STUDENTS VOLUNTEER AT PROBATION-PAROLE OFFICE

Pam Vest first became involved in the criminal justice program at Southeast Missouri State University as a preparatory step for admittance to law school.

But then Vest met Linda Ferrell at the university, an "advocate" of sorts for the Missouri Board of Probation and Parole office in Cape Girardeau. Vest applied to become a volunteer at the office and has been hooked ever since.

"It's a terrific program," Vest said. "I've been here all summer and I've really learned a lot."

Vest is enrolled in an independent study course at Southeast Missouri State University that works in conjunction with the local Missouri Board of Probation and Parole office.

"This program is the only one of its kind in the state," said Gary Miller, assistant supervisor and probation officer at the Cape Girardeau probation office. "It's a mini-internship program, which affords us the ability to allow more students to go through the training and get some job experience."

The independent program, started in fall 1988 by Miller and criminal justice professor Dr. Michael Fichter, entails an 11-week curriculum which exposes students to virtually all aspects of the probation and parole system.

After the completion of each stage of the process, the student must submit a one- to two-page report to volunteer coordinator Laura Curtis-U'Ren.

Students are graded on their understanding and evaluation of the segment as well as their writing ability, a vital tool for probation officers.

"You would not believe the amount of writing we have to do here," said Miller. "Our jobs are largely based on reports we submit and our officers' ability to write clearly and concisely.

"The reports the students submit are not only a gauge of their understanding of the topic, but also provides us with a sample of their writing," Miller said.

The independent study also allows more students to go through the program offered at the parole office. The summer internships can only accommodate two students; the independent study classes can hold five or more students per semester.

"You don't really have to be a criminal justice major to apply for the independent study program," said Miller. "We have psychology students, sociology majors and other non-correctional students who have become involved in the program here. Some of them we even manage to convert to choosing careers in probation and parole."

The students in the independent study program are pretty well on their own, left to set up study sessions with the assigned officer for each level. Curtis-U'Ren said students are encouraged to do one section a week to temper their progress.

"Some of the sections are designed for the group as a whole," Curtis-U'Ren said. "Others are left up to the students to arrange a meeting time with the officer in charge with that particular topic."

Students are required to spend at least three hours per week either at the probation office working with clients or in court watching the criminal justice system in action.

All volunteers, interns and independent study students must fill out a lengthy questionnaire and go through a thorough background check prior to acceptance into the program.

"Confidentiality is essential to our work here," Curtis-U'Ren said. "We have to be able to trust that nothing which is said here goes beyond these doors."

Prior to their beginning as a volunteer or in the independent study program, probation and parole officers sit down with the individuals and tell them their expectations up front.

"They are not unreasonable expectations; just very strict," said Miller. "We've had people drop the class in the first week after hearing what we expect for them to do -- some people just can't handle it."

Some students get their start with the office as volunteers, as did Vest.

In retrospect, Vest recommends starting with the independent study program rather than as a volunteer.

"For the first few weeks I was totally lost," Vest said. "I thought I would never catch on.

"But the program is so structured that you have to get it before you move on," she said. "You build your knowledge on what you learn each week."

Now Vest spends Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at the probation and parole office, where she meets with two clients.

Since she is not a certified probation officer, Vest meets with her supervisor after each meeting with her client, to bring her adviser up to date and ask for guidance.

Vest can also recommend courses of action to her supervisor, which he may or may not act upon.

"This program is beneficial in that a student can go right to work for a probation and parole office after graduation, knowing what will be expected," Miller said. "Since they do work for us, they also have our office, which they can use as a reference."

Volunteers who have completed the required training can have up to five clients to supervise. Miller said the office tries to provide volunteers with clients who "are a challenge, but nothing they couldn't handle."

"In the end, the process we put the students through and the knowledge they gain really benefits our office," Miller said. "They help us out a lot, doing work we don't always have time to do and freeing up our officers to do other things.

"We learn a lot from the students and volunteers who work here," Miller said. "Their enthusiasm really keeps us going."