Probation

About Probation

The mission of the Switzerland County Probation Department is to provide or refer necessary services to the offender toward reducing criminal/delinquent behavior, while balancing the needs of the offender and ensuring the safety of the community.

Other duties include ...

1. Supervise and assist adult probationers consistent with Court imposed probation conditions, including furnishing and explaining written statements of such conditions and monitoring probationers’ compliance.
2. Conducts initial interviews, and prepares various reports, written recommendations, criminal records checks and "Violations of Probation" for the court.
3. Conducts risk assessments on probationers to determine risk level for services and supervision.
4. Conducts investigative processes including background searches of family, medical, education and criminal histories to provide pre-sentence information to the Court in written form.
5. Presents recommendations to the Court answering any questions asked by the judge and files progress reports with the Court submitted by other agencies.
6. Attends information sharing meetings with local law enforcement agencies.
7. Attends Court sentence hearings, revocation hearings, initial hearings, and fact-finding hearings to provide factual information regarding probationers’ activities and status.
8. Coordinates placement for adult probationers in half-way houses and treatment facilities.
9. Performs random home searches and/or visits to ensure compliance with conditions or probation.
10. Prepares and mails Victims Assistance Affidavits and ensures probationers pay required fees, including fines, court costs and restitution.
11. Files progress reports with the court submitted by other agencies.
12. Conducts presentations for local schools and organizations.
13. Prepares paperwork for intra/interstate transfers.
14. Supervises defendants placed under conditional discharge by the court.
15. Serves on advisory board and other community organizations.
16. Figures defendants’ jail credit time for the courts.
17. Answers telephones in the office and greets office visitors, providing information and assistance, taking messages, transferring and directing persons to appropriate location and assisting the public with complaints.
18. Attends training seminars, complying with Judicial Center’s continuing education requirement of 12 hours per year.
19. Serves on 24-hour call for emergencies.
20. Performs related duties as assigned.