Minnesota Probation Offices Taking Cuts
With state budgets stretched beyond their limits, governments at the state and local levels have to make difficult cuts. In the case of probation and criminal justice corrections, those cuts are often met with resistance from the public and rejoice from those probationers that are lucky enough to see the benefits.
As this article from Minnesota Public Radio details, probation officers are overworked and stretched thin when it comes to managing large caseloads. Without extra money floating around, the offices around our state are experiencing hiring freezes and even position elimination.
What this means for the public is that probationers may not be seen as much as in ideal economic situations and they may actually be released from supervision early.
Tom Merkel, Hennepin County Director of Community Corrections and Rehabilitation has met with some resistance as he feels he had no choice but to drop probationers from supervision. With money tight, it seemed to come down to eliminating more positions or dropping offenders. In this case 5000 Hennepin County probationers will no longer be supervised.
Merkel makes a good point when realizing that probation success often has to do with the probationer satisfying terms of probation rather than serving a specific amount of time. For instance, if you fulfill your community service, drug education, and employment conditions, waiting for your probation term to expire doesn’t necessarily add any value to your supervision.
While this view isn’t shared by all, it seems the move was necessary for the time and may even be followed by similar actions around the state.
The decision to sentence someone to probation depends on a number of factors. A judge will look at the crime committed and the person’s criminal history, as well as the likelihood that they will reoffend if left within the community.
When facing serious charges like assault or domestic violence, probation is often the best a person can hope for.
If you are facing criminal charges, whether they are for theft or drug distribution, we can help. Let’s take a look at your case and see if you might be eligible for probation rather than active jail time.
Our Minnesota lawyers are ready to hear about your case and what you would like to see on your day in court. Call now.