History Appendix F: Board Resolution 1965 Opposing Consolidation with Justice DepartmentAPPENDIX F
RESOLUTION OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE FEDERAL PROBATION OFFICERS ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER 29,1965
WHEREAS, proposals have been made that the Probation Officers now under the direction of the District Judges and the supervision and administration of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, be transferred to the Department of Justice and placed in a unified department under the direction of the Attorney General, and
WHEREAS, under the present system the relationship of trust and confidence between the Judges and the Probation Officers is of the highest importance, and
WHEREAS, these proposals would destroy or weaken this relationship by creating conflicting interests arising from the direct control over Probation Officers by the Department of Justice -- the agency charged with criminal prosecutions, and
WHEREAS, upwards of 75% of the duties of Federal Probation Officers flow from the Courts, and
WHEREAS, Judicial management has been effective and efficient as evidenced by the expansion of the service since its transfer from the Department of Justice in 1940, and subsequent reduction of average caseloads from 148 to 74 in 1964, and
WHEREAS, Judicial administration has consistently raised the standards for the appointment of Probation Officers through (a) Recommendations by the Judicial Conference in 1942 of minimum qualifications of a college degree, plus two years of graduate training or two years of service for the welfare of others; and (b) By subsequent Judicial Conference action in 1961 making such qualifications mandatory, and
WHEREAS, a high degree of unification characterizes the various Federal correctional services through the complete integration of probation, parole, military parole, and prison liaison services in the field office of the Probation Officer, and
WHEREAS, this unification has been further strengthened through (a) The high degree of coordination which has traditionally prevailed through cooperation between personnel of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, the United States Board of Parole, the U. S. Bureau of Prisons, and the military correctional services; and (b) Through the coordination of training by the consistent use of key representatives of the Administrative Office, the Bureau of Prisons, and the Board of Parole at regional institutes, and at the annual series of refresher and orientation schools convened at the Federal Probation Training Center; and (c) Through the publication of a superb professional journal devoted to dissemination of knowledge and understanding among all Federal correctional services; and (d) the production and periodic revision of an excellent Manual for the guidance of field Probation Officers in the performance of all their probation, parole, Prison Bureau liaison, and military parole duties, and
WHEREAS, present research and training programs contemplate continuing improvement in coordination of our Federal correctional services through expanded field supervision as now being demonstrated by the regional field supervision project in the mid-Atlantic Region, and through joint planning of training institutes and workshops by key personnel of the various correctional services, and
WHEREAS the Board of Directors of the Federal Probation Officers Association in official session at Kansas City, Missouri, September 27, 28 and 29 unanimously opposed the proposal for transfer of the Federal Probation Service to the Department of Justice;
BE IT RESOLVED, THEREFORE, that the appointment, control and administration of the United States Probation Service remain with the Judiciary under the existing tradition of coordinate supervision by the Courts, the U. S. Board of Parole, the Bureau of Prisons, and the Military correctional services.
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