Article for Outlook  2006

The Membership Committee has continued to meet the growing demands that continue to face the Illinois Probation and Court Services Association. We have attempted to meet those demands on two fronts. First, we meet with new officers in Basic Training. Second, we have continued to introduce college students to the association through the Student Sponsorship Program.   Budget constraints have plagued the state throughout the year, but our members have come through to get the word out to our fellow probation officers around the state about the importance of remaining active in IPCSA.

The Membership Committee has met with new officers as they are going through Basic Training in Springfield. We had high hopes to reach those officers whose counties do not pay for their annual membership fees. Most of the new officers that we have had the opportunity to speak with are very excited about joining and becoming involved in IPCSA. We have also brought forth the benefits of continuing their membership with IPCSA. There has seemed to a new energy among the membership as a whole to remain involved with IPCSA. 

The committee has also continued its effort to introduce college students to the association by way of attending a conference. This seems to show that IPCSA has both an academic benefit and a social one as well.  They are able to attend training sessions and are introduced to some of the fore most authorities in the field of community corrections.  The Membership Committee feels that it is a benefit to both the college student and the association to bring them into “our world”. They are able to get a first hand experience of the day to day struggles and successes that we face everyday.

We have had the great privilege of working with the Rosecrance organization as a partnership. They have been more than willing to continue to support IPCSA through maintaining a booth as a vendor and also as a sponsor for the New Member Reception at conferences. We would like to extend our heart felt thanks and gratitude to their organization for their continued support.

The Membership Committee has yet to set another date for a meeting.. If you have any questions about the committee or would like to join us, you can contact either Joe Howe at 309-478-5721 or Nichole Deppe at 618-258-0021.