Safety, Solutions, and Service
Probation, Parole, and Community Supervision Week represents a time to pause and reflect on the many contributions made by those in the community corrections profession. These talented and dedicated servants could have pursued a more lucrative pathway in the private sector but instead have devoted themselves to service. This often unrecognized service is akin to that of our sister public safety colleagues such as law enforcement, fire and rescue, prosecution, and the courts in that it makes the public safer, it serves the needs of victims, and it acts as a catalyst for change in many ex-offender’s lives. Service is a word that the profession wears proudly.
We work with a diverse group of players. No one entity in the criminal or
juvenile justice system can meet the objectives of community safety alone. It
requires a team of professionals and citizens pulling in the same direction. As
a key cog in a system, the probation, parole, and community supervision
profession seeks to understand the perspectives of others, contribute toward
more peaceful neighborhoods, and collaborate around solutions that work for the
victim, the offender, and the community.
The work is diverse and rewarding; challenging and growth-producing; sometimes
controversial and yet it holds the promise of real solutions that repair harm
and create stronger communities. It is an honorable profession, done for a
dignified cause, and delivered by an honorable group of people who make up the
field of probation, parole, and community supervision.
Mark Carey, President
American Probation and Parole Association