Careers with the Probation Service
The Probation Service is changing, developing and expanding. Working for the Service offers opportunities for challenging and rewarding career development.
The main work of the Service is in helping to reduce the level of crime and to increase public safety by working with offenders to help change their behaviour. Probation Officers provide services to both adult and young offenders in local communities through the provision of probation supervision, community service, anti-offending behaviour programmes and specialist support services.
Officers work on a team basis and there are Service offices in almost every county. Services are also provided by staff to prisons, places of detention and Children Detention Schools. Probation Officers are recruited by open competition in conjunction with the HR division of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Probation Officers are required to have social work qualifications and relevant experience (as specified in advertisements).
The administrative staff working in the Probation Service are part of the administrative complement of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and are recruited through the Public Appointments Service. Community Service supervisors are also engaged by the Service on a nationwide basis.
