Criminal Justice is a field with many vocational possibilities. As a Criminal Justice major, I have researched the possibilities of a career in this field. Probation and parole are central to my interests and are vital to the efficiency of the justice system. Ranging from the first contact made by the judiciary to the sentencing and release, probation and parole are integrated and necessary in almost every aspect of an offender's journey through the judicial system. Technological advances that have been afforded to probation and parole officers in recent years have allowed them to have a more in-depth knowledge of offender's whereabouts and doings. Tools that allow location and electronic monitoring, the utilization of social media such as Facebook and twitter to monitor offender's actions, and cutting-edge drug testing as well as portable equipment used to prevent the operation of motor vehicles while under the influence of alcohol have all come to the forefront of probation and parole's operations. No longer is it routine or necessary for the probation and parole officer to make home visits in order to deduce that an offender has re-offended. Thanks to technology, this can all be done from the confines of their office with the simple task of typing on a keyboard.
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There are several different ways that electronic monitoring can be employed in the field of probation and parole. Probably the most well-known type of electronic monitoring is the ankle bracelet system. Including the use of global positioning satellites, the ankle bracelet system allows the location of an offender to be pinpointed down to the square inch (Burrell). When dealing with offenders that have offenses of a sexual nature this is a crucial instrument to have. Imagine that a known sex offender, who is currently under the supervision of probation and parole, is parking at the service station directly across the street from a local elementary school every afternoon as that school releases its students.