I've had parolees killed 30 minutes after I saw them. The parole division conducted a survey on the issue in 1995, which found the vast majority of parole officers believed they worked in a high-risk environment and supported having the option to carry firearms while on the job. The survey found 80.3 percent of parole officers support such a policy, including 27.9 percent who believed it should be mandatory. Only about 18.8 of the parole officers and unit supervisors opposed arming the agency's field officers, believing it would cause a general shift toward a law enforcement state of mind. To pack or not Abilene parole officer John Rhodes Jr. carries a handgun while on the job.
Offenders are definitely more violent.
They're keeping them longer. They're more hardened. It's a big factor in trying to supervise these guys. We've had numerous incidences that could have been life-threatening. The parole officer says he is on the road about 1,300 miles a month visiting the 75 people in his caseload.