Probation and Parole to Support Halloween Safety on Tuesday Evening
This coming Tuesday night, October 31st Probation Officers will be out in the community to help support Halloween safety for kids and families. Designated probationers are required to remain inside their homes with outside lights turned off and are prohibited from distributing candy or participating in Halloween-related activities. High risk homeless sex offenders under Probation supervision are required to report to their local Probation Office or another designated location for the evening as a public safety measure. On Tuesday evening, teams of Probation Officers will deploy across the state to conduct hundreds of residence and curfew checks to verify that designated probationers are complying with these Halloween restrictions. For the past 25 years on Halloween night, Probation and Parole imposes temporary restrictions on certain individuals on probation who have been convicted of sex related offenses and have child victims or are determined to be high risk for reoffending. Over the past two years, Probation Officers completed nearly 850 residence and curfew checks as part of this Halloween safety initiative.
Additional Information from the Delaware Department of Correction
The temporary Halloween-related restrictions, backed up by home visits and curfew checks, are designed to serve a deterrent effect on high risk individuals from interacting with children and reducing the likelihood of victimization. This safety initiative is part of a comprehensive program of responsive supervision practices employed by Probation and Parole to reduce the risk that individuals on probation will fall back into criminal behavior. Depending on an individual’s criminal history and level of risk for reoffending an individual serving probation may be required to participate in a specific treatment program, meet regularly with their Probation Officer, demonstrate sobriety from drug and alcohol abuse, follow a curfew, or meet other conditions.
“Our Halloween safety initiative reflects the dedication of our Probation Officers to the dual mission of protecting the public and supporting reentry success by effectively supervising individuals on probation,” Department of Correction Acting Commissioner Terra Taylor said.
The Department of Correction Bureau of Community Corrections oversees probation and parole, pretrial services, the community work release program, electronic monitoring and other supervision programs for more than 10,000 individuals statewide who are housed in Work Release and Violation of Probation facilities and the statewide Community Corrections Treatment Center, or are serving probationary sentences in the community. Its 300 Probation and Parole Officers along with support staff work to reduce crime and support public safety by assessing offender risks and needs and providing responsive supervision through comprehensive evidence-based reentry-focused programs that feature substance abuse treatment, mental health services, career counseling, education and training. Bureau staff collaborate on a daily basis with medical and behavioral healthcare professionals, community organizations, service providers, state agencies, employers and the Judiciary to connect men and women under their supervision to systems of support that improve their chances of leading productive lives in our communities. They also play an active role in collaborative crime reduction initiatives, including the Group Violence Intervention project in the City of Wilmington.
