The Division of Probation and Parole supervises adult returning residents under community supervision through the enforcement of legal statutes and community-based programs designed to facilitate the returning resident’s adjustment and reintegration into society.
Corey Acosta
Director
(225) 342-6609
Steve Lassalle
Deputy Director
(225) 342-6609
Rhett Covington
Deputy Director
(225) 342-6609
Mike LaCroix
Regional Director – Region 1
Leesville, Minden, Monroe, Natchitoches, Shreveport, and Tallulah
(318) 362-3171
Kevin Hidalgo
Regional Director – Region 2
Amite, Baton Rouge, Covington, Donaldsonville, Feliciana, and West Baton Rouge
(225) 922-0227
Brandon Thompson
Regional Director – Region 3
Alexandria, Lafayette, Lake Charles, New Iberia, Thibodaux, and Ville Platte
(337) 321-1288
Richard Berger
Regional Director – Region 4
East Jefferson, Jefferson, and New Orleans
(504) 465-3490
Assistant Directors
Jennifer Bush – Sex Offender Management, Parole Board Liaison, Transitional Work Programs, Fugitive/Extradition
Tadd Stout – Academy Training, Special Response Team
Sharvon Batiste – Safety, ACA, Technology, Electronic Monitoring, Interstate Compact
Program Managers
Keisha Owens – Interstate Compact
Gavin Robert – Technology Liaison
Stephanie Webb – Fugitive/Extraditions
John Smith – Parole Board, Alternative Programs
Human Resources Director
Chandra Carr
Administrative Director (Budget)
Dollneccia Drexler
Training Academy
Josh Smith, Academy Director
Terry Bridges, Training Specialist
It is the mission of the Division of Probation and Parole/Adult to protect public safety by providing for the investigation and supervision of adjudicated returning residents through the enforcement of legal statutes and community-based programs designed to facilitate the returning resident’s adjustment and reintegration into society. The Division is committed to a program of managing adults on probation and parole that will contribute to restoring the victim and community by holding those on probation and parole accountable for their actions and providing opportunities for restitution.
The Division of Probation and Parole/Adult has twenty-one offices strategically located throughout the state. There are 510 officers allocated to supervise more than 60,000 people on probation or parole in the community, 99% of which are people with felony convictions. Approximately 2,000 of the 60,000 people under community supervision are convicted of sex offenses. Many people convicted of sex offenses and under community supervision require specialized supervision, treatment, and compliance with registration and notification laws.
Probation and Parole Officers also conduct major investigations for the Court (Pre-Sentences), Parole Board (Pre-Paroles) and Pardon Board (Clemencies) (more than 3,000 in fiscal year 2018-2019). Officers may arrest people on probation or parole for violation of the conditions of supervision (approximately 3,700 in FY 2018-2019). Approximately 550 people who violated their probation or parole were returned from out of state in FY 2018-2019. Approximately 23 million dollars in fees, victim restitution, fines, court costs, and other assessments were collected by this agency in the last fiscal year.
The average caseload is 119 offenders per Officer. Officers who supervise specialist cases (i.e. people convicted of sex offenses) carry a reduced caseload, which means other Officers may carry 160 or more cases.
The Division is accredited by the American Correctional Association, earning 100% compliance with standards on the last audit in 2019.
These are parole and probation conditions for all people under community supervision in the state of Louisiana.
Parole Conditions
Conditions of Probation – Art. 895
When the court places a defendant on probation, it shall require the defendant to refrain from criminal conduct and to pay a supervision fee to defray the costs of probation supervision, and it may impose any specific conditions reasonably related to his rehabilitation, including any of the following. That the defendant shall:
Louisiana’s data on the prison population shows that people in prison are most at risk of returning to prison within the first two years of release, often because they lack programs and services to achieve stability in their communities. Sometimes, they fall back into old patterns and associations. As a result, the Department has established alternatives to incarceration.
P&P officers refer people on probation and parole to a variety of programs in the community designed to address the issues they commonly face, including substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, treatment for people convicted of sex offenses, anger management, job training/skills programs, and driving schools.
In 2014-15, the Division of Probation and Parole opened five Day Reporting Centers (DRC) in addition to the three that already existed. There are now DRC’s in Monroe, Lake Charles, Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Covington, Lafayette, New Orleans, and Shreveport. DRC’s serve returning residents in the local area, providing life skills, job training, and various treatment.
To further reduce costs while continuing to provide safety for the community, certain people on probation and parole who were not convicted of violent or sex offenses may be referred to the Don Francois Alternative Center for committing technical violations of supervision (i.e. they are not arrested for a new felony) . This 90-day program addresses the rehabilitation needs of the person who committed the technical violation, including but not limited to, substance abuse treatment and anger management programs. Program participants are returned to supervision upon completion of the program.
To address long-term, significant substance abuse issues, people on probation or parole can be referred to the Steve Hoyle Rehabilitation Program, which provides a therapeutic community approach to house, treat, educate, and support individuals. The Louisiana Transition Center for Women, a local level facility in Madison Parish that accommodates women under the custody of DPS&C, and the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women offer short-term substance abuse treatment and reentry programs for women on probation/parole supervision.
The Interstate Compact for the supervision of people on parole and probation was established in 1937 and was the only vehicle that provided for the controlled movement of adults on probation and parole across state lines.
A new Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision was ratified on June 19, 2002 when Pennsylvania became the 35th state to pass the new Compact Legislation. Louisiana was the 22nd state to enact the updated compact law. All states as well as the District of Columbia, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico are now signatory to the compact.
Provisions for the new compact enhance public safety by ensuring that returning residents are properly supervised. Its rules also have the full force and effect of statutory law. It provides enforcement capabilities against states which refuse to comply with the rules of the compact. The compact also provides accountability by involving the legislative, executive, and judicial branches and victim rights representative as members of a state oversight council. The Commission meets annually to review rules, develop policies, and provide training.
Louisiana utilizes the national computer database system Interstate Compact Offender Tracking System, known as ICOTS. This internet-based program provides a nationwide, centralized format that streamlines the compact process to make it more efficient and reduce paperwork.
The Louisiana Legislature enacted legislation which authorizes the collection of a $150 application fee for all eligible people under community supervision from Louisiana requesting to transfer supervision to another state. The money collected from this fee defrays costs incurred by the state in returning people who violate probation or parole to Louisiana for revocation or court hearings. Louisiana does its best to balance the number of incoming and outgoing transfer requests.
People in prison or under community supervision and family members are encouraged to submit transfer requests up to six months before the scheduled release date from prison/jail in order to appropriately process the request.
History
On May 3, 1999, the Division of Probation and Parole hosted its first Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Academy. Under the leadership of Academy Director Bill Corkern and Assistant Director David Miller, P&P Academy staff dedicated many hours to the training and personal attention of our officers and graduated 34 from their very first class. Since that time, the division has conducted 34 successful academy classes, graduating approximately 873 experienced and new officers.
The task of the probation and parole officers is not only to protect society by enforcing the laws and keeping peace and enforcing the conditions of probation and/or parole, but also to assist the person on probation or parole in his or her reintegration back into society through the collaborative efforts of our community partners. The Department’s correctional facilities work together with community corrections to provide returning residents with the services and skills needed to become a productive member of the community. Our academy trains our officers to be proactive in the reintegration process.
Training
Today’s probation and parole officer is called upon to deal not only with crime, but also with virtually all community challenges, including drug abuse, domestic violence issues, poverty, and homelessness. Probation and parole officers demonstrate courage and physical skills, and possess a solid working knowledge of state and local law and community resources available to assist returning residents. They are skilled in medicine and psychology to provide emergency assistance. On numerous occasions our officers are called upon to assist their local law enforcement partners during warrant round ups and other raids, as well as special task forces such as the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force and BRAVE. It is through the training they receive at the P.O.S.T. Academy and the local district office that they are prepared and equipped with the knowledge necessary to perform virtually any task.
While in the academy, trainees are required to complete approximately 480 hours of peace officer training. They must complete a specific number of hours in each of the following fields: Orientation to Criminal Justice, Legal Aspects, First Aid & CPR, Firearms, Investigations, Report Writing, Traffic Services, Patrol Activities, Specialized Activities, Officer Survival, Becoming a Professional Peace Officer, Active Shooter, and electives of our choice.
Trainees also participate in 80 hours of firearms training and must shoot a qualifying score on the P.O.S.T. firearms course in order to continue in the academy. They are then sent through 40 hours of training on Pressure Point Control Tactics (PPCT). Again, they must pass a written exam and show proficiency in the techniques to proceed.
Trainees must also participate in a physical fitness program daily consisting of aerobic and anaerobic exercises. At the end of the 11th week, all trainees must pass cumulative P.O.S.T. test administered by the P.O.S.T. council in order to graduate and be sworn in as Probation and Parole Officers.
Upon graduation, trainees return for an additional 40 hours of training in probation and parole topics such as investigations, preliminary hearings, supervision, and computer databases to name just a few.
Through the continued support of Director Curtis “Pete” Fremin and Deputy Directors Gerald Starks and Bobby Jamie Lee, the academy continues to make improvements in training. In 2008, the division once again introduced physical standards. The trainees are required to pass an initial physical fitness test and score at least 20 percent overall in the three exercises performed to be accepted into the academy. Prior to completing the academy, they must pass a final fitness assessment scoring at least 30 percent overall in the three areas in order to graduate.
Instructors
The Probation and Parole P.O.S.T. Academy would not be as successful as it is without the support of its many instructors both within our agency and those who so graciously give their time outside of the Department. We have some of the best firearm, defensive tactics and classroom instructors any Department could ask for. Many of these instructors carry a full investigative and working caseload, yet still find time to train their new co-workers.
