The House of Representatives on Thursday rejected a proposal to give spending authority for 30 more parole and probation officers at Arkansas Community Correction in fiscal 2019.
The proposal was added to the agency's appropriation, House Bill 1082, by the Joint Budget Committee on Tuesday. The full House, however, rejected Sen. Will Bond's amendment with a split voice vote Thursday.
The amendment, opposed by Budget Director Duncan Baird, would have increased the number of parole and probation officers to 529 in the coming fiscal year -- a spending increase of about $1.5 million if the positions were filled.
Baird, however, noted during Tuesday's committee meeting that the department has 100 vacant positions, including 27 for probation and parole officers.
Bond, D-Little Rock, in an interview Thursday said he remains optimistic that his proposal could be accepted later during the current fiscal session. He added that the fact there are vacancies in the department doesn't negate the need for additional positions.
More parole and probation officers, Bond said, would reduce the average officer's caseload while also increasing public safety and the chance offenders have to succeed at the end of their sentences.
Bond cited a 2015 Council of State Governments report that said more parole and probation officers helped reduce recidivism and increase the quality of supervision.
In 2015, the average parole and probation officer oversaw 129 cases, according to Arkansas Community Correction. Many of those officers, in interviews with researchers, admitted they were overwhelmed and struggled to complete assigned tasks, according to the council's report.
-- Hunter Field
