The New Mexico Corrections Department employs officers that supervise individuals on both probation and parole. Over 11,000 people were on probation in New Mexico in January 2013 while over 1,100 were on parole. The main office for probation and parole is located in Santa Fe and is home to the Director and Deputy Director of this division.
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Santa Fe is part of Region I of New Mexico’s probation and parole division. Of the ten district probation/parole offices, two are located in Santa Fe. Approximately 78 people work in this region that covers five judicial districts. They include:
- The First District
- Santa Fe County
- Los Alamos County
- Rio Arriba County
- The Fourth District
- San Miguel County
- Mora County
- Guadalupe County
- The Eight district
- Colfax County
- Union County
- Taos County
- The Eleventh District
- San Juan County
- McKinley County
- The Thirteenth District
- Cibola County
Education and Training to Become a Probation and Parole Officer in Santa Fe
Those seeking careers as probation/parole officers in Santa Fe are required to have a bachelor’s degree. This degree can be in any field, but applicants must have at least fifteen semester hours of study in one of the following fields:
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Guidance and counseling
- Police science
This coursework can be as part of a major or taken in addition to the bachelor’s degree. Additional requirements to apply for probation/parole officers in Santa Fe include having a home phone and being a U.S. citizen. Applicants must pass a physical test before they can be hired and will have to be tested for drugs and undergo a background check.
Training for new officers is provided at the Training Academy of the New Mexico Corrections Department so that new employees learn how to become probation/parole officers in Santa Fe. Coursework includes defensive tactics and first aid/CPR.
Additional training is provided to selected probation/parole officers who become part of a Community Response Team to track down fugitives. These Community Policing officers are trained in using firearms and receive liability training. They help law enforcement officials to track down the 1,500 fugitives who have violated their New Mexico probation or parole.
Probation and Parole Programs Available to Offenders in Santa Fe
Probation/parole officers develop case plans and monitor those on probation and parole to ensure that they are following the dictates of their plan. An important aspect of probation/parole officer jobs in Santa Fe is connecting those on probation or parole with services that help them better integrate into the community. This region offers about 200 such programs for people on probation or parole in northern New Mexico. They include:
- Domestic violence counseling
- Financial assistance
- Housing assistance
- Mental health counseling
- Substance abuse programs (both inpatient and outpatient)
Special Drug Courts oversee the cases of non-violent offenders who have committed offenses with drugs and provide a highly structured program to help these individuals. One of the seven Drug Courts in Region I is located in Santa Fe.
A dedicated gender specific probation/parole officer is located in Santa Fe to provide female offenders with the guidance and care that they need to become rehabilitated. Other specialized probation/parole officers in Region 1 include those who work with sex offenders and other high-risk or high need offenders.