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Field Service Subsections
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DUTIES
OF PROBATION AND PAROLE OFFICERS The
duties of Probation and Parole Officers are to supervise/investigate, the
conduct, behavior, and progress of probationers and parolees assigned to them
for supervision. They also make a
report to the Board and to the Courts on the progress of probationers and
parolees, and perform such others duties and functions as the Board may direct. Violation of any of the conditions of probation or
parole can result in probation revocation proceedings before the court or parole
revocation proceedings before the Board. Field Services may also use other intermediate sanctions to
address the potential violation, where the offender does not pose a direct
threat; or threat to the public. Probation and parole officers report violations
of parole to the board and may make recommendations as to what action should be
imposed. In addition, any violation
of the conditions of probation is a potential cause for revocation or other
sanctions ordered by the courts. The
Institutional Probation/Parole Officer acts as an on-site liaison between the
Board, Department of Correction Adult Institutions, and jails for the purpose of
ensuring that the necessary information needed for the Board is gathered.
Institutional probation/parole officers provide information about parole
policies and procedures to institutional staff and offenders, coordinate the
approval of parole release plans, and participate in pre-release programs. The
Field Services Division is focusing on establishing collaboration and
partnerships with service providers statewide.
In developing these partnerships, data-sharing, geo-mapping, geographic
assignments, identification card process, field interviews, ride-a-long programs
and inter-agency agreements have been established in Knoxville, Chattanooga,
Nashville, Jackson and Memphis. These partnerships have progressed to
establishing supervision teams and a service provider network. Probation/Parole
Officers are working together with local law enforcement and service providers
to identify the offender as well as the needs and availability of services for
that offender. This process has proven to enhance the protection of the
community as well as public safety and improve service delivery for the
offender. The
interstate compact agreement for the supervision of parolees and probationers
was established to provide for the orderly transfer of supervision of parolees
and probationers between different state jurisdictions. All fifty states, Puerto
Rico and the Virgin Islands are members. The two primary goals of the compact
are community protection and the rehabilitation of the client. Community
protection involves regulation of travel, supervision of the offender, and
returning of the offender to the sending state upon violation.
The new Interstate Compact for the supervision of adult offenders was
enacted in Tennessee by the Legislature in 2002. COMMUNITY
SERVICE OR WORK PROJECT PROGRAM The
Work Project Program, required by legislative action in 1984 and funded in 1985,
is a special condition attached to the probation certificate requiring
probationers to complete a specified number of work project hours in the
community at no expense to the citizen. Community service work is done for
non-profit and governmental agencies. Parolees
can also be assigned to community service work. Probation/Parole
officers are assigned to coordinate the community service program throughout the
state. Officers are responsible for
making the appropriate community service assignment for the offenders and
monitoring offenders to ensure that the offenders are reporting to the agencies
as agreed. In FY 2001/2002, the
community service program contributed 274,605 hours of service to government and
nonprofit agencies. According to Tennessee Code Annotated TCA§ 40-35-501, felony sentences of two (2) years or less are placed on mandatory determinate probation, after serving 30 percent of their sentence, after a 10 day notification has been given to the District Attorney, Sheriff, and Warden and if no objection petition has been filed. BOOT CAMP/TECHNICAL VIOLATOR PROGRAM According
to Tennessee Code Annotated TCA§
29-206, upon successful completion of the Special Alternative Incarceration
Program located in Wayne County, an offender is release to the probation
supervision for the remainder of his sentence.
These sentences include property offenses up to six (6) years and drug
offenses up to twelve (12) years. The
program was designed to assist in providing more space in state institutions for
more serious and violent offenders. The Technical Violator Program is utilized for probation and parole offenders who have violated supervision rules other than new offenses. The Intensive Probation Program was established by policy in 1986 as an alternative to incarceration for nonviolent offenders. Offenders are placed in highly structured programs where they are seen more often than offenders who are on regular probation. Supervision includes the following: random drug screens, electronic monitoring, curfew checks, home visits, and monitoring any court ordered special conditions. Home visits occur at night and on weekends. Once the offender successfully completes the program, he/she is moved to regular probation programming for any remaining period of supervision. Probation offenders may also be moved into the program by judicial order from regular probation as an alternative to incarceration for a probation violation. Tennessee Code Annotated TCA§ 40-35-205 Probation/Parole Officers prepare and submit a variety of investigative reports. Pre-sentence reports are submitted to the criminal courts to assist them in determining sentence and range of punishment for offenders and to determine eligibility of offenders for probation or diversion. Classification reports are prepared and submitted to the Department of Correction to assist in determining appropriate placement of offender within state institutions. Probation/parole officers also prepare release plan investigations to provide relevant information to the Parole Board when considering offenders for parole. Volunteers
are a significant and vital part of the probation and parole system. Each
regional director appoints a staff member as a volunteer coordinator to manage
and recruit volunteers and monitor the implementation of the program. The
volunteer coordinator is responsible for planning, recruiting, interviewing,
orienting, training, and placing volunteers in specific jobs. The coordinator
serves as a liaison between the community and the facility, the staff and the
volunteers, and the volunteers and the offenders. Volunteers
may perform services in any area of probation and parole where needs are
identified. Some roles that volunteers perform are caseload assistant, advisory
board members, clerical, etc. Volunteers gain satisfaction for their efforts
through people helping people.
The
offender work program focuses on getting unemployed probationers and parolees
employment. It is vital that offenders become employed within a reasonable
period of time after they are placed in the community if they are to
successfully complete their probation and/or parole supervision. Group
reporting can be a valuable tool for probation/parole officers in case
management. Use of group reporting maintains supervision through face-to-face
contacts with low risk offenders while efficiently managing the officer’s
time. This allows the officer to expend more time and attention to higher risk
offenders, which enhances public safety, without reducing the level of
supervision for other offenders. Group reporting enhances the possibility for
the probation/parole officer to continue to achieve the optimum level of
supervision despite increased caseloads. The Field Services Division collects fees from eligible probation/parole offenders according to TCA 40-28-201. The fees are set at a maximum of $45 per month based upon income level and hardship factors according to the statute. The fees are separated into three funds: Supervision, Diversion, and Criminal Injuries Compensation. The supervision and diversion funds are utilized to offset the cost of offender supervision and may be used for funding of personnel, training of agency staff, purchasing agency equipment, and providing treatment for offenders. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund is operated under the auspices of the State Attorney General’s Office. These moneys are utilized to provide financial relief to crime victims or their next of kin for expenses incurred as a result of violent crime. The progressive intervention process is dedicated to improving public safety by providing community alternatives to minor violations of parole and probation. The administrative case review committee reviews each offender situation individually in order to determine an appropriate course of action as well as any sanctions that should be imposed. Sanctions include, but are not limited to, increased supervision contacts, selected program participation (drug and alcohol treatment, anger management classes, employment assistance, etc), electronic monitoring, or community service. This process provides an alternative to incarceration for minor offender violations. In doing so, we avoid the cost of incarceration of each offender who participates and responds to the program and its sanctions. |
