South Bend, Indiana, is served by South Bend Parole District #8, which is one of 10 parole districts throughout the state, all of which are part of the Indiana Department of Correction. South Bend Parole District #8 and its parole staff of 20 provide parole supervision for about 14 juveniles and 1,429 adults throughout the year.
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In addition to South Bend, which is the fourth largest city in Indiana and the county seat of St. Joseph County, South Bend Parole District #8 encompasses the following, assigned counties:
There are more than 10,000 adults and juveniles on parole supervision in Indiana, and the inmate population in this state has hovered around 26,000 for the past 3 years.
In 2012 new admissions for parole supervision were 9,243, and parole releases totaled 9,132. There were also 638 parole violators and 1,908 technical parole violators during this time.
Parole Officer Careers in South Bend, Indiana: Meeting Minimum Eligibility Requirements
Individuals interested in pursuing parole officer careers in South Bend must have at least 5 years of experience in one of the following areas:
- Counseling
- Probation
- Parole
- Criminology
- Social Work
- Law Enforcement
- Correctional Counseling
Candidates for parole officer jobs in South Bend may substitute work experience for college/university experience in the above areas, on a year-by-year basis. For example, individuals with a four-year degree from an accredited college or university in criminology may only need one year of experience to qualify for South Bend parole officer jobs.
Learning how to become a parole officer in South Bend, Indiana involves successfully completing the Correctional Training Academy upon being hired. Only those individuals who pass all required training are eligible to receive permanent status as a parole officer with the Indiana Department of Correction.
About the Indiana Parole Board
The Indiana Parole Board, which consists of 5 members, including the Chairman and the Vice Chairman, all of whom are appointed by the Governor for a period of four years, maintains jurisdiction over all offenders in the State of Indiana regarding discretionary parole release. Further, when offenders violate the terms of their parole, the Board is charged with making decisions regarding offenders whose parole has been revoked.
The Indiana Parole Board also makes recommendations to the Governor regarding clemency or commutation requests and serves as the Clemency Commission for all capital cases within the State of Indiana.
The Parole Board oversees two types of board hearings for the parole supervision process: an informal, public hearing where victims, family members and witnesses may speak and present their support, their opinions, or their concerns; and the facility hearing, where the offender may speak to the Board. Upon completion of both hearings, the Board then makes a decision regarding whether to grant parole to the offender.