Counties Served: Desoto, Manatee, and Sarasota

General Information: This circuit covers three counties in southwest Florida. Probation officers supervise offenders in the community who have been placed on probation or community control by the court and offenders who have been released from prison with post-release supervision. Probation officers enhance public safety by monitoring offender’s compliance with conditions of supervision. Probation officers assist offenders with resources and services necessary to transition from prison or jail to the community. Probation officers increase the offender’s likelihood of succeeding by using evidence based practices including assessment of risk and needs, enhancing offender motivation, providing positive reinforcement and ongoing support, and offering classes for self-improvement and behavior change including Life Skills, How to Make it on Probation or Community Control, Employment Interviewing and Application skills, Thinking for a Change or Moral Recognition Therapy Cognitive Behavior classes. Probation officers refer offenders to various community resources to assist them in obtaining employment, substance abuse counseling, mental health counseling, as well as other positive, self improvement programs to assist the offender.

Directions: Take I 75 to exit 213 or University Parkway. Proceed west on University Parkway to U.S. 301. Turn left ( South ) on U.S. 301 and proceed to 17th Street. Turn right on 17th, the office is on the left.

Offenders Under Supervision (as of September 8, 2023) 6,212

Community Based Sanctions and Programs: Substance abuse, mental health and sex offender treatment programs.