Nampa, Idaho, is part of the Idaho Department of Corrections (IDOC) Probation and Parole Bureau. The Probation and Parole Bureau is divided into 7 districts, with Nampa (Canyon County) and the counties of Owyhee, Washington, Payette, Gem, and Adams organized under District 3, which includes the southeastern portion of Idaho.
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Nampa is the fastest growing and largest city in Canyon County, with a population of about 82,000, as of the 2010 census. It is location near Boise and Meridian make it vital hub for providing probation and parole services to Idaho’s biggest metro areas. District 3 Probation and Parole includes the main office, located in Caldwell, and the satellite office, located in Payette.
The number of offenders on probation and parole in Idaho’s District 3, as of March 2013, totaled 2,620, or about 18 percent of the state’s total probationers and parolees. Of those, 2,114 were on probation and 506 were on parole.
Qualifications for Probation and Parole Officer Jobs in Nampa
Probation and parole officers in Nampa, Idaho, are certified peace officers. This means all job candidates must be able to pass both a written exam (with a score of at least 76 percent, which also includes a rating of education and experience) and a physical fitness exam.
Candidates for probation and parole officer careers in Nampa must have knowledge of criminology or the behavioral or social sciences, and they must hold a valid driver’s license.
Probation and Parole Officer Training in Nampa
Candidates selected for probation and parole officer jobs in Nampa must be able to successfully complete the Felony Probation and Parole Academy through the Peace Officer Standards and Training Facility. Once training is complete, probation and parole officers in Idaho are POST-certified peace officers.
Maintaining certification requires the completion of quarterly training classes in such areas as arrest techniques, policy reviews, safety protocols, and firearms, among others.
The Programs of the IDOC, Bureau of Probation and Parole
The Bureau of Probation and Parole has about 1,550 employees, who oversee the state’s 10 prisons, 7 district offices, 20 satellite offices, and 4 community work centers. The Bureau currently supports 16,500 offenders under active community supervision in Idaho.
There are a number of programs in the state supported by the Bureau of Probation and Parole:
Community Work Centers: The Bureau of Education, Treatment, and Reentry oversees the operations of 4 community work centers, including the Nampa Community Work Center. Other community work centers include the South Idaho Correctional Institution Community Work Center in Kuna, the Idaho Falls Community Work Center, and the East Boise Community Work Center.
Drug Courts and Mental Health Courts: There are 10 mental health courts and 21 drug courts throughout the State of Idaho, all of which are overseen by probation officers who are assigned to cases to ensure compliance with all court-ordered services and programs.