West Virginia Parole Services, an agency within the West Virginia Department of Corrections, oversees parole supervision for in-state and out-of-state parolees, as well as out-of-state probationers. As of 2011, West Virginia’s Parole Services supervised more than 2,500 parolees, 1,429 of which were in-state parolees and 174 of whom were out-of-state parolees.
This division supports jobs for 42 parole officers, including 6 regional directors and 7 enhanced supervision officers. West Virginia is currently divided into two parole districts (Northern and Southern), which are further divided into 6 parole regions and 15 seperate parole offices.
Degree Requirement to Become a Parole Officer in Clarksburg, West Virginia
Parole officer jobs in Clarksburg, West Virginia, are obtained through meeting specific requirements, which begins with educational training that results in a bachelor’s degree in one of the following areas (or a closely related field):
- Sociology
- Social Work
- Corrections
- Psychology
Only those candidates with a bachelor’s degree in one of the above programs from an accredited college or university are eligible to take the civil service test so as to ultimately be eligible for parole officer jobs that become available in Clarksburg
Further, only those candidates who pass the civil service test qualify for placement on the register list, which is kept by the Division of Personnel. Vacancies for parole officer jobs are filled using the register list.
Pre-Service Training Requirements for Parole Officers
Once a candidate becomes a parole officer in Clarksburg, they must complete further training at the West Virginia Corrections Academy. Basic Academy Training includes study in the following areas: OC certification, contact/cover search and seizure, defensive tactics, legal issues, the use of deadly force, and the non-lethal use of force, among others.
Annual training is also completed through the Corrections Academy, and all annual training requirements for parole officer careers in Clarksburg are overseen and coordinated by the Parole Service Institutional Training Coordinator. Parole officers in West Virginia must complete at least 40 hours of in-service training per year.
About the West Virginia Corrections Academy
The West Virginia Corrections Academy is located at the West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety Professional Development Center in Glenville, West Virginia.
The Division of Corrections provides a four-phase training program for all sworn and civilian staff, which includes basic training, an orientation program, in-service training, and specialized training. All parole officers employed by the state must complete basic training and attend specialized training programs sponsored or conducted by the Academy.
The Academy is a separate unit within the Division of Corrections, and the chief executive officer of the Academy maintains responsibility and authority over all training at the Academy.
The North Central Parole Region
Clarksburg, West Virginia, is part of the north central parole region, which also encompasses the following counties:
- Webster County
- Upshur County
- Taylor County
- Randolph County
- Pendleton County
- Monongalia County
- Marion County
- Lewis County
- Harrison County
- Doddridge County
- Braxton County
- Barbour County