Director Jerry Adger to Continue Leading S.C. Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Governor Henry McMaster today announced that Jerry Adger will continue serving as the director of the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services (SCDPPPS). Director Adger was originally appointed to his current position by former Governor Nikki Haley in January of 2015. Prior to becoming director of SCDPPPS, Adger served in various capacities at the S.C. Department of Corrections, the State Law Enforcement Division, and the S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice over a 30-year career in law enforcement.

“Jerry Adger’s leadership has been the linchpin in transforming South Carolina’s Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services into one of the most widely respected probation agencies in the country,” said Gov. Henry McMaster. “Because of Director Adger’s innovative thinking, SCDPPPS has carried out its mission of  protecting the public, rehabilitating those under its supervision, and serving victims more effectively than ever before – all while saving taxpayer money.”

“It is a privilege to serve the citizens of South Carolina as a member of Governor McMaster’s team,” said Director Adger. “As an accredited law enforcement agency, we accomplish our mission through best practices while we strive to embody integrity, transparency and accountability. I look forward to leading this agency to becoming one of the best probation agencies in the nation.”

In July of 2018, SCDPPPS became the first probation agency in the country to achieve accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).

SCDPPPS has reduced the number of offenders returning to prison for probation revocations by 59% since 2010, resulting in over $52 million in taxpayer savings.

The agency has also outpaced the rest of the country in successfully closing probation and parole cases. Since Director Adger began serving at SCDPPPS, the agency has closed 81 percent of its probation cases without new criminal convictions, compared to the national average of 60 percent and it has closed 83 percent of its parole cases, compared to the national average of 61 percent.

With a new focus on the supervision of domestic violence offenders, SCDPPPS implemented 20 specialized domestic violence agent caseloads in 2017. In its first year, this new initiative resulted in an impressive 82 percent successful case closure rate.

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