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Probation Department
Josh Milow, Interim Probation Director
Blue Earth County Justice Center
401 Carver Road
P.O. Box 3543
Mankato, MN 56002-3543
Phone: (507) 304-4750
Fax: (507) 304-4710
The mission of the Probation Department is to promote the public’s safety
by facilitating an intra-community continuum of care that holds offenders
accountable, assists offenders develop competencies, and assists victims
to be resolved from issues of crime and its impact on the victims and on
our community.
For an in-depth look at the department's mission, please refer to the
2008-2009 Blue Earth County Probation Department Comprehensive Plan.
Specific objectives for the current year are outlined in the 2009 Interim Strategic Plan.
The Probation Department is assisted in meeting its mission requirements
by the active participation of a state-mandated Citizen's Advisory Board. Advisory
Board members are citizen members of the community who volunteer their time
to participate in the planning and coordination of services the department
provides to the County. Members are asked to serve at least two-year terms
and are appointed by the Blue Earth County Board of Commissioners. Contact Tony Knapp, Advisory Board Chair,
for more information.
The Probation Department provides the following programming
and services:
- Diversion and Prevention Services
- Adult Probation/Supervised Release Services
- Juvenile Probation/Parole Services
- Problem Solving/Specialty Courts
- Restitution/Restorative Justice Services
- Administrative Support and services
A number of agencies provide additional resources at the local and State level related to probation. Click here to obtain a list of website links for further information.
- Youth Diversion: A program for juvenile first time offenders ages
10-17 years old to receive counseling and instruction as a consequence
for their criminal behavior without having to go to court. For more
information contact Cheryl
Todtleben.
- Adult Diversion: A program for adult first offenders to receive counseling, supervision and instruction for their criminal offense without having to go to court. For more information contact Jackie Neve.
Adult Probation/Supervised Release Services
- Traditional Probation: Supervision/investigation for persons 18 years
and older who are found guilty of any traffic or criminal offense. For
more information contact Teri Glaze, Tobi Baker, Sara Crocker, Karla Henrichs, Mike Froiland, Liz
McCormick, Jackie Neve, Cheryl Todtleben, or Denise Rients.
- Enhanced Supervision of Sex Offenders: supervised and monitored throughout
treatment and post-treatment. For more information contact Steve
Lenz.
- Supervised Community Service Programs: Blue Earth County supervised
community service programs consist of two adult programs and one juvenile
program. These crews work for county, state, city and non-profit organizations
throughout the Blue Earth County area. Jobs completed in the past include
yard work, painting, shoveling, house renovations, handicap ramps, and
many other service-oriented duties. For more information contact Eric
Olson.
Juvenile Probation/Parole Services
- Traditional Probation: Investigation/supervision of minors committing
offenses prior to 18 years of age. For more information contact Josh Milow, Paul
Ahearn, Sarah Miller, Jill Kroc, Kelly
Peterson, Michele Schroeder, or Jen
Pierskalla.
- Transitional/Intensive Supervision: Intensive in-community programming
to avoid out of home placement or assist in reintegration back into
community after placement.
- Gender Specific Programming: The Girls’
Group program incorporates restorative justice philosophies into
gender specific programming to address the rising number juvenile female
offenders on probation and those violating their probation. Most offenses
include assaults, disorderly conduct, and truancy. In small group settings
girls work through topics like relationships, dating violence, sexuality,
goals, drug use, and stress management through discussion and creative
activities. For more information contact Jen
Pierskalla.
- Drug Court: Drug
Court’s mission is to reduce crime through the rehabilitation
and recovery of drug and alcohol offenders. Drug Court coordinates the
efforts of the judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, law enforcement,
social services, probation and treatment specialists to quickly identify
and intervene with selected non-violent substance-abusing offenders
in order to break the cycle of substance abuse, addiction and crime.
For more information contact Kevin Mettler, Steve Rick, or Robyn Schauer.
- Truancy Court: Chronic truancy is a well established precursor for
substance abuse, crime and illiteracy. Truancy Court brings the judicial
system into the school where the judge works as part of a team with
school personnel, the county attorney’s office, human services
and probation with the goals of increasing attendance, improving academic
progress of students and fostering an attachment to the school. For
more information contact Jill
Kroc.
Restitution/Restorative Justice Services
- Hold offenders responsible for financial damages done to victims,
creating opportunities for offenders to perform unpaid work to repay
the community for the harm the offender caused. For more information
contact Cheryl
Todtleben.
Administrative Support
- Office Manager: Sue
Fletcher
- Clerical Support: Kathy Cox, Jamie Jakobe, Lori Leiding, and Cheryl Lueck.
