Press Release

RICHMOND — This week, the Virginia Department of Corrections will honor the men and women who work to make sure our communities are safer by giving support, guidance, and structure to citizens who are transitioning back into society after completing their prison terms.

Governor Glenn Youngkin has proclaimed July 16 through 22 to be Pretrial, Probation, and Parole Supervision Week in Virginia, honoring those who serve in community corrections across the Commonwealth.

Probation and parole officers exemplify the agency’s mission and vision by ensuring sentenced men and women are provided appropriate supervision and effective interventions that ensure public safety. Supervision and effective programming are directed toward changing criminal thinking resulting in lasting public safety.

“Probation and parole officers do much more than simply monitor probationers and parolees,” said Harold W. Clarke, Director of the Virginia Department of Corrections “They hold probationers and parolees accountable and help them to be better, promoting both public safety and healing.”

Virginia’s probation and parole officers are a vital component in Virginia’s successful re-entry efforts, with the Commonwealth achieving one of the lowest recidivism rates in the country for the seventh consecutive year. The current rate stands at 20.6 %

By guiding returning citizens as they successfully transition back to their communities, probation and parole officers help to make Virginia a better place to live and work.

Virginia’s Probation and Parole Officers serve in 43 districts throughout the state and supervise more than 63,000 individuals. For more information about the Virginia Department of Corrections Probation & Parole officers and programs, click here.