1

Correctional Counseling Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Three years of work experience in correctional counseling, social work, classification, rehabilitation or probation and parole preferred. * Education may be substituted for the experience on a year ...

Showing results 41-60

Correctional Counseling information

See salary details

$40.5K

$74.3K

$115.5K

How much do correctional counseling jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for correctional counseling in the United States is $74,297.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $60,000.00 and $83,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is correctional counseling?

Correctional counseling is a specialized form of counseling that focuses on helping individuals who are incarcerated or involved in the criminal justice system. The goal is to address behavioral, emotional, and psychological issues that may have contributed to criminal behavior, and to support successful rehabilitation and reintegration into society. Correctional counselors use assessments, therapy sessions, and rehabilitation programs to guide clients toward positive change and reduce the likelihood of reoffending. They often work in prisons, jails, probation offices, or halfway houses.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a correctional counselor?

To thrive as a Correctional Counselor, you need a background in psychology, social work, or criminal justice, often supported by a relevant degree and sometimes licensure or certification. Familiarity with case management software, assessment tools, and documentation systems is typically required. Exceptional communication, empathy, conflict resolution, and critical thinking skills help build trust and manage challenging situations with inmates. These competencies are essential for promoting rehabilitation, ensuring safety, and supporting successful reintegration into society.

What are some common challenges faced by correctional counselors, and how can they effectively manage them?

Correctional counselors often encounter challenges such as managing high caseloads, addressing the diverse and complex needs of inmates, and maintaining professional boundaries in a correctional setting. Balancing the needs of rehabilitation with institutional safety and security can also be demanding. Effective management involves strong organizational skills, ongoing training in crisis intervention, and regular collaboration with correctional officers, mental health professionals, and community resources to ensure comprehensive support for inmates.

What is the difference between Correctional Counseling vs Probation Officer?

AspectCorrectional CounselingProbation Officer
CredentialsTypically requires a master's degree in counseling, psychology, or social workUsually requires a bachelor's degree; some roles prefer a master's in social work or criminal justice
Work EnvironmentCorrectional facilities, prisons, detention centersCommunity settings, courts, offender supervision offices
Employer & IndustryCorrectional institutions, government agenciesCourts, probation departments, criminal justice agencies
Job FocusProviding mental health support, rehabilitation, and counseling to inmatesMonitoring offenders in the community, ensuring compliance with probation terms

Correctional Counseling and Probation Officers both work within the criminal justice system but serve different roles. Correctional Counselors focus on rehabilitating inmates through counseling, while Probation Officers supervise offenders in the community. Understanding these distinctions helps clarify career paths and job expectations in the criminal justice field.

Are correctional counselors in demand?

Correctional counselors are in steady demand due to ongoing needs for rehabilitation and mental health support within correctional facilities. Employment opportunities are expected to grow as the criminal justice system emphasizes rehabilitation programs and mental health services, often requiring relevant certifications and counseling skills.

How do I become a correctional counselor?

To become a correctional counselor, you typically need a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, psychology, social work, or a related field. Relevant skills include strong communication, counseling, and conflict resolution abilities, and some positions may require certification or licensure depending on the jurisdiction.
More about Correctional Counseling jobs

What cities are hiring for Correctional Counseling jobs?

Cities with the most Correctional Counseling job openings:

What states have the most Correctional Counseling jobs?

States with the most job openings for Correctional Counseling jobs include:

Infographic showing various Correctional Counseling job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% As Needed, 73% Full Time, 24% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $74,297 per year, or $35.7 per hour.

CORRECTIONS COUNSELOR 3 - LOVELOCK

State of Nevada (NV)

Carson City, NV • On-site

$80K - $120K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 26 days ago


State Of Nevada rating

7.1

Company rating: 7.1 out of 10

Based on 56 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

40th of 50 rated states


Job description

***THIS RECRUITMENT MAY CLOSE WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED. APPLICANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE*** Job Summary The Department of Corrections is seeking to fill a Corrections Counselor 3 in Lovelock. Corrections Counselors within the Nevada Department of Corrections provide mental health services to offenders in a correctional setting Incumbents in this position are responsible to provide counseling, case management, direct clinical services, program development, policy implementation, community and home based services, and behavioral and human services to mentally ill, and/or emotionally disturbed clients.

Counselors conduct or participate in treatment planning by attending treatment team meetings. Incumbents develop and implement after-care plans; advocate for inmates through interactions with other agencies, organizations, community and support systems such as the courts, welfare, school, parole and probation; and provide support and assistance to inmates and their families to facilitate their return to the community. Incumbents prepare documentation and reports to appraise the court regarding inmates' mental and behavioral status; refer inmates to other agencies and organizations to identify resources based on needs.

Corrections Counselors within in the Nevada Department of Corrections provide mental health services to offenders in a correctional setting including interviews, behavioral planning and implementation, consultation, psycho-educational classes, research, and training. Essential Qualifications Master's degree from an accredited college or university in clinical psychology, psychology, counseling, education, social work, or closely related field and three years of post Master's degree experience providing therapy, psychological testing and programmatic services in a correctional, rehabilitative, clinic or institutional setting; OR a Doctoral degree from an accredited college or university in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, educational psychology, social work, or closely related field which included a one-year internship in an applied program and one year of professional experience providing therapy, psychological testing and programmatic services in a correctional, rehabilitative, clinic or institutional setting; OR a Doctoral degree (Psy.D.) in clinical psychology from an accredited school of professional psychology, a one-year internship in an applied program, and one year of experience as described above; OR one year of experience as a Corrections Counselor II in Nevada State service. Job Duties Interview individuals to determine treatment, programming, or placement needs; make behavioral health recommendations; interpret and integrate data with interview findings and behavioral observations; discuss results with offenders or other authorized individuals; prepare written reports on offenders interviewed which include potential behavioral health needs

Participate as a member of the treatment team in staff meetings; share information and analyze treatment options; define, provide, and schedule appropriate care. Provide counseling services, relaxation training, relationship counseling, substance abuse counseling, and pain management counseling to facilitate recovery and maintain offender in the least restrictive environment possible. Provide crisis intervention by applying appropriate de-escalation techniques and principles in order to relieve the immediate problem; intervene with offenders who may be hostile, aggressive, combative or assaultive; follow established protocol in order to protect offenders, staff, and others who may be at risk; form a crisis debriefing team of mental health and security professionals and debrief staff involved in emergency situations to alleviate emotional concerns.

Consult and train staff regarding current policies and procedures to comply with statutory and ethical requirements and current scientific developments in areas relevant to agency services. Participate in planning, developing and coordinating program services to meet the needs of the population served; participate in committees and facility activities in developing policies and procedures; and participate in quality review programs. In a correctional setting, participate on the Unit Management Team to deliver services to offenders within their units.

Document activities in regular written reports and on charts to comply with legal requirements and maintain adequate records; prepare information and documentation necessary for billing and recommend third party payments as appropriate. Conduct research and evaluation studies, for data collection and statistical purposes, to enhance services provided which may include interviews, offender characteristics, prediction of positive treatment outcomes, or prediction of recidivism or violence of an individual offender. Perform related duties as assigned.

Under general supervision, Corrections Counselor III's are assigned complex caseloads and provide care for the most severely mentally ill, developmentally, or learning-disabled offenders and provide for psycho-educational programs and groups. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities This job specification lists the major knowledge, skills and abilities of the job and is not all inclusive. Incumbent(s) will be expected to have knowledge, skills and abilities from a previous level.

Working knowledge of: assessment tools and instruments used in the diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of individuals in the population served; federal and State laws related to mental health, intellectual disabilities and substance abuse; correctional programs; agency, divisional and departmental policies and procedures; client/offender rights and confidentiality of information; personality disorders; educational and learning disorders; survey design and data collection; mental health and developmental service delivery systems; analysis and interpretation of statistical data; case management practices and procedures; crisis intervention techniques; individual, marital, group and family counseling techniques; treatment team dynamics; psychotropic medications including desired effects, common side effects, and drug interactions; services, roles and responsibilities of human services agencies in the community. General knowledge of: chemical dependency and substance abuse; psychological and physical conditions encountered in a correctional setting; normal and abnormal human behavior, growth and development. Ability to: make specific observations and recommendations regarding client/offender treatment and progress; coordinate treatment services provided by agency personnel and others; and provide correctional programming; work ethically and professionally with individuals who have been convicted of crimes; participate in program development projects; assess, develop and implement behavior plans and goals; assess and utilize social, agency, and community resources; establish rapport and appropriate relationships with offenders, their families and care providers; set priorities which accurately reflect the level of care needed by offenders; balance responsibilities with documentation requirements; modify intervention procedures to meet specific service needs of offenders or families.

Recruiting Contact Information: Susan Ashley - q.ashley@admin.nv.gov The State of Nevada is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to building diverse, inclusive, and innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. All applicants are considered without regard to race, color, national origin, religion or belief, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, domestic partnership, genetic information (GINA), or compensation and/or wages. Please send direct Inquiries or correspondence to the recruiter listed on this announcement.


What State Of Nevada employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom


State of Nevada logo

About State of Nevada

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

The State of Nevada isn't a company in the traditional sense, but rather a governing body that manages and directs the operations of the state of Nevada. Its headquarters are located in Carson City, NV, United States. The organisation is engaged in various sectors like education, transportation, business and industry, health and human services, conservation and natural resources, and many more. It is responsible for implementing and maintaining the law and order of the state, in addition to providing essential services to its residents.

Industry

Health care and social assistance

Company size

501 - 1,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Carson City, NV, US

Year founded

1864