As a federal probation officer, your job is to supervise defendants and offenders, provide correctional treatment, maintain personal contacts, and otherwise support the criminal justice system of the United States. In this role, you help provide protection for defendants, investigate potential violations of parole or supervised release agreements, report any possible crime to the appropriate agents, and ensure defendants and offenders appear in court for conviction or acquittal. Federal probation officers also communicate with other persons and organizations, such as the Federal Bureau of Prisons and attorneys involved with a case, to prepare reports, make recommendations, or testify at court hearings. You work exclusively for the federal government, so you may need a security clearance to supervise certain people.