Probation & Parole Changes Proposed By Gov. Perdue

RALEIGH – Gov. Bev Perdue today announced a package of probation and parole initiatives that will improve our criminal justice system and strengthen public safety. The budget and policy reforms will toughen probation conditions, make absconder information readily available, and improve access to information for law enforcement and probation officers.

“These reforms will hold offenders more accountable, ease officer caseloads and will reduce crime on the streets,” said Gov. Perdue. “It will give probation and law enforcement officers more tools to do their jobs effectively.”

“Probation officers need to know the history and needs of the offenders they are supervising,” said Correction Secretary Alvin Keller. “Opening offender’s juvenile records to their supervising probation officers will help officers better protect themselves and the public, and help officers secure appropriate treatments and interventions for offenders.”

“Our probation and parole officers must have the tools they need to track and monitor probationers,” said Senator Tony Rand, who will sponsor the legislation. “I look forward to working with Governor Perdue to crack down on crime and make North Carolina safer.”

Governor Perdue’s Proposed Probation Changes:

Additional probation and parole officers to ensure effective case management: 117 additional probation and parole officers to reduce caseload and increase effective case management. The addition of officers is recommended by the National Institute of Corrections report.
2009-2010: $5,986,277

2010-2011: $7,990,156

Additional chief probation and parole officers to increase supervision and reduce caseload: 29 additional chief probation and parole officers to bring the officer/supervisor ratio to approximately 7:1, enabling the department to provide additional oversight, particularly of problem cases. The addition of officers supports recommendations found in the recent National Institute of Corrections report.
2009-2010: $2,545,790

2010-2011: $2,246,214

Raising pay grade for probation/parole officers: increase the pay grade for 1,048 probation and parole officers, to help raise recruitment and retention.
2009-2010: $2,383,273

2010-2011: $2,383,273

Additional and more efficient training: an additional four correctional training instructors and a correctional training coordinator to provide new officers with the necessary skills to begin supervising probation caseloads earlier in their employment. The addition of training officers is recommended by the National Institute of Corrections report.
2009-2010: $239,525

2010-2011: $380,270

VIPER Radios for improved communications: purchase of VIPER radios through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act to enable increased communication with law enforcement.
2009-2010: $1,264,689

Community corrections intake coordinators for urban areas: funding of new community corrections intake coordinator positions through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. These new intake workers will perform court duties in urban areas where court dockets currently require significant time commitments from probation and parole officers. These intake coordinators will allow probation and parole officers to spend more time monitoring offenders. The addition of community corrections intake coordinators was recommended by the National Institute of Corrections report.
2009-2010: $1,235,311

Access to juvenile court records: open juvenile records to supervising probation officers.

Warrantless searches: Require all probationers to consent to warrantless searches by probation and law enforcement officers as a condition of their probation.

Absconder information posted on-line: A new web site, launched today, providing a county-by-county listing of absconders from probation and parole supervision. Updated daily, the web site will allow citizens to view absconders from their area and provide any information they may have on absconder whereabouts. The public can view this information online at http://www.doc.state.nc.us/.

Continuous job postings: continuous posting of probation and parole officer openings will help reduce the time it takes to fill vacancies in the state’s probation offices

Making probation information available to law enforcement: the departments of Justice and Correction are working together to make probation information available to law enforcement officers in the field via the state’s Division of Criminal Information (DCI) system. Both agencies expect this system to be operational by the end of May. Law enforcement information already is available to probation and parole officers.