Community corrections staff are facing the increasing challenges of expanding caseloads, rising expectations of performance, demands for greater accountability, and declining resources. Field probation and parole officers hope that the professionalization of their work will help them meet increasing work demands. However, both line officers and the organizations employing them must make active efforts to achieve this professionalization and to overcome common negative perceptions of them. Laws and managerial interpretations of laws have defined their responsibilities, which include information gathering, supervision, counseling, and arranging outside services. Line officers regard protection of the community as their main responsibility. Achieving this and the goals of punishment and aiding the convict's transition to a constructive life involve many strains and frustrations. To receive the support and recognition they need and to affect public policy, front-line officers must become more actively involved in communicating their goals, functions, and achievements. These efforts will help to shape the future of community corrections.