Probation and parole services in Wyoming are provided by the Division of Field Services of the Wyoming Department of Corrections (WDOC), which is headquartered in Cheyenne. This division has 181 employees who work throughout the state at 25 probation and parole offices, including the Cheyenne headquarters.
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In addition to probation and parole officers that work for the state of Wyoming, there are probation officers located at the Cheyenne Office of the U.S. Probation Office. Nine officers work out of the Joseph C. O’Mahoney Federal Center overseeing the cases of those who have committed federal crimes.
According to a December 2012 WDOC report, there were 6,097 offenders on probation or parole in Wyoming at that time. Probation and parole services in Cheyenne focus on rehabilitating offenders and readying them to renter society as productive, law-abiding members. Probation and parole officers assess the risk that an offender poses to society and recommends appropriate sanctions and services for the individual.
How to Become a Probation/Parole Officer in Cheyenne
Degree Requirements – A bachelor’s degree is required for careers as probation/parole officers in Wyoming. Applications are sent to the WDOC recruiter in Cheyenne, and copies of a driver’s license, college transcripts, and proof of citizenship are also required.
What to Expect from Training – Those who are selected learn how to become probation/parole officers in Cheyenne by attending the highly regarded WDOC Training Academy located at the penitentiary in Rawlins. All new officers take part in first week of Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.). They receive training in staff safety and learn control tactics.
Federal Officer Training – The requirements to become a federal probation officer in Cheyenne include being no older than 37 when appointed and having excellent hearing and vision. Training for these positions involve a six week long program at the Federal Probation and Pretrial Services Training Academy. It takes place at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Charleston, Virginia.
Probation/Parole Officer Roles in Cheyenne
Probation in Cheyenne can be divided into several categories. There is unsupervised and supervised probation. With supervised probation, the officers visit the individual at varying intervals. This can range from every three months for those on standard probation to up to eight times a month for those in the Intensive Supervision Program (ISP).
The jobs of probation and parole officers focus on strategies that have been shown to help change criminal behavior. Probation and parole officers help their clients to enroll in educational and employment training. Offenders in need are enrolled in substance abuse and mental health treatment. These intervention efforts appear to be highly successful, since data from the PEW Foundation indicated that Wyoming had the second lowest rate of recidivism in the country.