DC CONSULTANTANT: NEW YEARS WISH

[DC Consultant (Ret)]

I will not apologize for earning my B.A. in Criminology in Florida but my wish is someone would step forward and explain to the Legislature and the Public that Probation (Community Corrections) is a Honorable Profession which at times has served the Citizens of Florida well and Probation is an intergral part of the Criminal Justice System in all 50 states. Those times that the Citizens have not been served is when Probation has been used as a Political Pawn for our State Politicians.

Every Criminal Justice Textbook differentiates between Probation and Parole.

"Both probation and parole involve the supervision of convicted criminals (Okay Fl is different.), but the systems are distinct. Probation is ordered by a judge; parole is granted by a parole board. Probation is an alternative to prison; parole is the early release from prison." Such a basic CJ Concept.

Felony Criminal Court Supervision vs. Florida Parole Commision Early Release from DC

From the Parole Commision Web Site:

"Is Parole the same as Probation?"

"No. Probation is a period of supervision in the community imposed by the court as an alternative to imprisonment. These offenders are supervised by the Department of Corrections."

Also from the Parole Commision Web Site:

"The most significant change, however, came in 1983. In that year, sentencing guidelines were enacted, thereby effectively abolishing parole for those offenders who were sentenced for crimes committed on or after October 1, 1983."

I have been retired 2 1/2 years. (No wise cracks please.) When I started in 1990 I supervised some Parolees and will never forget some of their stories of early DC Prison incarceration.

And I supervised many Early Prison Releases and they were not called Parolees during the over crowding dumping of inmates.

But, by FPC definition as a Probation Officer I was a 'Ward of the Court' not of the Dept. of Corrections.

There were times we thought that if only we were under FDLE we would be away from the Politics of Corrections. Tucker and Crews FDLE backround prove there is no Honesty Among Political Criminals when money is to be made.

I believe it is time that Probation be removed from under the Corrupt Tallahassee Corrections Bureaucrats and be moved to the Status it deserves as a Professional Criminal Justice Agency serving the Felony Court System in Florida. I have ideas what that would look like but most likely are visions of a senile old man.

This was a New Years Wish. That Wish is to all those holding that Certification a Safe and Rewarding Professional Career as a Florida State Probation Officer.

ps: This reminds me of my weekly response to Grants Corrections UpDate as DC Consultant. Now, lets see if Sec. Crews is a Professional and can address his employees
by posting His Wish for DC in 2013? Of course on the DC Website!

In a way I actually like being separate some from the direct influence of some of those arrogant Judges. I have wondered if your idea would have improved pay but the PD's and ASA's dont make squat either for their position. Its crazy how the Feds only pay their judges slightly better than Florida but pay their Attorneys and Probation Officers way more than Florida does. If we fell under the county that would get us more in most of Central and South Florida anyway.