Company Description:

The commissioner of corrections, as the chief administrative officer of the department, is responsible for operation of adult and juvenile state correctional facilities; provision of probation, supervised release, and parole services; administration of the state Community Corrections Act; and provision of assistance and guidance on a statewide basis in the management of criminal justice programs and facilities. Responsibilities of the commissioner of corrections in Minnesota are much broader than is typical of most other states. For example, Minnesota is one of fewer than a dozen states where the commissioner is responsible for both adult and juvenile facilities. The commissioner is responsible for determinations regarding the parole of first-degree murderers; in most states, this function is the responsibility of a separate parole board. The provision of probation and parole services is also a function of a separate agency in many states. The Minnesota Department of Corrections was created in 1959 to consolidate state correctional functions into one agency. A service and regulatory agency, the department has a broad scope of activities and responsibilities. The department currently operates ten correctional facilities including eight for adults and two for juveniles. For adult offenders, a five-level classification system reflects the necessary level of control for offenders classified in each designation. Adult prison populations total nearly 9,200 inmates; juvenile residents number around 175. Department agents supervise about 20,000 adult and juvenile offenders on probation, supervised release, and parole. Through the state Community Corrections Act, the department also administers subsidy funds to units of local government for corrections programs.