WKU Sociology & Criminology Alumni Profiles

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Erica Hargis, 06'

Erica Hargis completed her bachelor’s degree from WKU in 2006 with a major in psychology and minor in criminology.  She obtained a Master of Science in Justice Administration from the University of Louisville in 2010.  Erica began her justice career as a Pretrial Officer with the Administrative Office of the courts in July 2007 working at the Jefferson County jail and courthouse. In July 2009 she began her career with the Department of Corrections as a  Probation and Parole Investigator where she wrote pre-sentence investigations for Jefferson circuit court. In July 2010 she transferred to a supervision office as a Probation and Parole officer where she supervised various types of caseloads including high risk felony offenders and a reentry caseload, including office and home visits. In September 2012, she became an Assistant Supervisor of Probation and Parole Officers. In this role, she supervised probation officers and investigators and served two districts in this capacity. In September 2017, Erica assumed the role of Reentry Employment Program Administrator, where she conducted employment assessments with justice-involved clients, identified employment support services and opportunities, maintained statistical data to ensure grant compliance and met with grant liaisons. In 2018, she became the Assistant Director of the newly created Division of Reentry Services, after serving in that capacity for almost a year she was named the acting Director for the Division of Probation and Parole in March 2019, later assuming the role in May 2019. She received the Commissioner’s Award in 2014, and graduated from the Commissioner’s Executive Leadership Program in 2016.