Re: How Can I Make A Complaint Againt A Probation Officer

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On 5/31/08, Former PO wrote:
> On 5/20/08, Jenny wrote:
>> I am a 32 yr old mother of two. In March 2005 I was
>> indicted for Conspiracy to commit identity theft with 16
>> others. Because I was the least in the case I BARELY got
>> to stay out of prison. I was given 3 months house arrest
>> and 3 years probation. I was assigned a Federal probation
>> officer. I walked down the 3 months house arrest with NO
>> PROBLEM. No incidents whatsoever. I was subject to random
>> visits by my probation officer in the early morning (5am)
>> and late at nite (1130pm) just to make sure that I wasnt
>> violating any rules. For the 1st 1 1/2 months I did not
>> have a job. I was actively searching for employment but
>> couldnt find a job because in my case I certainly couldnt
>> say I was not a felon on applications because my federal
>> probation officer was to call and let them know I am a
>> felon and my charge (they say its the governments
>> responsibility). I obtained employment for a company
>> because the PO finally said that he would not need to call
>> them as long as he could verify my work schedule with time
>> card sheets (which I faithfully supplied him). After
>> working there for 2 months he told me that he was going to
>> need to contact the employer and let them know of my
>> status (being on probation and what my charge was). Rather
>> then go throught that embarrassment, I quit. He has now
>> sent a violation to the courts and is requesting that I
>> get another 120 days on house arrest! Here are my
>> complaints:
>> #1 He has on several occassions confused me with one of
>> his other clients--confused my case with theirs etc.
>> #2 He says that I quit on 04/04/2008 even though I showed
>> him my last check stub shows being paid thru 04/10/2008. I
>> dont know what the difference in 6 days mean but he is
>> saying that I was not truthful with him. The employer, he
>> says, stated that my last day was on 04/04/2008 yet my
>> checkstub shows 04/10/2008 and pay day of 04/15/2008.
>> #3 He keeps stating that I am getting money from somewhere
>> else but I am ABSOLUTELY NOT. I make monthly payments to
>> the court of $100 for restitution. He says being
>> unemployed, there is no way I can do this without getting
>> money from somewhere else. I advised him that the money
>> comes from my last 2 checks because I was not spending any
>> money.
>> #4 He came to my house unannounced since I have been off
>> of house arrest, left a card and advised me to come to his
>> office the next day because I was not home. I went there
>> and he demanded to know where I was when he came, the name
>> of the person I was with, and their address. I stated to
>> him that I didnt have to tell him that as long as I was in
>> the metro area and was not breaking any laws. He stated
>> that the provision of my release that states "the
>> defendent shall truthfully answer all reasonable questions
>> from the probation office" means that I do have to tell
>> him where I am at all times when I asks me.
>>
>> I would like to point out that I have had no new cases in
>> 3 1/2 yrs, not even a traffic violation. I have not broke
>> any laws. I have not been with a felon. I have not left
>> the area. The only thing I have done is have trouble
>> finding a jobs under these circumstances. Is there
>> ANYTHING I can do to help myself from this Probation
>> officer??? I am drowning here.
>
> First be proactive. You have your conditions of release.
> Review them and know them so that you give him what he wants
> before he asks for it. Never quit your job! You made a
> mistake and if the job fires you then that is on them. Use
> your status of being on supervision as a selling point. As
> an employee under supervision, you are guaranteed not to be
> using drugs, to be at work for 40 hours because you want to
> comply with your conditions, and the employer can receive a
> $5,000 tax benefit for hiring an ex-offender. Do not fight
> your officer even if you win, you will pay for it. If your
> officer is incompetent, he/she will not admit it and target
> you for trying to point it out. On your next job
> application, do not write yes to, "have you committed a
> felony". You should write down that you will explain then if
> they want to know, they will have to interview you to find
> out. Now you explain your situation, if they hire you the
> officer's potential call is harmless because your mistake is
> in the open. Everyone makes mistakes, don't compound it but
> fighting a battle without a trophy is a waste of effort and
> you will still have to find work.

Thank you for your response. Good information. I have since
found another job, a good one. The guy that hired me was all
too happy to do so, so I'm assuming he was already aware of
the $5000 tax benefit. As for the Probation Officer, yeah he
is a control freak and confuses me with his other clients and
conversations that THEY must have had but I am doing my best.
I write down EVERYTHING and anything I can keep proof of, I am
doing that. I just have to cover myself. It will be over one
day so hopefully I will make it through......

Thanks again for the response.