July 19 through 25 is Pretrial, Probation and Parole Supervision Week! Let us take a moment to first simply define community supervision.
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) defines community supervision as programs which oversee offenders outside of jail or prison, and are administered by agencies or courts with legal authority to enforce sanctions. This includes probation and parole. The goals of community supervision include easing instructional crowding and costs; preventing further criminal behavior through surveillance, rehabilitation, and community integration; and addressing victims needs through restorative justice.
In recent months, society has been dealing with several events and issues. Daily life has been put on a pause in many areas, and challenges within society surrounding health and equality are clearly at the forefront for us all. 2020 has not been easy, and is setting the stage for many changes in the way we live and think.
During these times, the function and duties of those of us in community corrections continue to exist. As federal pretrial and probation officers, we continue to strive to put into effect those goals of community supervision, as well as to ensure fairness upon arrest and justice in sentencing. In a normal day, these tasks are difficult. Throw in a pandemic and social movement for fairness and equality, the difficulty grows.
It takes a special kind of person to be a pretrial, probation, or parole officer: passionate, compassionate, knowledgeable, lifelong learner, adaptable, understanding, and balanced... just to name a few.
So cheers to all of you and all of the pretrial, probation, and parole officers out there. During this week of recognition, FPPOA wishes to thank you.