The Erie County Adult Probation Department is part of the General Division of the Court of Common Pleas. The department works under the direction of the Chief Probation Officer. The Probation Department is charged with providing supervision of offenders in the community, as well as producing Pre-Sentence Investigation Reports for the Court. Our mission is to assist the Court and the community through effective supervision of offenders granted community control by the Court. It is the department’s goal to assist offenders by mainstreaming them back into the community in a number of ways. This includes but is not limited to holding offenders accountable for their actions, collaborating with community and local services to assist with identified needs, employment, education and any other programming that will assist offenders in reintegrating back into the community and becoming productive citizens. We serve the taxpayers of Erie County by saving the costs of incarcerating offenders who can otherwise be safely supervised in the community. The Adult Probation Department offers several programs to reduce recidivism and protect the public.

 

In addition to supervising offenders the Adult Probation Department also collects restitution and distributes these payments to victims.

The pre-sentence investigation is a thorough and comprehensive study of the past and present life of an offender for the purpose of learning as much about the person’s character and background as is humanly possible. From the information obtained in the course of the investigation a professional report is assembled which serves as a factual case study for Judges, prison personnel, and Probation/Parole Officers.

 

In 1996 the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections awarded the Adult Probation Department a Community Corrections Act Grant to supervise offenders who are diverted from jail or prison. The program will protect citizens by ensuring effective supervision of adult offenders in environments that are safe, humane and appropriately secure; the program seeks to instill in offenders an improved sense of responsibility and the ability to become productive citizens.

The offender must successfully complete the three (3) phases of ISP before they are able to “step-down” to standard supervision. Movement through the 3 phases is based upon the offender’s behavior and compliance with their conditions of Community Controlled Sanctions.

The main focus with this program is to make sure that offenders are making their current monthly child support payments. The Non-Support Diversion Officer works closely with CSEA (Child Support Enforcement Agency) as well as the Prosecutor’s Office to ensure that offenders pay child support as ordered as well as offering services to offenders who have difficulty with various criminogenic needs.

 

The officers in the Standard Supervision unit perform a wide variety of tasks. Besides supervising a caseload of offenders; they are also conducting Pre-Sentence Investigations for the Court. Should an offender violate the terms and conditions of Probation (Community Controlled Sanctions) the officer is charged with writing a Probable Cause Letter to inform the Court of the offender’s current status. The unit also has two (2) Field Officers who are in the community conducting address verifications and home visits.

 

The program is available to pre-trial offenders, who are on bond with the Erie County Common Pleas Court. The Bond Officer will enforce the conditions ordered by the sentencing Judge which the offender is expected to adhere to until sentencing. Should an offender violate his conditions of bond, the prosecutor’s office will be notified and the bond can be revoked. The sentencing Judge will take into consideration whether or not the defendant was compliant during his bond supervision.

The EM/HA Program allows an offender to be “monitored” following his release from the local county jail. The program is administered through the Pre-Trial Bond Officers. Services provided to offenders include employment (the offender has the ability to work while awaiting trial or on CCS); the ability to attend substance abuse counseling; mental health counseling; attend educational/vocational programs; obtain housing.

 

 

The department is using a Kiosk for low risk offenders to report via Kiosks rather than seeing a Probation Officer face-to-face. This allows for monitoring of behavior while freeing a Probation Officer to concentrate their time on high risk offenders.  The Kiosk is linked to the OCSS data based used by many probation departments in the State of Ohio.

 

 

Thinking for a Change or T4C, is an integrated cognitive behavioral program for offenders developed by the U.S. Department of Justice/National Institute of Corrections. The goal of the program is to create change in both offender thinking and behavior that will in turn lead to a reduction in recidivism, promote positive self and social development and aid offenders in taking control of their lives by taking control of their thinking. Offenders will be referred by the sentencing Judge, screened and placed into the appropriate class as determined by their risk level as identified by the ORAS. The classes are taught in-house and are approximately 8 to 10 weeks long. For high risk offenders we also offer Thinking Errors in conjunction with Thinking for a Change.

 

The Intervention Court Program is a court supervised intensive treatment program. The program involves the holistic treatment approach. Community agencies in conjunction with the Common Pleas Court, the Public Defender’s Office, the Prosecutor’s, and the Adult Probation Department are working together to help qualified individuals receive the opportunity to change and develop a healthy lifestyle.

 

The drug screening program, conducts random drug/alcohol testing and monitors individuals for compliance with court orders, conditions of bond or probation (CCS). The offender calls daily (weekends and holidays included) to determine if he/she has been selected to “test”.

SCRAM stands for secure continuous remote alcohol monitor. The device is a tamper resistant bracelet that an offender wears around his/her ankle. The device tests the offender’s sweat for alcohol at least one (1) time per hour. This program is also operated through a private vendor.