Facebook page helps track 50% of missing probationers

In Marion County, Ohio, an average of 800 people are on probation at any given time

March 24, 2011 05:18 AM

MARION COUNTY, Ohio -- Ohio’s Marion County Adult Probation Department has been able to track down almost half of all missing probationers thanks to a new community-driven Facebook initiative.

In Marion County, Ohio, an average of 800 people are on probation at any given time. However, there are only 13 probation officers trained to keep track of all of them.

Simple math tells us it’s difficult for the officers to keep track of all those offenders, especially when about 10 percent of people on probation simply stop contacting the Marion County Adult Probation Department.

However, a new initiative by the Marion Police Department asks neighbors to like the agency’s page on Facebook and help track down the missing probationers. Every week there is a new featured case, giving physical and contextual details about the missing probationer and where he was last seen.