The Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles hopes to hire 138 new probation and parole officers and nearly double the number of specialist positions over the next three years, Director Charlie Graddick said.

The request comes during the 2020 session of the Alabama Legislature, which began Feb. 4.

The bureau is trying to bring its parole and probation officer caseloads to a target ratio of 75:1, Graddick said in a press release Thursday. To do that, the bureau needs to hire 138 officers. Hiring would be spread over three years, and the officers would be assigned to field offices statewide, he said.

“Our number one priority is the safety of Alabamians,” Graddick said. “Our officers supervise thousands of probationers and parolees, and we do not have enough officers to cover our caseload of offenders we are required to supervise. These officers serve the vital role of helping the protect the public while working to help former inmates successfully transition to productive and law-abiding lives. It is important that we put more officers into the field to do this vitally important work. This should help reduce recidivism rates, too.”

Graddick said the bureau also needs to nearly double its number of specialist positions, from 66 to 128, over three years to reduce the paperwork burden on the officers to allow them to spend much more time supervising parolees and probationers. The bureau is pursuing legislation that, among other things, would allow for specialists to undertake much of the report writing, assessment functions and court appearances statutorily assigned to officers so officers could be freed up to be in the field supervising more efficiently and effectively.

The bureau also hopes to buy more vehicles and other equipment for current officers, Graddick said.

The duties of probation and parole officers are similar, though a parole officer supervises offenders who have been released from prison and a probation officer supervises those sentenced to serve probation instead of incarceration.

Probation and parole officers evaluate offenders to determine the best rehabilitation plan, they regularly interview them to check on their progress, and they recommend remedial action or initiate court action for those who violate the terms of their probation or parole.