NCJ Number
188551
Date Published
June 1999
Length
104 pages
Annotation
This study collected information from the adult probation agency in each State to track the ways in which State probation structures had changed since 1993 and to describe each State’s current structure for delivering adult probation services.
Abstract
Staff of the National Institute of Corrections conducted telephone interviews, usually with the agency head in each State. The standard interview protocol sought information regarding the branch and level of government responsible for adult probation services, the degree of State oversight of probation, and the responsibility of the adult probation agency for other community-based corrections services. The interviews also gathered information about the degree of involvement of private entities in adult probation supervision and about recent or proposed changes in the structure of probation in the State. Results revealed that the most common organizational structure was for a State executive branch agency to provide probation services throughout the State. The agency that supervised adult felons also supervised all misdemeanants in about half the States. Some adult probation agencies also supervised juvenile probationers. Adult probation agencies often supervised other community-based programs such as pretrial services programs and work release. State appropriations supported all or a portion of probation services in 48 States. A growing trend exists toward privatizing at least some aspects of probation supervision. State profiles, tables, and excerpts from three studies related to the topic