Job Description of Probation Officers
A probation officer is a professional in a court of law who meets with individuals who have been sentenced to serve a specified period. These officers handle a wide array of individuals who have been convicted and sentenced to jail. Thus, they possess detailed information about these groups, and the information they are given may require privacy and confidentiality for the well-being of the offenders and the community’s authorities (Norman & Ricciardelli, 2021). In addition, while having information concerning the incarcerated, they may be at liberty to tell false narratives against their clients in favor of the offenders for personal gains, raising the issue of conflict of interest.
Ethical Challenges in Probation Officer Practice
Fraud
Probation officers may encounter fraud issues in which they are pressured to accept bribes to defend a particular party against charges for which they are jailed or prosecuted. For instance, a Brazoria County probation officer was accused of taking a bribe to falsify reports involving the Texas community (Carpenter, 2022). The case occurred in 2022, and the victim, Ricky Haney, allegedly received about $600 (Carpenter, 2022). Haney was later arrested and charged with interfering with government records.
Character Defamation
Probation officers may also encounter character defamation, which is an ethical challenge. During the legal process, these professionals may have the advantage of offering false statements that cause a victim to suffer a specific type of harm (Norman & Ricciardelli, 2021). In that case, a person may be accused of an illegality that did not actually occur.
Integrity
Probation officers may face integrity issues in their work when they engage in what is referred to as double agentry, which involves liaising with offenders and the authorities to escalate legal battles, ultimately aiming to secure sustainable employment (Norman & Ricciardelli, 2021). That act is critical, as it may reveal gaps in criminal justice administration. These ethical dilemmas make it difficult for probation officers to disseminate their legal knowledge fairly and justly to their clients and the authorities.
References
Carpenter, C. (2022). Brazoria county probation officer accused of being paid to falsify community service reports. Web.
Norman, M., & Ricciardelli, R. (2021). Operational and organisational stressors in community correctional work: Insights from Probation and Parole Officers in Ontario, Canada. Probation Journal, 69(1), 86–106. Web.