Our Mission
The Metro Nashville-Davidson County Probation Department mission is to:
- Assist the Metropolitan Government of Nashville-Davidson County General Sessions Courts in the fair administration of justice.
- Protect the community.
- Bring about long-term positive change in individuals under supervision.
- Restore losses to victims of crime.
Who We Are
The Metro Nashville-Davidson County Probation Department is:
- The community corrections assistant of the General Sessions Court.
- A system of employees, who include: probation officers, support staff, information technology, budget, and human resources professionals, dedicated to support and defend the American jurisprudence concept of justice for all.
What We Do
The Metro Nashville-Davidson County Probation Officers act as “eyes and ears” of the Courts to supervise defendants convicted of or entering conditional guilty pleas to state and local crimes. The Metro Probation Officers:
- Gather and verify information about persons who are sentenced to a term of probation by the Courts.
- Enforce the Court’s orders by ensuring probationers comply with the conditions the Court has set for their release to the community.
- Protect the community through effective supervision methods that reduce the probability that offenders will commit new criminal offenses.
- Prepare reports the Courts rely on to make modification, and revocation decisions.
- Provide treatment and assistance to probationers to correct problems that may be linked to their criminal behavior by directing them to specialized services.
Limited Pretrial Supervision
Due to evolving legislation, primarily related to multiple Driving Under the Influence (DUI) offenses, Metro probation officers are increasingly responsible for the supervision of pretrial defendants in addition to their post-conviction caseloads. In these cases, state law requires the monitoring of specific conditions of release that are designed to reduce risk of harm to another person and/or enhance overall public safety.
Examples of conditions of release on bond that trigger pretrial supervision include those that require Interlock Ignition, devices and SCRAM for certain multiple DUI offenders, and electronic monitoring with GPS technology for certain domestic violence and stalking-type offenses. As the Tennessee General
Assembly focuses on other high-risk factors related to public safety concerns for persons released on bond pending trial, it is anticipated pretrial supervision that cases will increase proportionately.
