Adult Probation
Adult probation supervision is based on a person's risk to reoffend and what factors led to the offense. Dakota County uses a research-based risk assessment tool that is used across the country.
Supervision is not the same for everyone:
- People at a higher risk have more frequent contact and closer supervision
- People at lower risk may have fewer check-ins, sometimes by phone or mail
This approach helps reduce repeat offenses and improves public safety.
Contact a Probation Officer
Most probation meetings happen in person, either at a Dakota County office or in community places like schools, homes or workplaces. Meeting in person helps probation officers build relationships, check progress and support accountability.
Some people who are lower risk may check in by phone instead. This allows probation officers to focus in-person time on people who need it most.
In-person appointments
Most adult probation meetings are held in person, by phone or a virtual meeting platform, such as Microsoft Teams. Your probation officer will tell you what is expected.
If you do not know your probation officer's phone number, call:
- Community Corrections Judicial Center: 651-438-8288
- Northern Service Center: 651-554-6060
- Western Service Center: 952-891-7200
Levels of supervision
Supervised release probation is a type of probation for people leaving prison. It helps keep the community safe while supporting a person's return to the community through regular check-ins and supervision.
People in high-risk supervision attend group therapy and meet one-on-one with officers. The focus is safety, accountability, skill-building and repairing harm to victims and the community.
Specialized caseloads may include:
- Domestic abuse
- Sex offenses
- Mental health
- Drug Court
- Veterans Court
- DWI supervision
- Gender-specific services
People in medium-risk supervision receive regular check-ins and services based on their needs.
People in low-risk supervision may report quarterly, by phone or by mail. The goal is to meet probation rules with minimal supervision.