As of a December 2012 report from the WDOC, 6,097 offenders were on parole or probation in the state of Wyoming. Probation/parole officers in Casper work on helping offenders to become rehabilitated and productive members of society. They do this by first assessing the offender’s risk to society and what services would help the individual live a crime-free life.
Sponsored School(s)
Casper is the location of offices of both the U.S. Probation Office and the Division of Field Services for the Wyoming Department of Corrections (WDOC). Eight probation officers work out of the Casper Office in the Ewing T. Kerr Federal Building handling cases related to federal offenders. Probation/parole officers of the Division offices for Field Services oversee the cases of those who have committed crimes under the jurisdiction of the state of Wyoming.
How to Become a Probation/Parole Officer in Casper
State Probation Officers – To become a probation/parole officer in Casper, a bachelor’s degree is required. Applicants submit their application and supporting documents to the WDOC recruiter at the central office in Cheyenne. Additional requirements include having a driver’s license and being a U.S. citizen.
New employees of the WDOC learn how to become probation/parole officers in Casper by taking part in the first week of Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) at the WDOC Training Academy in Rawlins. They will be trained in staff safety and will learn the techniques of controlling offenders.
Federal Probation Officers – Those who seek careers as federal probation officers in Casper must be younger than 37 at the time of their appointment. They also must have excellent vision with correction and be able to hear well. New officers are trained at the Federal Probation and Pretrial Services Training Academy in Virginia. This six-week program is at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
A Day in the Life of a Casper Wyoming Probation and Parole Officer
This risk assessment determines whether an individual will be subject to unsupervised or supervised probation. The levels of supervision depend on the assessed risk level. Some people are placed in the Intensive Supervision Program and are visited as often as eight times each month. More low-risk offenders might be visited much less frequently at three month intervals.
The jobs of probation/parole officers in Casper involve helping the offender to get needed services such as GED classes, job training, substance abuse treatment, or mental health counseling. Those on probation or parole need to refrain from drug or alcohol use and be taking part in the services that have been prescribed for them. This includes community service in many cases.
These efforts have resulted in Wyoming’s having the second lowest recidivism rate in the U.S. It is the lowest rate in the region according to the PEW Foundation.