Dylan Hobson, formerly with IDOC, presents for appointment to Pardons and Parole panel

Dylan Hobson appeared before the Senate Judiciary & Rules Committee for consideration of his gubernatorial appointment to the Idaho Commission of Pardons and Parole.

Hobson told senators he is a Boise native with a degree in criminal justice administration and 30 years in public service, including work as a correctional officer, parole hearing investigator, probation and parole officer, and supervisory roles culminating as deputy chief of probation and parole for the Idaho Department of Correction. He said that although short‑term public safety measures can look like "handcuffs and razor wire," long‑term public safety requires focusing on behavior change and strong relationships between probation/parole officers and those they supervise.

Senators asked about the role of politics and the workload. Hobson said he strives to avoid political framing and to evaluate risk through the lens of public safety; he said the workload is heavier than the headline eight days of hearings per month because of unpaid case preparation time. The committee did not vote on the appointment at this hearing and will take up the vote at a later meeting.