Probation officers feel case crunch

Associated Press

HILO, Hawai'i — Probation officers around the state are seeing workloads increasing as the number of their colleagues decreases — a problem that could get worse in the next five years with more retirements and more freed prisoners, officials say.

Zachary Higa, the head of the Big Island's Adult Probation Office, said young professionals today are more interested in making money than working in social services.

At least three of the Big Island's 30 probation officer positions are vacant. Each of the departed officers carried an average of 150 active cases.

Higa said while those numbers are down 50 from three years ago, the officers' workloads haven't decreased, in part because people committing more serious crimes are being sentenced to probation because of prison overcrowding.

"More higher-risk offenders are in the community than the past," he said.

He also said probation officers from the baby boomer generation are beginning to retire and replacements are hard to find.

O'ahu's 59 probation officers average 225 cases each, according to Ronald Hajime, administrator for the Adult Client Services Branch on O'ahu.

But officers who handle low-risk cases can see as many as 400 clients, while those who handle high-risk cases can have as few as 75, he said.

Maui has 26 probation officer positions, but there are three vacancies, said Ernest Delima, administrator for Maui's Adult Client Services Branch.

He said the staff shortage is consistent throughout the state.

"We service three islands, too. I don't think anybody else does that," he said.

Big Island probation officer Polly Varize said 80 percent of her cases are drug related and more probation officers are needed.