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Probation Officer Functions: A Statutory Analysis

NCJ Number
201328
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 67 Issue: 1 Dated: June 2003 Pages: 12-23
Author(s)
Marcus Purkiss; Misty Kifer; Craig Hemmens; Velmer S. Burton Jr.
Editor(s)
Ellen Wilson Fielding
Date Published
June 2003
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This article provides an analysis of the 2002 statutes of all 50 States and the District of Columbia to determine the statutory definitions of probation officer functions focusing on adult probation officers.
Abstract
In a 1992 study of statutorily mandated roles of probation officers, it was found that the majority of State legislatures mandated that probation officers perform law enforcement-oriented tasks. However, it is uncertain whether an emphasis on the law enforcement-related functions of probation officers continues. This article reexamines the statutory requirements imposed on probation officers in the 50 States and the District of Columbia as of 2002 to determine whether there has been a shift in the legislatively mandated function of probation officers since the 1992 study. Results are compared with the results from the prior study. Findings from the analysis indicated that there were 23 legislatively prescribed duties or functions for probation officers, more than in 1992. Probation officers are more likely to be statutorily mandated to perform law enforcement tasks rather than rehabilitative tasks; however, the number of rehabilitation-oriented tasks has increased. A more balanced approach is now being realized. Tables and references