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Probation and parole director touts reentry successes, sets recidivism goal and requests level funding
Summary
Director Ward said his agency will pursue a level-funded FY26 budget while reallocating existing staff to even caseloads; he highlighted reentry programs (Perry County Prep Center) with zero returned-to-prison graduates and set a Reentry 2030 goal to lower recidivism from 29% to 15%.
Director Jimmy Ward, head of the Department of Probation and Parole, told the Joint Interim Committees the agency is requesting level funding for FY26 and described internal adjustments and programmatic work intended to reduce recidivism, expand reentry services and improve case management ratios.
"We're actually going in for a level funded request," Ward said, explaining that the agency is redistributing vacant positions across counties rather than asking for additional staff this year.
Why it matters: Probation and parole supervision, job training and treatment programs directly affect recidivism, public safety and corrections costs. Ward said…
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