Department of Health and Welfare. Division of Corrections. Adult Parole and Probation Section

Adult Probation and Parole aimed to: a. protect society from the adult offender during the resocialization process, and b. completely resocialize the adult offender. The program included direct supervision and case-work, misdemeanant programs, drinking driving programs, and community corrections centers or halfway houses. To make resocialization successful the program focused on five main areas: 1. To restore the offender to a useful and law-abiding life through the use of scientific methods of improving behavior and attitudes; 2. To utilize the best treatment skills and knowledge, including those from related disciplines; 3. To safeguard the community from the repetition of offenses through the use of scientific methods of diagnosis, control and treatment; 4. To support enforcement of the law; to provide full and objective information to the criminal courts as a basis for appropriate case disposition; and 5. To utilize the services of all other community agencies, whose services may assist the offender in his re-entry experience (Utah State Division of Corrections Progress Report, 1973).

The Department of Adult Parole and Probation as established in 1937 was managed and controlled by the Board of Corrections. The board was responsible for adopting any by-laws, rules and regulations needed for the department's proper operation. The responsibility to appoint a chief adult parole and probation officer was also theirs. Further, the board was empowered to establish such parole and probation districts in the state as necessary to the department's efficient and economical administration, and to appoint such district officers as necessary to serve in the district, subject to the advice of the respective district's judges. When the Department of Adult Parole and Probation became a section within the Division of Corrections in 1967, these powers were vested in the division.

The chief parole and probation officer and district parole and probation officers had all the powers that peace officers and sheriffs possessed to be exercised anywhere within the state, and in addition had the power to administer oaths. The chief officer was also given legal custody of all probationers along with the court having jurisdiction of the offender. 1975 legislation further enabled the chief of adult probation and parole to appoint a sufficient number of probation and parole officers, supervisors, and assistants, and other employees to carry on the professional, clerical and other work of the section, the board of pardons, and the courts of the state.