Butte-Silver Bow probation officers describe growing caseload, ask study commission to consider independent office

Mike, a misdemeanor probation officer, told the Butte-Silver Bow Local Government Study Commission on July 28, 2025, that the county’s misdemeanor probation program has grown since it began in 2010 and now supervises roughly 80–100 people across two officers.

The officers described probation as a court-ordered alternative to incarceration that emphasizes supervision, rehabilitation and restitution. “It’s typically ordered by a judge at the time of sentencing as an alternative to incarceration,” Mike said, adding that probation “is designed to promote public safety while providing the probationer with an opportunity for rehabilitation.” Rachel, also identified in the meeting as a misdemeanor probation officer, described the program’s community-service work, saying the office coordinated about “700 to 750 ish hours” last year with partners including the food bank, Butte Cares, the…