Summit County supported the largest offender population in the Akron Region. Of the 1,228 offenders under supervision in 2011; 456 were in post release control or parole, and 283 were in judicial release programs. Among the 139 participants in the Transitional Control Program, 79 percent successfully completed their supervision. The recidivism rate among offenders during the three-year period after 2008 was 35.4 percent, with 27.6 percent of offenders re-incarcerated for new crimes.
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Education and Training to Become a Parole Officer in Akron
Only the Adult Parole Authority hires parole officers to fill jobs in Akron. In order to apply for a parole officer job, candidates should have the following qualifications:
- Legal ability to use and carry firearms
- Possession of a valid driver’s license
- Successful completion of the parole officer civil service exam
- Ability to complete parole officer orientation
- Bachelor’s degree; or
- Associate’s degree and at least two years of experience in one of these professions:
- Corrections
- Social work
- Law enforcement
- Criminal justice
Although the Adult Parole Authority does not stipulate the major for any degrees, the most competitive concentrations for candidates interested in learning how to become parole officers in Akron are:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Criminal justice
- Law
- Social work
For degree-holders who would like to obtain some experience in community supervision, there may be opportunities through public agencies like the U.S. District Courts as an intern.
Once hired, new parole officers must complete a three-week orientation program held at the Corrections Training Academy. This program will include 40 hours of firearms instruction, after which graduates must qualify in firearms use to receive parole officer certification. Each following year, officers must re-qualify in firearms and receive at least 40 hours of additional training.
The Parole System in Akron
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction administers parole services through the Adult Parole Authority. The Akron Region of the APA has a regional office with three parole units in Akron, a district office with three units in Youngstown, and a unit each at satellite offices in Canton, New Philadelphia, Huron, Painesville and Trumbull.
The Akron Region supports almost 99 parole officers who oversaw almost 5,400 offenders across 14 counties in 2011. Of these 2,075 were under community control supervision, 1,624 were under post release control, 155 were parolees, and 22 were serving probation sentences. Another 1,461 offenders qualified for community supervision through a variety of sentencing and rehabilitation programs.
The Transitional Control Program allows offenders to be released 180 earlier than the term of their sentence. Offenders are required to remain in a halfway house or other approved facility and wear an electronic monitoring device. Offenders may leave the facility for treatment, employment, family visits or vocational training.