93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
HB7317

 

Introduced 7/22/2004, by Rep. Bill Mitchell

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
730 ILCS 110/9c new
730 ILCS 110/15   from Ch. 38, par. 204-7

    Amends the Probation and Probation Officers Act. Prohibits a person from serving as a probation officer who has been convicted of: (1) a felony violent crime; (2) a felony violation of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act; (3) a felony violation of the Cannabis Control Act; or (4) a similar felony violation of any other jurisdiction.


LRB093 15103 RLC 48602 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB7317 LRB093 15103 RLC 48602 b

1     AN ACT concerning probation officers.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Probation and Probation Officers Act is
5 amended by changing Section 15 and by adding Section 9c as
6 follows:
 
7     (730 ILCS 110/9c new)
8     Sec. 9c. Probation officers; ineligibility. A person is
9 ineligible to be appointed as a probation officer who has been
10 convicted of: (1) a felony that is defined as a violent crime
11 in Section 3 of the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act;
12 (2) a felony violation of the Illinois Controlled Substances
13 Act; (3) a felony violation of the Cannabis Control Act; or (4)
14 any similar felony violation of any other jurisdiction.
 
15     (730 ILCS 110/15)  (from Ch. 38, par. 204-7)
16     Sec. 15. (1) The Supreme Court of Illinois may establish a
17 Division of Probation Services whose purpose shall be the
18 development, establishment, promulgation, and enforcement of
19 uniform standards for probation services in this State, and to
20 otherwise carry out the intent of this Act. The Division may:
21         (a) establish qualifications for chief probation
22     officers and other probation and court services personnel
23     as to hiring, promotion, and training. The qualifications
24     for the chief probation officer and other probation
25     officers established under this Section are subject to
26     Section 9c of this Act.
27         (b) make available, on a timely basis, lists of those
28     applicants whose qualifications meet the regulations
29     referred to herein, including on said lists all candidates
30     found qualified.
31         (c) establish a means of verifying the conditions for

 

 

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1     reimbursement under this Act and develop criteria for
2     approved costs for reimbursement.
3         (d) develop standards and approve employee
4     compensation schedules for probation and court services
5     departments.
6         (e) employ sufficient personnel in the Division to
7     carry out the functions of the Division.
8         (f) establish a system of training and establish
9     standards for personnel orientation and training.
10         (g) develop standards for a system of record keeping
11     for cases and programs, gather statistics, establish a
12     system of uniform forms, and develop research for planning
13     of Probation Services.
14         (h) develop standards to assure adequate support
15     personnel, office space, equipment and supplies, travel
16     expenses, and other essential items necessary for
17     Probation and Court Services Departments to carry out their
18     duties.
19         (i) review and approve annual plans submitted by
20     Probation and Court Services Departments.
21         (j) monitor and evaluate all programs operated by
22     Probation and Court Services Departments, and may include
23     in the program evaluation criteria such factors as the
24     percentage of Probation sentences for felons convicted of
25     Probationable offenses.
26         (k) seek the cooperation of local and State government
27     and private agencies to improve the quality of probation
28     and court services.
29         (l) where appropriate, establish programs and
30     corresponding standards designed to generally improve the
31     quality of probation and court services and reduce the rate
32     of adult or juvenile offenders committed to the Department
33     of Corrections.
34         (m) establish such other standards and regulations and
35     do all acts necessary to carry out the intent and purposes
36     of this Act.

 

 

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1     The Division shall establish a model list of structured
2 intermediate sanctions that may be imposed by a probation
3 agency for violations of terms and conditions of a sentence of
4 probation, conditional discharge, or supervision.
5     The State of Illinois shall provide for the costs of
6 personnel, travel, equipment, telecommunications, postage,
7 commodities, printing, space, contractual services and other
8 related costs necessary to carry out the intent of this Act.
9     (2) (a) The chief judge of each circuit shall provide
10 full-time probation services for all counties within the
11 circuit, in a manner consistent with the annual probation plan,
12 the standards, policies, and regulations established by the
13 Supreme Court. A probation district of two or more counties
14 within a circuit may be created for the purposes of providing
15 full-time probation services. Every county or group of counties
16 within a circuit shall maintain a probation department which
17 shall be under the authority of the Chief Judge of the circuit
18 or some other judge designated by the Chief Judge. The Chief
19 Judge, through the Probation and Court Services Department
20 shall submit annual plans to the Division for probation and
21 related services.
22     (b) The Chief Judge of each circuit shall appoint the Chief
23 Probation Officer and all other probation officers for his or
24 her circuit from lists of qualified applicants supplied by the
25 Supreme Court. Candidates for chief managing officer and other
26 probation officer positions must apply with both the Chief
27 Judge of the circuit and the Supreme Court.
28     (3) A Probation and Court Service Department shall apply to
29 the Supreme Court for funds for basic services, and may apply
30 for funds for new and expanded programs or Individualized
31 Services and Programs. Costs shall be reimbursed monthly based
32 on a plan and budget approved by the Supreme Court. No
33 Department may be reimbursed for costs which exceed or are not
34 provided for in the approved annual plan and budget. After the
35 effective date of this amendatory Act of 1985, each county must
36 provide basic services in accordance with the annual plan and

 

 

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1 standards created by the division. No department may receive
2 funds for new or expanded programs or individualized services
3 and programs unless they are in compliance with standards as
4 enumerated in paragraph (h) of subsection (1) of this Section,
5 the annual plan, and standards for basic services.
6     (4) The Division shall reimburse the county or counties for
7 probation services as follows:
8         (a) 100% of the salary of all chief managing officers
9     designated as such by the Chief Judge and the division.
10         (b) 100% of the salary for all probation officer and
11     supervisor positions approved for reimbursement by the
12     division after April 1, 1984, to meet workload standards
13     and to implement intensive sanction and probation
14     supervision programs and other basic services as defined in
15     this Act.
16         (c) 100% of the salary for all secure detention
17     personnel and non-secure group home personnel approved for
18     reimbursement after December 1, 1990. For all such
19     positions approved for reimbursement before December 1,
20     1990, the counties shall be reimbursed $1,250 per month
21     beginning July 1, 1995, and an additional $250 per month
22     beginning each July 1st thereafter until the positions
23     receive 100% salary reimbursement. Allocation of such
24     positions will be based on comparative need considering
25     capacity, staff/resident ratio, physical plant and
26     program.
27         (d) $1,000 per month for salaries for the remaining
28     probation officer positions engaged in basic services and
29     new or expanded services. All such positions shall be
30     approved by the division in accordance with this Act and
31     division standards.
32         (e) 100% of the travel expenses in accordance with
33     Division standards for all Probation positions approved
34     under paragraph (b) of subsection 4 of this Section.
35         (f) If the amount of funds reimbursed to the county
36     under paragraphs (a) through (e) of subsection 4 of this

 

 

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1     Section on an annual basis is less than the amount the
2     county had received during the 12 month period immediately
3     prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1985,
4     then the Division shall reimburse the amount of the
5     difference to the county. The effect of paragraph (b) of
6     subsection 7 of this Section shall be considered in
7     implementing this supplemental reimbursement provision.
8     (5) The Division shall provide funds beginning on April 1,
9 1987 for the counties to provide Individualized Services and
10 Programs as provided in Section 16 of this Act.
11     (6) A Probation and Court Services Department in order to
12 be eligible for the reimbursement must submit to the Supreme
13 Court an application containing such information and in such a
14 form and by such dates as the Supreme Court may require.
15 Departments to be eligible for funding must satisfy the
16 following conditions:
17         (a) The Department shall have on file with the Supreme
18     Court an annual Probation plan for continuing, improved,
19     and new Probation and Court Services Programs approved by
20     the Supreme Court or its designee. This plan shall indicate
21     the manner in which Probation and Court Services will be
22     delivered and improved, consistent with the minimum
23     standards and regulations for Probation and Court
24     Services, as established by the Supreme Court. In counties
25     with more than one Probation and Court Services Department
26     eligible to receive funds, all Departments within that
27     county must submit plans which are approved by the Supreme
28     Court.
29         (b) The annual probation plan shall seek to generally
30     improve the quality of probation services and to reduce the
31     commitment of adult and juvenile offenders to the
32     Department of Corrections and shall require, when
33     appropriate, coordination with the Department of
34     Corrections and the Department of Children and Family
35     Services in the development and use of community resources,
36     information systems, case review and permanency planning

 

 

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1     systems to avoid the duplication of services.
2         (c) The Department shall be in compliance with
3     standards developed by the Supreme Court for basic, new and
4     expanded services, training, personnel hiring and
5     promotion.
6         (d) The Department shall in its annual plan indicate
7     the manner in which it will support the rights of crime
8     victims and in which manner it will implement Article I,
9     Section 8.1 of the Illinois Constitution and in what manner
10     it will coordinate crime victims' support services with
11     other criminal justice agencies within its jurisdiction,
12     including but not limited to, the State's Attorney, the
13     Sheriff and any municipal police department.
14     (7) No statement shall be verified by the Supreme Court or
15 its designee or vouchered by the Comptroller unless each of the
16 following conditions have been met:
17         (a) The probation officer is a full-time employee
18     appointed by the Chief Judge to provide probation services.
19         (b) The probation officer, in order to be eligible for
20     State reimbursement, is receiving a salary of at least
21     $17,000 per year.
22         (c) The probation officer is appointed or was
23     reappointed in accordance with minimum qualifications or
24     criteria established by the Supreme Court; however, all
25     probation officers appointed prior to January 1, 1978,
26     shall be exempted from the minimum requirements
27     established by the Supreme Court. Payments shall be made to
28     counties employing these exempted probation officers as
29     long as they are employed in the position held on the
30     effective date of this amendatory Act of 1985. Promotions
31     shall be governed by minimum qualifications established by
32     the Supreme Court.
33         (d) The Department has an established compensation
34     schedule approved by the Supreme Court. The compensation
35     schedule shall include salary ranges with necessary
36     increments to compensate each employee. The increments

 

 

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1     shall, within the salary ranges, be based on such factors
2     as bona fide occupational qualifications, performance, and
3     length of service. Each position in the Department shall be
4     placed on the compensation schedule according to job duties
5     and responsibilities of such position. The policy and
6     procedures of the compensation schedule shall be made
7     available to each employee.
8     (8) In order to obtain full reimbursement of all approved
9 costs, each Department must continue to employ at least the
10 same number of probation officers and probation managers as
11 were authorized for employment for the fiscal year which
12 includes January 1, 1985. This number shall be designated as
13 the base amount of the Department. No positions approved by the
14 Division under paragraph (b) of subsection 4 will be included
15 in the base amount. In the event that the Department employs
16 fewer Probation officers and Probation managers than the base
17 amount for a period of 90 days, funding received by the
18 Department under subsection 4 of this Section may be reduced on
19 a monthly basis by the amount of the current salaries of any
20 positions below the base amount.
21     (9) Before the 15th day of each month, the treasurer of any
22 county which has a Probation and Court Services Department, or
23 the treasurer of the most populous county, in the case of a
24 Probation or Court Services Department funded by more than one
25 county, shall submit an itemized statement of all approved
26 costs incurred in the delivery of Basic Probation and Court
27 Services under this Act to the Supreme Court. The treasurer may
28 also submit an itemized statement of all approved costs
29 incurred in the delivery of new and expanded Probation and
30 Court Services as well as Individualized Services and Programs.
31 The Supreme Court or its designee shall verify compliance with
32 this Section and shall examine and audit the monthly statement
33 and, upon finding them to be correct, shall forward them to the
34 Comptroller for payment to the county treasurer. In the case of
35 payment to a treasurer of a county which is the most populous
36 of counties sharing the salary and expenses of a Probation and

 

 

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1 Court Services Department, the treasurer shall divide the money
2 between the counties in a manner that reflects each county's
3 share of the cost incurred by the Department.
4     (10) The county treasurer must certify that funds received
5 under this Section shall be used solely to maintain and improve
6 Probation and Court Services. The county or circuit shall
7 remain in compliance with all standards, policies and
8 regulations established by the Supreme Court. If at any time
9 the Supreme Court determines that a county or circuit is not in
10 compliance, the Supreme Court shall immediately notify the
11 Chief Judge, county board chairman and the Director of Court
12 Services Chief Probation Officer. If after 90 days of written
13 notice the noncompliance still exists, the Supreme Court shall
14 be required to reduce the amount of monthly reimbursement by
15 10%. An additional 10% reduction of monthly reimbursement shall
16 occur for each consecutive month of noncompliance. Except as
17 provided in subsection 5 of Section 15, funding to counties
18 shall commence on April 1, 1986. Funds received under this Act
19 shall be used to provide for Probation Department expenses
20 including those required under Section 13 of this Act. For
21 State fiscal year 2004 only, the Mandatory Arbitration Fund may
22 be used to provide for Probation Department expenses, including
23 those required under Section 13 of this Act.
24     (11) The respective counties shall be responsible for
25 capital and space costs, fringe benefits, clerical costs,
26 equipment, telecommunications, postage, commodities and
27 printing.
28     (12) For purposes of this Act only, probation officers
29 shall be considered peace officers. In the exercise of their
30 official duties, probation officers, sheriffs, and police
31 officers may, anywhere within the State, arrest any probationer
32 who is in violation of any of the conditions of his or her
33 probation, conditional discharge, or supervision, and it shall
34 be the duty of the officer making the arrest to take the
35 probationer before the Court having jurisdiction over the
36 probationer for further order.

 

 

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1 (Source: P.A. 93-25, eff. 6-20-03; 93-576, eff. 1-1-04; revised
2 9-23-03.)