Probation commissioner urges data-driven shift as department grapples with vacancies and rising caseloads

Commissioner Chiron Goodwin opened the Committee’s hearing by describing a short-term agenda to make probation “datadriven” and to pair accountability with stronger supports for people under supervision. Speaking to the Council, Goodwin said probation’s preliminary operating budget is roughly $116 million and supports supervision of about 11,833 people across the city’s five boroughs, including 10,681 adults and 1,152 young people.

Goodwin said the department is updating policies, shortening the academy timeline while meeting state requirements, and shifting to a risk‑based supervision model so officers focus more time on higher‑risk clients. "At its core, probation believes people can change," she said in her opening remarks, and added that aligning programming and partnerships with supervision is central to reducing reoffending.

Council members pressed Goodwin on operational pressures. The department reported roughly 255 vacancies citywide — including about 210 in the probation officer title — representing roughly a 23% vacancy rate. That shortfall, Goodwin said, is structural: recruitment and retention have lagged attrition, and the department has lost 405 officers since FY2023 while hiring 235. She described an academy redesign intended to place trainees in the field sooner and a renewed recruitment push that includes university outreach and a dedicated trainee track.

Lawmakers also focused on role‑specific details: the department’s average adult case load was described as about 54 cases per officer while higher‑risk adult cases should be nearer 20–25. Goodwin said the agency is planning to move from a mixed caseload model — where officers carry cases of different risk levels — to an individual risk‑level model so supervisors can redistribute cases by risk.

Youth outcomes and programming drew sustained scrutiny. Goodwin reported that roughly 92% of juveniles complete probation but acknowledged a 50% increase in juvenile rearrest, which she called “unacceptable.” She outlined plans to expand targeted youth interventions, assign “credible messengers” to juvenile units, and partner with university research centers and community providers to pilot violence‑focused programs.

On contracting and program continuity, Goodwin said many juvenile programs have one‑year renewals to allow time for new RFPs and for community coordination; on the adult side, the department plans to sunset the Works Plus workforce contract by June 30, 2026 and transition participants to other city providers where feasible. She told the committee programming is currently about $18 million and said the department seeks additional philanthropic and federal grant support to grow services.

Council members repeatedly pressed for detail on the connections between staffing, on‑time deliverables (such as presentence investigations) and public safety; Goodwin acknowledged on‑time rates had slipped as officers prioritized quality work during staffing shortfalls and described recent targeted reassignments to address delays. She also noted an internal electronic‑monitoring pilot and said the city’s overall monitored population has not yet increased.

The commissioner concluded by urging the city to invest in manageable caseloads, staff supports and programming that produce sustained outcomes. Next steps identified at the hearing included followups on hiring and exam dates, a deeper look at program funding needs and continuing Council engagement through the budget season.