1945:
The Franklin County Court of Common Pleas creates the Adult Probation Department,
located at 410 South High St. in Columbus, Ohio.
Joseph H. Palmer is the first Chief and he earns a yearly salary of $4,550.00.
The department consists of two officers who provide general supervision
for the Court.
1959:
The department grows to nine officers and Jay C. Smith is appointed Chief.
1972:
Ned Woodruff is appointed Chief of the department.
1973:
The department moves to the new courthouse located at 369 S. High St.
in Columbus, Ohio.
The State of Ohio Parole Authority begins writing Pre and Post sentence
investigations through the department for the Court.
1974:
The Special Achievement Council is established and the department begins
to specifically deal with the alcohol dependent offender.
1979:
The Probation Department grows to 25 officers.
The department moves to 375 S. High St in Columbus, Ohio.
Thomas Studebaker is appointed Chief Probation Officer.
1983:
Through the Community Corrections Act of the State of Ohio, the Probation
Department implements the Intensive Supervision Program.
1984:
The Work Release Program is created.
1989:
Wayne Wilson is appointed Chief of the department.
The Work Release Program is expanded to include Home Incarceration.
1991:
The Probation Department makes its final move to the current location
of 373 S. High St. in Columbus, Ohio.
Pre-Trial Release Program is established to supervise offenders on bond.
The urinalysis laboratory is developed within the department to monitor
drug and alcohol usage of probationers.
1993:
James Wichtman is appointed Chief of the department.
The Special Achievement Council accommodates chemically dependant probationers.
The Community Based Correctional Facility opens.
1995:
The Sex Offender Unit is added to the department.
Single Assignment, where each probation officer is assigned to an individual
judge, is instated.
1996:
Steve Cahill is appointment Director of Court Operations and Chief Probation
Officer.
The department recognizes the need for specialized caseloads and the Dual
Diagnosis, Treatment in Lieu of Conviction and Non-Support Caseloads are
established.
The Day Reporting Program and the Community Service Program are created.
1997:
The department is restructured into two divisions: Program and Supervision.
The department begins collecting supervision fees to supplement the existing
department budget.
All officers have personal computers on their desks, thus providing access
to court docket schedules and jail populations.
1998:
The Day Reporting Program is expanded from a six week program to an eleven
week program with the addition of job readiness and aftercare components.
1999:
The Absconder Recovery Unit and the Criminal Gang Coordinator positions
are created.
The department is awarded a Federal grant through the U.S. Department
of Justice.
The department develops it's own Domestic Violence and Anger Management
Program, called the Alternatives to Aggression and Violence Prevention.
2000:
The eighteen-month, M.O.S.A.I.C. (Management of Sex Offending Adults in
the Community) Program is put in place with funds received by the 1999
federal grant. It helps to improve the way Franklin County supervises
adult sexual offenders. This program also establishes the Polygraph/Gang
Officer.
The night monitoring program for high-risk offenders is put into place.
2001:
Gayle Dittmer is appointed Chief Probation Officer.
The department instates a computerized case management system.
The Violence Prevention Officer position is added.
2002:
The Intensive Misdemeanor Officer position is established.
Strategic Planning/Performance Based Budgeting is implemented.
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