system requires that all probation officer applicants are screened through an exam and then selected and appointed by Congress.

Question 20

The American Correctional Association recommends that juvenile probation officers receive 40 hours of preservice training.

Question 21

_____ immunity protects government officials from any legal action unless they engage in actions that are intentionally and maliciously wrong.

A) Applied
B) Absolute
C) Vicarious
D) Good-faith

Question 22

When workers are not liable for wrongdoing because their actions are found to be "objectively reasonable" and within the scope of employment, this is known as __________ immunity.

A) qualified
B) absolute
C) vicarious
D) good-faith

Question 23

The task that is most required of state probation officers is

A) supervision.
B) counseling.
C) investigation.
D) maintaining office hours.

Question 24

Common sources of stress for probation officers include all of the following EXCEPT?

A) Unnecessary and excessive paperwork
B) Lack of time to accomplish the job
C) Role ambiguity
D) Fear of losing one's life

Question 25

In the ____ system, probation officers are selected by the chief probation officer or by the court(s).

A) appointment
B) merit
C) combined
D) military

Question 26

_______________ (1972) developed a classic typology of probation supervision officers that designated four basic types: law enforcer, time-server, therapeutic agent, and synthetic officer.

A) Howard Becker
B) Carl Klockars
C) Francis Cullen
D) Gresham Sykes

Question 27

Jurisdictions where probation is under the __________ branch have tended to oppose carrying of firearms.

A) legislative
B) executive
C) judicial
D) corrections

Question 28

If an officer finds out that one of his or her probationers is planning to commit a crime, but does nothing to prevent it, the officer may be found guilty of which of the following?

A) Negligence
B) Abuse
C) Obstruction
D) Conspiracy

Question 29

The basic knowledge, skills, and abilities of probation officers are learned during

A) preservice training.
B) in-service training.
C) college.
D) night classes.

Question 30

Most states require probation officers to complete

A) preservice training only.
B) in-service training only.
C) both preservice and in-service training.
D) no training.

Question 31

Whereas adult officers require between 120 and 200 training hours, juvenile probation officers, on average, participate in _________ training hours.

A) more ​
B) less
C) similar
D) zero

Question 32

What is the minimum education requirement for most U.S. probation officers?

A) High school
B) High school and field experience
C) Master's degree
D) Baccalaureate degree

Question 33

Probation officers most in favor of carrying firearms are those supervising

A) gang members and violent offenders.
B) drug users and alcohol abusers.
C) sex offenders.
D) juvenile and status offenders.

Question 34

Community corrections-based occupations that are more people-centered tend to have higher levels of risk and __________ than jobs that are more data-centered.

A) fulfillment
B) burnout
C) recidivism
D) satisfaction

Question 35

In states where officers carry firearms, they must complete which of the following to ensure they are properly trained on the usage of the weapon?

A) Self-defense tactics ​
B) Peace Officer State Training (POST)
C) SWAT training
D) Intense field training

Question 36

Probation officers must often be empathetic, understanding, and objective enough to help offenders who have broken the law and at the same time be able to revoke or terminate clients who are not following the conditions of their supervision. This is known as

A) role conflict.
B) role ambiguity.
C) conflict of interest.
D) qualified immunity.

Question 37

In Klockars's typology of probation officer work styles, the officer who sees his or her role as administering a form of treatment is the

A) law enforcer.
B) therapeutic agent.
C) time-server.
D) synthetic officer.

Question 38

Probation officers working for government agencies in __________ areas earn higher salaries than other probation officers.

A) suburban ​
B) rural
C) urban
D) southern

Question 39

Which characteristics best describe those probation officers in favor of carrying firearms while on the job?

A) Young females
B) Older females
C) Older males
D) Young males

Question 40

The system of appointing probation officers that was designed to remove public employees from political patronage is the ______ system.

A) appointment
B) merit
C) combined
D) federal

Question 41

Research has shown that probation officers who carried a firearm experienced

A) less confrontation incidents.
B) more confrontation incidents.
C) more respect from their probationers.
D) higher job satisfaction.

Question 42

Most adult probation officers must have a minimum of a(n) __________ degree.

Question 43

_____ refers to the fact that community supervision officers have discretion and can choose whether to exercise it.

A) Role conflict
B) Immunity
C) Role ambiguity
D) Negligence

Question 44

As state and local government look to trim costs in their budgets, they have increasingly turned to ______ companies for a wide array of services, from drug testing to electronic monitoring.

A) public
B) technology
C) psychological
D) private

Question 45

In reference to the King v. Simpson case, the Supreme Court held that the ___________ has absolute immunity in decisions to grant, deny, or revoke parole.

A) parole board ​
B) probation board
C) judge
D) prosecutor

Question 46

___________ provides the basic knowledge, skills, and abilities that newly hired officers need before they begin working independently.

Question 47

In addition to educational requirements for officers, some jurisdictions may also require psychological evaluations, weapons qualification, and a __________ test.

Question 48

Community supervision officers are required to participate in _____, which consists of continuing education training that occurs annually.

Question 49

About ________ of all firearm-carrying jurisdictions in the adult probation system make carrying a firearm mandatory.

A) half
B) all
C) three-fourths
D) one-fourth

Question 50

A(n) _____ for probation officers involves a judicial selection committee that selects a chief probation officer who then hires assistant probation officers.

Question 51

Officers supervising violent offenders are more likely to report feelings of _________ when carrying a firearm.

Question 52

____________ probation agencies contract with the local or state government to assist in providing additional misdemeanor probation supervision.

Question 53

Any for-profit or nonprofit private organization that contracts with county-level or state-level government to provide probation supervision, independent probation treatment services, or both probation supervision and treatment under one roof is classified as a

A) nonprofit organization.
B) profit-based business.
C) private service provider.
D) charity.

Question 54

If an officer finds out through credible sources that one of her probationers is planning to commit a crime, and the officer could have prevented it but failed to do so, the officer can be officially charged with ___________.

Question 55

In contrast with traditional probation in which the court orders the client to report to his or her probation officer after sentencing, private service providers have a representative stationed at the __________ to make initial contact with the client at sentencing.

A) court
B) probation office
C) prosecutor's office
D) police department

Question 56

According to Carl Klockars (1972), most probation officers fit into the __________ officer role.

Question 57

Klockar's category of probation labeled as ___________, refers to the supervision type that stresses the legal authority and enforcement aspects of the officer role, dictating firmness and obeying the law as essentials.

Question 58

Criticisms of privatization of community corrections services by profit-making enterprises include all of the following, except ?

A) Provision of effective correctional services seems to be at odds with making a profit.
B) The private sector is usually not equipped to be a full-service provider.
C) Private-sector services have no uniform method of monitoring probation conditions or  ensuring that victim restitution is collected.
D) Private-sector services attract better qualified and educated job candidates ​

Question 59

__________ is the specialized and standardized training that probation/parole or police officers must go through prior to carrying a firearm on the job.

Question 60

Excessive paperwork, lack of time to accomplish the job, and role ambiguity are three factors that lead to high ____________ in the job of probation and parole officer.

Question 61

What are the advantages and disadvantages of probation and parole officers carrying weapons? Please fully explain each argument.

Question 62

Explain the types of training probation/parole officers receive. In your opinion, do you feel probation officers are receiving enough training for the various responsibilities they have? Why or why not?

Question 63

Do you think that private probation supervision and treatment services should be expanded? Fully explain your position.

Question 64

How can probation and parole officers minimize the chances of civil liability law suits while they are performing their duties and responsibilities?

Question 65

The American Correctional Association recommends that seasoned officers receive _____ hours per year of in-service training.

Question 66

Why are college degrees required for probation and parole officers? Be sure to fully explain your answer.

Question 67

Private, nonprofit entities have been involved in community supervision of offenders for quite a long time-since the 1800s. In fact, the _____, a long-time community service provider for those in need, especially after natural and man-made disasters, has a long history of providing such supervision services.

Question 68

Out of all the possible sources of stress identified in your text, which ones can essentially be controlled by the officer and which ones are actually caused by the functions of the job?

Question 69

In states where probation and parole officers carry a(n) ____________, they must complete some version of a Peace Officer State Training academy.