Florida Department of Corrections
Michael D. Crews, Secretary

CPOs Supervise More
Than 153,000 Offenders

Bureau of Probation & Parole Field Services is responsible for developing, implementing, revising and monitoring programs in the areas of probation and other field supervision operations, sentencing scoresheets, probation and parole databases, court-ordered payments, and sexual offenders/predators. Employees in this bureau are also responsible for developing policy for over 3,800 staff members, including over 2,600 probation officers and supervisors. Along with supervising more than 153,000 offenders requiring community supervision, correctional probation officers (CPOs) are required to collect the following fees from offenders, when applicable: cost of supervision, victim restitution, court fines and costs. CPOs are also required to conduct more than 251,000 investigations each year, including pre and post sentence investigations, and other state investigations.

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The Fugitive Apprehension Coordination Team (FACT), implemented in 2001, has assisted in reducing the number of outstanding warrants for probation/parole violators by more than 7%. This unit has accomplished this by working closely with field staff, local, state and federal law enforcement authorities and the public through an Absconder/Fugitive Search Web Site where the public can call or e-mail tips about absconders' whereabouts. This page is located at http://www.dc.state.fl.us/wanted.html and contains information regarding absconders, including photos, when available.

• In FY 2001-02, the Office of Community Corrections provided specialized training opportunities for all staff in areas such as Search and Seizure techniques, Safety and Survival training and instituted "training blocks" designed to concentrate training activities so as to increase time spent by staff on supervision activities. Long distance training over the Department's intranet was also instituted this fiscal year to deliver initial orientation training.
  
  
• In FY 2001-02, the highest average caseload for correctional probation officers was for those supervising offenders on basic community supervision (65:1), such as felony probation, and the lowest average caseload for CPO's was for those supervising offenders on community control (house arrest intensive supervision (23:1).
  
  
• The number of investigations decreased from the previous year, due to the elimination of several types of investigations as part of an ongoing effort to reduce administrative workloads on certified officers so they can focus on field supervision.
  
  

Number of Investigations Conducted (1997-98 to FY 2001-02)

Payments Collected During FY 2001-02 Total $85,236,801*

* Community Corrections also collects other costs (crimes compensation, electronic monitoring, drug testing fees, surcharge and others).

Average Caseloads for Correctional Probation Officers (FY 2001-02)
Community Control	23:1
Community Supervision	65:1
Sex Offender Supervision	44:1
Post Prison Release Supervision	44:1
Drug Offender Probation	53:1

This section of the 2001-02 Annual Report is also provided as an Adobe Acrobat file. Acrobat Reader, a free program is required. Download the one-page section (424K PDF file) for printing or viewing.