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Council approves pursuing state JAG funding for mobile probation and reentry unit
Summary
The Public Safety Coordinating Council voted to recommend that the county submit a Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) application for a Department of Corrections mobile probation and reentry unit after discussing costs, expected benefits and FDLE/DOJ requirements for non‑law‑enforcement vehicles.
Patrick Barentine, circuit administrator and chief probation officer for the Florida Department of Corrections in Circuit 13, briefed the council on a proposed mobile probation and reentry unit intended to bring probation services — including case review, oral‑swab drug testing and electronic file access — into neighborhoods where clients lack transportation.
Barentine said jurisdictions that implemented similar units saw reductions in technical violations and recidivism, and that the model includes three workstations so officers can access offenders’ electronic files and case notes while operating in the field. “We can conduct a mobile drug testing by oral swab drug tests as needed,” he said, describing the vehicle’s capabilities.
Nut graf: The council discussed cost‑effectiveness and alternatives — such as transportation cards and stationary sites — and legal and grant constraints. Robert Parkinson’s staff noted the project had been reviewed by the council’s reentry committee and recommended for JAG funding; Florida Department of Law Enforcement confirmed non‑law‑enforcement vehicles need special DOJ permission for JAG eligibility, a hurdle the county has overcome on past projects.
Council members raised questions about whether access barriers are the primary cause of technical violations and asked for local impact metrics. Patrick Barentine and other supporters said prior evaluations in Palm Beach and Sarasota circuits reported roughly a 27% reduction in technical violations; county DOC staff reported local VOP (violation of probation) caseloads of approximately 5,600 per year, and applied the 27% figure to estimate potential reductions. County staff added that, if FDLE opens the program, funding would be eligible starting Oct. 1 of the federal fiscal year and the Department of Corrections would purchase the vehicle and report metrics back to the county.
The council voted to recommend that the county submit the mobile probation and reentry unit project as its annual state JAG project. Diana (member) moved the recommendation; Nick Bates seconded. The motion passed with no opposition recorded.
Ending: Staff said Department of Corrections will handle vehicle maintenance and insurance responsibilities if the purchase is funded through the grant, and council members asked that implementation include data metrics and coordination with community partners.
