PA State Parole Agent Testing Period Now Open

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 18, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole Chairman Leo Dunn today announced that the State Civil Service Commission (SCSC) has opened the testing period for individuals seeking to become state parole agents.

"Agents duties are to guide, support and enforce," said Dunn. "Agents wear a social worker hat, a law enforcement hat, and a family and job counselor hat, all to help parolees be successful, and encourage them to make better life choices so they become productive members of society."

From now until July 22, the SCSC is offering the parole agent 1 civil service exam to interested Pennsylvania residents who meet the eligibility requirements. Applicants must be U.S. citizens who possess a valid PA driver's license.

To be eligible to take the parole agent exam, applicants must meet one of the following minimum education and experience requirements:

• Four years of paraprofessional experience, which includes two years of paraprofessional social services, human services, corrections, or law enforcement experience; OR
• Two years of paraprofessional social services, human services, corrections, or law enforcement experience, and an associate's degree; OR
• A bachelor's degree in criminal justice, law enforcement, legal studies, political science, behavioral science, or a related field; OR
• An equivalent combination of experience and training.

Applications are available on the State Civil Service Commission's website at www.scsc.pa.gov or by contacting the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole (PBPP) Bureau of Human Resources at 717.787.5699 x 1322 or email [email protected].  

Individuals selected as a result of the examination process must also successfully pass an extensive ten-year background investigation, fingerprinting requirement, drug screening, medical examination and psychological evaluation before appointment as a parole agent.

Selected parole agent candidates must be free of criminal history that would preclude a Commonwealth Law Enforcement Assistance Network (CLEAN) certification.  Individuals convicted, or under indictment, for any felony; for any misdemeanor where more than one year in prison can be imposed, or any computer crime are precluded from CLEAN certification. 

Successful candidates hired will then complete the intense eight-week Basic Training Academy in Elizabethtown, PA. The annual starting salary for new agents is approximately $43,000.

"We are looking for qualified individuals who are committed to public service and will work hard to keep all Pennsylvanians safe," Dunn said.

The PBPP is an equal opportunity employer, firmly committed to promoting public confidence in the agency's integrity and professional excellence. 

More information on how to apply can be found by visiting the "Apply for Jobs" section of the state parole website at www.pbpp.pa.gov.  

MEDIA CONTACT:    Maria A. Finn, PBPP, 717.231.4411

SOURCE Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole

Related Links

http://www.pbpp.pa.gov