Violence Reduction in Joliet, Illinois: An Evaluation of the Strategic Tactical Deployment Program

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While adult probation officers in Illinois are empowered by statute (730 ILCS 110/11) to 

make on-view arrests of any probationer found to be in violation of the conditions of his 

probation, the Will County Probation Department does not allow its officers to make on-view 

arrests, or conduct probation compliance checks assisted by the Joliet Police Department. All 

potential violations brought to their attention by the Joliet Police Department are the subject of a 

petition for revocation filed in the Will County Circuit Court. The State then has the burden of 

going forward with the case and proving the violation by a preponderance of the evidence. 

 

Joliet police also produced Intelligence Bulletins informing their officers of probation 

conditions imposed on known violent offenders (See Appendix 7). For example, one Joliet gang 

member was precluded from being within 1,000 feet of Joliet Housing Authority property and 

from associating with known gang members. Any officer observing the subject violating one of 

these provisions was directed to complete an incident report and forward it to the Will County 

Probation Department. Joliet police personnel were also informed when a probation violation 

warrant was issued by the Will County Court.  

Will County Probation reported that the STD process allowed them to identify more 

probation violators. While they receive notice of subsequent arrests of probationers from the Will 

county courts, exchanging information with the Joliet Police enabled them to identify more 

offenders and identify offenders in a more timely fashion particularly those offenders charged 

with misdemeanor offenses. Exchanging information with the Joliet police also allowed 

probation to identify more technical violations.   

Parole Cooperation  

 

Joliet police also maintained a database of all parolees released in their area based on 

updates from the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). This data was cross checked on a 

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daily basis with all police contacts: field interview cards, arrests, suspect information. This 

information was then made part of the weekly STD meeting report.  

Parole Compliance Checks 

 

As part of their parole monitoring efforts, the Parole Division of the Illinois Department of 

Corrections conducts unannounced parole compliance checks throughout the state. These 

compliance checks help to ensure that parolees are complying with the requirements of their 

parole. IDOC agents typically enlist the cooperation of municipal, county, and state law 

enforcement agencies in conducting these operations. The IDOC is committed to cooperative 

compliance efforts such as Joliet’s Strategic Tactical Deployment program.  

 

When released from prison, all parolees are given specific parole conditions, which they are 

required to follow. Parolees must reside in the residence established for their parole and must 

allow agents of the IDOC to search their person and the portion of their residence that they 

control (730 ILCS 5/3-3-7). Parolees are also required to submit to a urinalysis test as instructed 

by an agent of the IDOC. Compliance checks generally have three main objectives: ensuring that 

parolees live at the address reported to the IDOC, ensuring that parolees are drug free, and 

ensuring that parolees comply with the conditions of their parole.  

 

During the compliance checks, entry into the residence is made by IDOC personnel with 

Joliet police assisting. IDOC agents interview the parolee, search his room, and occasionally 

gather a urine specimen. If contraband is found during the check, the parolee is charged with a 

new crime and arrested by Joliet police. A person charged with violating a condition of parole is 

entitled to a preliminary hearing before a hearing officer of the Illinois Prison Review Board. 

However, no preliminary hearing is necessary when the revocation is based upon a new criminal 

charge and a finding of probable cause.  

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The following is an example of a parole compliance check conducted by the IDOC and 

Joliet police personnel. On 19 May 2011, the Joliet police accompanied IDOC personnel as they 

checked the compliance status of nineteen (19) IDOC parolees. The targets of the compliance 

check were chosen by Joliet police personnel based upon their knowledge of gun violence and 

gang activity in Joliet. All total 5

 

compliance checks were conducted. (See Appendix 8 for a 

complete list of the parole compliance check results).  

Table 2 

Sample Parole Compliance Check Findings 

19 May 2011 

Subject   

 

In Compliance   

 

Not in Compliance 

 

     Comment 

1   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X   

 

 

     Reported to D.O.C. 

2   

 

 

X   

3   

 

 

X 

4   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X   

 

 

     Arrested 

5   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X   

 

 

     Reported to D.O.C. 

6           X 

    

 

 

 

 

 

Arrested 

for 

cannabis 

7   

 

 

X 

8   

 

 

X 

9   

 

 

X   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      Interviewed re.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      shooting 

10   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X   

 

 

     Reported to D.O.C. 

11   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X    

 

 

     Reported to D.O.C. 

12   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X   

 

 

     Referred to E.M. 

13 

          X 

    

 

 

 

 

Arrested 

with 

drugs 

14 

   X 

 

15   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X   

 

 

      Referred to E. M. 

 

16   

 

 

X 

 

17   

 

 

X 

 

18   

 

 

X 

 19 

          X 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

Referred 

to 

E. 

M. 

 

 

Parole compliance checks were also used on a case-by-case basis to assist in solving violent 

crimes. For example, it came to the police department’s attention that a parolee, who was a 

member of the Latin King’s criminal street gang, had information about a recent homicide in the 

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