Probation Officer Exam Questions And Correct Answers (Verified Answers

PROBATION OFFICER EXAM QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS

1.sxThesxprimarysxfunctionsxofsxparolesxis

a.sxtosxensuresxthesxsafetysxandsxsecuritysxofsxthe
community.
b.sxtosxprovidesxcommunitysxresourcessxandsxservices
tosxthesxoffender.
c.sxtosxprovidesxbasicsxsupervisionsxofsxoffenders
oncesxtheysxaresxreleasedsxfromsxprison.
d.sxtosxassistsxinsxlocatingsxemployment.sx-sxANSWERS-
AnswersxA.sxMaintainingsxthesxsafetysxandsxsecuritysxofsxthesxcommunitysxissxthesxmainsxfu
nctionsxofsxcommu-
sxnitysxsupervision.sxChoicessxb,sxc,sxandsxdsxaresxallsximportantsxtaskssxofsxasxparolesxoffice

rsxandsxaresxbyproductssxofsxchoicesxa.sxIfsxasxparolesxofficersxaccomplishessxthesesxtaskssx
well,sxthensxthesxsafetysxandsxsecuritysxofsxthesxcommunitysxissxlikely

2.sxAsxparoleesxcomessxtosxseesxyou,sxangrysxthatsxasxpoten-
sxtialsxemployersxrefusedsxtosxhiresxhimsxbecausesxhesxissxonsxparole.sxHesxwantssxyousxtosxd

osxsomethingsxaboutsxit.sxHowsxshouldsxyousxrespond?

a.sxYousxshouldsxtellsxthesxoffendersxitsxisn'tsxyoursxfault;sxhesxissxthesxonesxwithsxasxfelonysxc
onviction.
b.sxYousxshouldsxexpresssxempathysxforsxthesxoffendersxandsxpointsxhimsxtosxanothersxjobsxl
ead.
c.sxYousxshouldsxsympathizesxwithsxthesxoffender,sxpicksxupsxthesxphone,sxandsxcallsxthesxb
usinesssxownersxwhosxdeniedsxemployment,sxtellingsxhimsxthatsxhesxdiscriminated.
d.sxYousxshouldsxtellsxthesxoffendersxthatsxtheresxaresxallsxkindssxofsxpeoplesxwhosxdiscrimin
atesxandsxthatsxhesxhassxasxrightsxtosxbesxangry.sx-sxANSWERS-
AnswersxB.sxChoicesxasxmaysxbesxcorrect,sxbutsxitsxissxnotsxansxappropriatesxwaysxtosxhandle
sxthissxtypesxofsxsitua-

sxtion.sxChoicesxcsxissxincorrectsxbecausesxbeingsxonsxparolesxissxnotsxasxlegalsxdiscriminatio

nsxcategory.sxChoicesxdsxissxalsosxnotsxansxappropriatesxstatementsxforsxasxparolesxofficersxt
osxmake.

3.sxYousxhavesxdecidedsxtosximposesxthesxspecialsxcondi-
sxtion,sx"Yousxwillsxnotsxhavesxanysxcontactsxwithsxsmallsxchildrensxinsxyoursxhome,sxatsxwork

,sxorsxanysxothersxlocationsxinsxwhichsxyousxfrequent,"sxuponsxasxpartic-
sxularsxsexsxoffendersxonsxyoursxcaseload.sxHesxarguessxitsxissxunconstitutionalsxandsxtellssx

yousxhesxissxgoingsxtosxsue.sxWhatsxgroundssxdosxyousxhavesxtosximposesxthissxcondition?

a.sxSimplysxbysxbeingsxthesxparolesxofficer,sxyousxcansximposesxwhateversxspecialsxconditio
nsxyousxwantsxforsxwhateversxreason.

,b.sxThesxFourthsxAmendmentsxprovidessxyousxwithsxthissxauthority,sxwhichsxhassxbeensxup
heldsxbysxthesxU.S.sxSupremesxCourt.
c.sxParolesxissxdiscretionary,sxandsxconditionssxmaysxbesximposedsxorsxmodifiedsxassxlongsx
assxtheysxaresxrea-
sxsonablesxandsxrelatedsxtosxcircumstancessxofsxthesxoffensesxandsxcriminalsxhistorysxofsxth

esxparolee.
d.sxYousxcannotsximposesxthissxcondition.sx-sxANSWERS-
3.sxAnswersxC.sxMaintainingsxthesxsafetysxandsxsecuritysxofsxthesxcommunitysxissxthesxmains
xfunctionsxofsxcommu-

sxnitysxsupervision.sxChoicessxb,sxc,sxandsxdsxaresxallsximportantsxtaskssxofsxasxparolesxoffice

rsxandsxaresxbyproductssxofsxchoicesxa.sxIfsxasxparolesxofficersxaccomplishessxthesesxtaskssx
well,sxthensxthesxsafetysxandsxsecuritysxofsxthesxcommunitysxissxlikely.sxChoicesxasxmaysxbesx
correct,sxbutsxitsxissxnotsxansxappropriatesxwaysxtosxhandlesxthissxtypesxofsxsitua-
sxtion.sxChoicesxcsxissxincorrectsxbecausesxbeingsxonsxparolesxissxnotsxasxlegalsxdiscriminatio

nsxcategory.sxChoicesxdsxissxalsosxnotsxansxappropriatesxstatementsxforsxasxparolesxofficersxt
osxmake.
Parolesxissxasxdiscretionarysxactionsxandsxnotsxasxrightsxofsxparolees.sxConditionssxcansxbesx
modifiedsxorsxaddedsxatsxanysxtimesxbysxasxparolesxofficer,sxassxlongsxassxthesxconditionsxissx
reasonablesxandsxfitssxthesxoffender,sxhissxorsxhersxhistory,sxetc.sxChoicesxbsxissxincorrectsxb
ecausesxthesxFourthsxAmendmentsxdealssxwithsxsearchsxandsxseizuresxandsxdoessxnotsxap
plysxinsxthissxcase.sxChoicesxasxissxincorrectsxbecausesxtheresxmustsxbesxasxrationalsxreason
sxtosxaddsxtosxasxparolee'ssxsupervisionsxconditions.sxChoicesxdsxissxsimplysxnotsxtrue.



4.sxYousxdecidesxtosxstartsxrevocationsxproceedingssxonsxasxparoleesxonsxyoursxcaseload.sx
ThesxduesxprocesssxrightssxaffordedsxtosxthesxparoleesxatsxthissxtimesxdosxNOTsxinclude

a.sxasxnoticesxofsxthesxviolationssxandsxtimesxofsxhearing.
b.sxthesxopportunitysxtosxbesxheardsxatsxasxhearingsxand
asxchancesxtosxcross-examinesxwitnesses.
c.sxthesxrightsxtosxcounsel.
d.sxasxwrittensxstatementsxbysxthesxfactsxfinderssxofsxthe
finalsxdecision.sx-sxANSWERS-
4.sxAnswersxC.sxUndersxMorrisseysxv.sxBrewer,sxseveralsxduesxprocesssxrightssxaresxafford
edsxtosxparoleessxwhosxaresxfacingsxrevocation.sxInsxadditionsxtosxatsxleastsxonesxrevocation
sxhearing,sxchoicessxa,sxb,sxandsxdsxmustsxalsosxbesxaffordedsxtosxthesxparolee.sxMorris-

sxseysxdidsxnotsxprovidesxthesxrightsxtosxhavesxlegalsxcounselsxatsxanysxofsxthesxrevocationsxp

roceedings,sxalthoughsxitsxissxleftsxtosxthesxstate'ssxdiscretionsxtosxdeterminesxthesxneedsxfor
sxcounsel.



revocationsxproceedings-
sxbeginssxwhensxasxprobationsxofficersxorsxothersxpersonsxsupervisingsxthesxsentence,sxasxp

rosecutor,sxorsxasxcourtsxofficialsxdevelopssxreasonsxtosxbelievesxthatsxansxindividualsxissxnot
sxcomplyingsxwithsxthesxconditionssxofsxthesxsentence.



5.sxAsxparolee,sxwhosxissxinsxjailsxwaitingsxtosxbesxtrans-
sxportedsxbacksxtosxprison,sxtellssxyousxhissxEighthsxAmendmentsxrightssxaresxbeingsxviolate

d.sxWhatsxallegationsxwouldsxhesxbesxmaking?
a.sxThesxjailsxissxovercrowded.
b.sxTheresxissxasxlacksxofsxadequatesxmedicalsxcaresxand
treatment.

, c.sxThesxjailsxissxovercrowded,sxandsxtheresxissxasxlacksxof
adequatesxmedicalsxcaresxandsxtreatment.
d.sxnonesxofsxthesxabovesx-sxANSWERS-
5.sxAnswersxC.sxThesxEighthsxAmendmentsxdealssxwithsxissuessxofsxcruelsxandsxunusualsxp
unishmentsxthatsxhavesxbeensxaddressedsxinsxthesxvarioussxcourtssxthroughsxcasessxdeali
ngsxwithsxconditionssxofsxconfinement.

8thsxAmendment-
sxProhibitingsxthesxfederalsxgovernmentsxfromsximposingsxexcessivesxfines,sxorsxcruelsxand

sxunusualsxpunishments,sxincludingsxtorture.



6.sxYousxhavesxbeensxtoldsxonesxofsxyoursxparoleessxhassxasxgunsxhiddensxinsxhersxcar.sxCan
sxyousxsearchsxhersxcar,sxandsxwhatsxprovidessxyousxjustificationsxtosxdosxso?

sxa.sxAssxthesxparolesxofficer,sxyousxcansxdosxwhateversxis

necessarysxtosxprotectsxsociety.

a.sxAssxthesxparolesxofficer,sxyousxcansxdosxwhateversxis
necessarysxtosxprotectsxsociety.
bsxAsxparoleesxmustsxallowsxhissxorsxhersxcarsxand
homesxtosxbesxsearchedsxbysxthesxparolesxofficersxas
describedsxinsxthesxparolesxconditions.
c.sxNo,sxasxsearchsxcannotsxbesxaccomplishedsxwith-
outsxasxsearchsxwarrant.
d.sxNo,sxlawsxenforcementsxofficerssxfromsxthesxpolice
departmentsxaresxthesxonlysxonessxwhosxcansxdosxasxsearch.sx-sxANSWERS-
6.sxAnswersxB.sxAssxdescribedsxinsxstandardsxparolesxconditions,sxasxparoleesxmustsxallows
xasxparolesxofficersxwithsxrea-sxsonablesxsuspicionsxtosxsearchsxhissxorsxhersxhome

andsxcar.sxAsxparolesxofficersxdoessxnotsxhavesxthesxrightsxtosx"dig"sxthroughsxdressersxdraw
erssxorsxboxessxthatsxmightsxbesxinsxthesxtrucksxofsxasxcar;sxhowever,sxasxparolesxofficersxacti
ngsxonsxreasonablesxandsxreliablesxinformationsxmaysxdosxmoresxthansxasxplainsxviewsxsear
ch.sxChoicesxasxissxlegallysxirre-
sxsponsiblesxbecausesxasxparolesxofficersxcansxtakesxonlysxactionssxthatsxaresxreasonable.sx

Choicessxcsxandsxdsxaresxsimplysxnotsxtruesxforsxparolesxofficers.sxInsxmanysxstates,sxparoles
xofficerssxaresxdesignatedsxassxlawsxenforcementsxbysxstatesxstatutesxand,sxtherefore,sxhav

esxthesxsamesxpowerssxassxpolicesxofficers.sxHowever,sxstatesxpolicysxorsxregulationsxmaysx
restrictsxparolesxofficerssxfromsxcompletingsxsomesxlawsxenforcementsxactions.

7.sxYousxaresxconductingsxasxhomesxvisitsxofsxonesxofsxyoursxparolees.sxThissxparoleesxhassx
beensxreleasedsxfromsxjailsxforsxonlysxtwosxmonthssxandsxissxcurrentlysxlivingsxwithsxhissxmot
her.sxYousxwalksxintosxthesxhomesxthroughsxthesxfrontsxdoorsxandsxhearsxasxdisturbancesxinsx
thesxkitchen.sxThesxparoleesximmediatelysxapolo-
sxgizessxforsxthesx"noise"sxthatsxhissxmomsxandsxhersxcur-

sxrentsxboyfriendsxaresxmaking.sxYousxstartsxconductingsxyoursxconversationsxwithsxthesxpar

oleesxwhensxyousxhearsxasxslap,sxandsxthensxthesxmalesxvoicesxloudlysxsays,sx"I'msxgoingsxto
sxkillsxyousxforsxthat."sxYoursxparoleesxissxverysxupsetsxandsxstartssxtosxgosxtowardsxthesxkitch

en.sxYousxshould

a.sxignoresxwhatsxissxhappeningsxinsxthesxkitchensxandsxcontinuesxtalkingsxwithsxthesxparole
e.
b.sxfollowsxthesxparoleesxintosxthesxkitchensxandsxdemandsxtosxknowsxwhatsxissxgoingsxon.