Now hiring: Despite some improvements, state’s probation system still faces problems and must hire more officers

The efforts of Gov. Bev Perdue’s administration to fix the state’s broken probation system have yielded some positive results thus far. However, the system’s primary problem — the lack of probation officers — has seen minimal improvement at best.

Problems with the state’s probation system came to the forefront after the shooting death of former Student Body President Eve Carson. The two people charged in her death were on probation at the time and received insufficient attention from their assigned officers.

Between 2000 and 2008, 580 killings were committed by offenders on probation, The (Raleigh) News and Observer found.

In order for the N.C. Department of Corrections to be able to recruit and retain more probation officers, their wages must be increased.

Even in these difficult economic times, the state still has a fundamental obligation to keep its citizens safe. Part of this responsibility is a fully functioning probation system.

The annual salary range for a N.C. probation officer is approximately $35,000 to $56,000.

The current salary level is not proper compensation for the highly demanding nature of the job.

To be a probation officer, one must have a college degree, the ability to handle emergency situations and defend oneself against potentially volatile and “physically assaultive” offenders, while maintaining a professional demeanor, according to the state’s job description. And the list goes on.

The starting $35,000 salary is poor compensation for the experience and workload that the job requires, not to mention the potential dangers and high stress level associated with the position.

Burdensome responsibilities, dangerous field work, large case loads and rigourous job requirements are all major disincentives for prospective officers to apply and for current officers to remain in the field.

And reducing the responsibilities and job stipulations required of officers is not an option.

The fundamental problem with the state’s probation system lies in the inability for officials to properly track and oversee that state’s 111,444 probationers. Statewide, 10 percent of the probationers are unaccounted for.

If the Department of Corrections is unable to fill needed probation officer positions with a double-digit state-wide unemployment rate, then the state government must create incentives that will attract qualified applicants.

The only way to do this is to pad probation officer wages.

The General Assembly must allocate more money to the probation system or risk the safety of its citizens and face even more costly problems down the road.