Plot Synopsis

PAROLE DIARIES follows a small group of parole officers of the Indiana Department of Correction, as they tackle their most difficult and heart-wrenching cases -- from the time they first meet their parolees, through the endless paperwork, into the field armed and outfitted in a bullet-proof vest for surprise home visits, and several evaluations. Each one-hour episode will follow three officers and the parolee -- or clients -- they are serving. With cases that include sex offenders, convicted murderers and addicts, the work these officers perform is high on stress, low on glamour, and extremely dangerous. The parole officers are: Nicole Alexander, a parole agent in her 14th year, who handles an all-male "drugs and thugs" caseload, which means her clients are only on parole for six months of less; Justin Bennett, a nine-year veteran with the Department of Corrections, who has mostly women parolees, allowing him to use his experience as a girls high-school basketball coach helps him connect with the clients; Gerald Carter, who exclusively handles sex-offender cases and in the first episode tracks down his client Kenneth, a sex-offender illegally living near a high school; Tony Green, a five-year veteran with the Department of Corrections, who tries to help his parolees understand how their individual actions have consequences that affect not just themselves, but their family and the greater community; Tracy Irvin, who works exclusively with male sex offenders -- and they often try to push the limits with her since she's a female; Denise Jackson, a 12-year veteran parole officer, who prides herself on her life-coaching and nurturing abilities and only handles female clients; Chris Spangler, a two-decade veteran with the Department of Corrections, whose all-male caseload ranges from murderers to drug addicts to minor traffic violators; Jay Sweeney, a parole agent in her third year, whose caseload is all male, with a focus on younger clients -- ages 18-25 -- mostly first-time offenders she tries to get back on track before they turn into career criminals; and John Taylor, managing a caseload ranging from murder charges to theft, who in premiere episode shows how determined he is to motivate client Brian to to stay on track and put the college degree he earned in prison to good use.