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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
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Results for probation officers
40 results foundAuthor: Mills, Helen Title: The Community Order and the Suspended Sentence Order Three Years On: The Views and Experiences of Probation Officers and Offenders Summary: The introductin of Community Order and the Suspended Order (SSO) in the 2003 Criminal Justice Act, on paper at least, radically reconfigured community sentences in England and Wales. This report assesses the use and impact of these orders since their implementation. Details: London: Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, 2009 Source: Community sentences series Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 114752 Keywords: Community SentencesProbation Officers |
Author: Rosay, Andre B. Title: Juvenile Probation Officer Workload and Caseload Study: Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice Summary: This report describes results of a study to measure and analyze the workload and caseload of Juvenile Probation Officers (JPOs) within the Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice. More specifically, this study assessed the resources needed in both rural and urban Alaska to adequately meet minimum probation standards, to continue the development and enhancement of system improvements, and to fully implement the restorative justice field probation service delivery model. Details: Anchorage, AK: Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage, 2010. 48p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 119286 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenile Probation (Alaska)Probation OfficersRestorative Justice |
Author: Bourgon, Guy Title: Translating "What Works" into Sustainable Everyday Practice: Program Design, Implementation and Evaluation 2009-05 Summary: "A major challenge for community correctional agencies is yranslating “what works” knowledge into effective everyday practice. Service delivery adherence to the principles of Risk, Need and Responsivity (RNR) is threatened by a variety of design, implementation, and evaluation issues found in the “real world” of community supervision. The Strategic Training Initiative in Community Supervision (STICS) was designed as a service delivery model and implementation training package, which attempted to translate these principles into the routine practice of probation officers. In this report, we describe the challenges and issues that should be addressed when trying to bring research to the real world of community supervision faced by probation officers and we evaluate our efforts to overcome these challenges through STICS. Firmly rooted in RNR principles, the STICS supervision model emphasizes officers’ interventions that facilitate prosocial attitudinal/cognitive change in moderate to high-risk offenders. In order to maintain service integrity and officers’ skill maintenance, STICS not only provided probation officers with initial three-day training in the model and basic cognitive-behavioural interventions but the model also provided ongoing clinical supervision. Random assignment and direct observation of probation officer behaviour during interactions with their clients are key components of the evaluation of this initiative. Preliminary results suggest that STICS had a significant impact in improving probation officers’ use of effective core correctional practices." Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2009. 23p. Source: Internet Resource; Accessed August 14, 2010 at:https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2009-05-pd/index-en.aspx Year: 2009 Country: Canada URL: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2009-05-pd/index-en.aspx Shelf Number: 117120 Keywords: Community CorrectionsCommunity SupervisionOffender SupervisionProbationProbation Officers |
Author: Bonta, James Title: The Strategic Training Initiative in Community Supervision: Risk-Need-Responsivity in the Real World Summary: Community supervision is the most prevalent form of correctional control. In Canada, there are approximately 95,000 offenders under probation or parole supervision. In the United States the number exceeds five million. Despite the prevalence of its use, little is known about the effectiveness of community supervision. The risk-need-responsivity (RNR) model of offender rehabilitation has guided the development of treatment programs but it has not been applied in situations of one-on-one supervision. In the present study, an RNR-based training program was developed and delivered to probation officers to assist in the direct supervision of offenders under a probation order. Probation officers were randomly assigned to a training or no-training condition. After training, probation officers audiotaped some of their sessions with clients in order to assess their use of the skills taught in training. The results showed that the trained probation officers evidenced more of the RNR-based skills and that their clients had a lower recidivism rate. The findings suggest that training in the evidenced-based principles of the RNR model can have an important impact on the behaviour of probation officers and their clients. Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2010. 20p. Source: Internet Resource; Corrections Research: User Report 2010-01. Accessed August 16, 2010 at: http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/collections/collection_2010/sp-ps/PS3-1-2010-1-eng.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/collections/collection_2010/sp-ps/PS3-1-2010-1-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 119617 Keywords: Community Based Corrections (Canada)ParoleesProbation OfficersProbationersRisk Assessment |
Author: White, William L. Title: Recognizing, Managing and Containing the "Hard Core Drinking Driver" Summary: The 1.5 million persons arrested each year for driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs (DUI) constitute a growing portion of the caseloads of the nation’s probation officers (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2002). The sheer volume of these cases poses the challenge of determining which DUI offenders pose the greatest threat to public safety and require more rigorous monitoring and case management. There is growing consensus that more sophisticated approaches are needed to examine how particular risk factors interact to predict DUI recidivism and future involvement in alcohol-related crashes (C’de Baca, Miller, & Lapham, 2001). This article responds to that challenge by reviewing the research on the highest risk DUI offenders, introducing the Hard Core Drinking Driver Checklist, and discussing principles probation officers can utilize to effectively manage the hard core drinking driver (HCDD). Details: Springfield, IL: Institute for Legal and Policy Studies, Center for State Policy and Leadership, University of Illinois at Springfield, 2006. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 2, 2010 at: http://www.mayahennessey.com/pdfs/HCD_diver_paper.pdf Year: 2006 Country: United States URL: http://www.mayahennessey.com/pdfs/HCD_diver_paper.pdf Shelf Number: 115377 Keywords: Driving Under the InfluenceDrunk DrivingProbation Officers |
Author: Armstrong, Gaylene Title: The Importance of a Low Span of Control in Effective Implementation of Evidence Based Probation and Parole Practices Summary: Public safety, through positive offender behavior change, and offender accountability are key priorities of the Community Based Correctional System in Iowa. In response to budgetary constraints, recent legislative discussions have ensued regarding the reduction of funding allocated for the supervisory staff in the System. The suggested reduction would significantly decrease the span of control ratio of probation supervisors to probation officers within the System. While recognizing ongoing fiscal demands, the current 7 probation officers to 1 supervisor ratio (7:1 span of control) should not be increased to a higher ratio, as it would be in contrast to suggested principles of organization and management, as well as challenge the continued implementation and sustainability of effective, evidence based practices within the System. "Span of control" has commonly been utilized to describe the number of individuals, or resources, that a person can effectively supervise within a structured organizational, business or military setting. The foundation of this principle is to increase administrative efficiency (Souryal, 1977), while retaining effectiveness within the organization. In examining the span of control in probation jurisdictions across the country, two different studies have found significant variation in this ratio. Cushman and Sechrest (1992) argued as part of their study, which included span of control ratios that a prevailing assumption existed such that probation agencies, clients on probation, and programs used to supervise probationers were similar across jurisdiction. Their results indicated, however that nothing could be further from the truth. Cushman and Sechrest noted "there are truly important differences on all three of these dimensions" between probation organizations; consequently, policy from one jurisdiction may not necessarily be a good model for adaptation to other jurisdictions. Moreover, significant variation found to exist in supervision ratios across jurisdictions, as well as supervision models, was unexplained. To date, evidence documenting the roles and responsibility of the supervising officers, as well as the supervisory structure, that may explain some of the variation in span of control ratios is absent in contextualizing these numbers. Concurrent with the consideration of appropriate span of control ratios, knowledge of recent changes to Iowa's approach to offender management inclusive of evidence based practices must also be understood. The general principle of evidence based practices (EBP) relies on scientific knowledge and/or empirical studies that demonstrate effectiveness of programs, methods or techniques within the contextual setting to accomplish a pre‐defined goal of recidivism reduction. As a result of the System’s implementation of evidence based practices in probation and parole, the implementation of EBP has been credited with a significant reduction in the Iowa prison population. This is a trend that could be reversed if the span of control was increased. Supervisors play a pivotal role in any organization's attempt to improve efficiency and effectiveness through the application of evidence‐based knowledge to the process of work. In order to be successful in this role, supervisors must master a set of skills that even ten years ago were not considered to be part of their competences. These skills include, among others, transformational leadership, strategic thinking, change management, communication, collaboration, coaching and mentoring, motivating staff, and relationship building. Each of these skills takes time to master and apply. Supervision is no longer just telling people what to do and then monitoring whether they do it; it has become the art and science of human and behavioral encouragement, support, and feedback. Moreover, the role of the probation officers themselves has significantly evolved with the implementation of evidence based practices. Probation and parole officers must be engaged with clients in a manner that requires a higher level of direct interaction to implement supervision techniques such as engaging in relationship building, motivational interviewing, and adhering to risk, needs and responsivity principles of treatment. This shift in officer roles aligns with added oversight by the supervisory staff to ensure fidelity of evidence based practices such as those mentioned above. Engaging in evidence‐based practices in probation and parole also requires supervisors who have the time to exercise these skills. If agencies expect to achieve significant modifications of criminal behavior and to reduce recidivism, they must allow supervisors the ability to devote the majority of their work day to collaborating with their staff in the actual conduct of their daily business. Supervisors must be able to tutor their staff in the skills of case planning, building meaningful relationships with the offender, engaging offenders in accomplishing treatment plans, using rewards and sanctions, and reducing risk by addressing criminogenic needs. In addition to ineffective implementation of evidence based practices, when supervision staff is lacking, it is also possible for programs and practices that are initially well‐implemented to erode in quality over time. As one director we spoke with stated, “…EBP takes active supervision and some accountability or it slips.” McManus (2007) also discussed a number of other global issues that may result including skill erosion, customer confidence erosion, and morale erosion or bad morale if employees are not supported with effective and adequate levels of supervision. Moreover, probation organizations are in a unique position such that both individual officers and their organizations may be subject to civil liability suits if it can be demonstrated that the organization failed to adequately train, direct, supervise, entrust, discipline and assign employees. Details: Houston, TX: Correctional Management Institute of Texas, Sam Houston State University, 2010. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 19, 2011 at: http://nicic.gov/Downloads/PDF/Library/024881.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://nicic.gov/Downloads/PDF/Library/024881.pdf Shelf Number: 120831 Keywords: Community Based CorrectionsParole OfficersParoleesProbation OfficersProbationers |
Author: Jalbert, Sarah Kuck Title: A Multi-Site Evaluation of Reduced Probation Caseload Size in an Evidence-Based Practice Setting Summary: Criminal justice researchers have studied caseload size to determine whether smaller caseloads improve probation outcomes. With exceptions, the findings have been disappointing: Reduced probation officer caseloads have not reduced criminal recidivism for high risk probationers and have increased revocation rates. One explanation is that officers with reduced caseloads do not materially change their supervision practices when caseloads are reduced—they either fail to achieve increased supervision intensity (control) or fail to improve treatment intervention (correction), or both. This raises the question: Would reduced caseloads improve supervision outcomes for medium to high risk offenders in a probation agency that trains its officers to apply a balance of controlling and correctional/rehabilitative measures? The logic is that the reduced caseload would allow probation officers to better deliver correctional interventions, thereby reducing recidivism without unduly increasing revocations. Our research answered this question in three purposefully selected probation agencies: Oklahoma City, where we implemented a randomized controlled trial (RCT) experiment; Polk County, Iowa, where we implemented a regression discontinuity design study (RDD), and four judicial districts in Colorado, where we implemented a RDD. In Oklahoma City the RCT degenerated and the study team turned to a difference in differences (DD) estimator. The results showed that reducing probation officer caseloads can reduce criminal recidivism when delivered in a setting where probation officers apply EBP. The two agencies (Oklahoma and Polk County, Iowa) that fully implemented EBP showed improved outcomes for probationers supervised by officers with smaller caseloads. The districts in Colorado had not fully implemented EBP and showed no reduced criminal recidivism attributable to smaller caseloads. Our results suggest that reduced caseloads, in combination with EBP, can lead to improved recidivism outcomes. The DD estimator in Oklahoma showed a statistically significant decrease in criminal recidivism and a modest increase in technical revocation rates for probationers supervised by officers who had reduced caseloads. Apparently officers with reduced caseloads were better able to identify treatment needs among their clientele, and thus better able to direct resources to those most in need. Consequently, reduced caseloads result in more efficient distribution of resources, and improved average probation outcomes. In Polk County, we found that intensive supervision with a small caseload reduces the likelihood of criminal recidivism by 26% percent (p=.037) for all offenses, 39% (p=.037) for drugs, property and violent offenses, and 45% (p=.023) for property and violent offenses (drug offenses excluded). For longer periods of time, recidivism is reduced significantly for property and violent crimes, 37% at eighteen months and 30 months respectively. We found little evidence that caseload size and resource allocation practices in Colorado’s four largest districts (excluding Denver) reduced the risk of recidivism for the highest risk probationers on general supervision. We speculate that the lack of treatment effect is related to the low frequency of correctional intervention for medium to high risk probationers, and that some core elements of EBP were not implemented until the end of the ten year study period (2007), contributing to the relative lack of treatment provision. The Department of Probation Services has since made considerable efforts to train or retrain officers and add elements of responsivity to Districts’ operations. It may be that similar analysis in two years will yield different findings. This study did not demonstrate the efficacy of the full complement of evidence based practices. Probation officers received equivalent training, so there was no counterfactual to use to evaluate EBP. Nevertheless, the implication is that EBP mattered: the literature demonstrates that without EBP (or similar supervision strategies) reduced caseloads do not reduce recidivism. Details: Cambridge, MA: Abt Associates, 2011. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 2, 2011 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/234596.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/234596.pdf Shelf Number: 121962 Keywords: CaseloadsOffender SupervisionProbation (U.S.)Probation OfficersRecidivism |
Author: Fabelo, Tony Title: Organizational Assessment of Travis County Community Supervision and Corrections Department (CSCD) -- Facing the Challenges to Successfully Implement the Travis Community Impact Supervision (TCIS) Model Summary: On July 1, 2005 the Travis County Community Supervision and Corrections Department (CSCD) accepted a proposal by The JFA Institute to conduct an operational assessment of the department. The proposal was in response to interest from the new director of the Travis CSCD, Dr. Geraldine Nagy, to assess the department’s strengths and weaknesses and to assist her in designing management strategies for the department. Particularly, the goal is to identify the organizational challenges of implementing an Evidence Based Practices (EBP) organization and supervision model. The main goal of EBP is to operate the agency as a “learning organization” that uses strategies proven to be effective to manage the probation population. The model moves supervision strategies from a primary emphasis on enforcement to one that focuses on providing the offenders the resources and motivation to effect change by addressing their criminogenic traits using methods that have been proven to work. TCIS is a model directed at increasing the effectiveness of probation. Effective assessment practices, differentiated supervision strategies, and organizational assessments to maintain model fidelity are the critical elements of TCIS. The assessments are used to classify the population to receive different supervision strategies that have been proven to be the most effective with their particular population risks and needs. To support this model, the probation department has to be retooled to conduct more effective assessments and routinely monitor program and supervision outcomes. Personnel training and personnel evaluations need to be directed at supporting and encouraging the new supervision strategies. The information systems of the organization also have to be effectively tapped to provide data for management and policy analysis to assist in the management and policy oversight of the practices. The expected outcomes of TCIS are: (a) the more effective diversion of low risk offenders from the criminal justice system; (b) reduction in the recidivism of “social problem” offenders (offenders who are mainly pro-social people that have gotten in trouble with the law because of a substance abuse or mental health problem); and (c) the more effective surveillance and control of high risk offenders. Details: Washington, DC: JFA Institute, 2005. 108p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 18, 2011 at: http://www.jfa-associates.com/publications/ppope/Travis83105Final.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United States URL: http://www.jfa-associates.com/publications/ppope/Travis83105Final.pdf Shelf Number: 122086 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationCommunity Corrections (Texas)ProbationProbation OfficersProbationersRisk Assessment |
Author: Fabelo, Tony Title: A Ten-Step Guide to Transforming Probation Departments to Reduce Recidivism Summary: A Ten-Step Guide to Transforming Probation Departments to Reduce Recidivism provides probation leaders with a roadmap to overhaul the operations of their agencies so they can increase public safety in their communities and improve rates of compliance among people they are supervising. The first section describes how officials can engage key stakeholders, evaluate agency policies, and develop a strategic plan for implementing reform; the second section provides recommendations for redesigning departmental policies and practices; and the final section includes steps for making the department transformation permanent. The report provides numerous examples of how these steps were used in one probation department in particular (Travis County, Texas). Since transforming its operations between 2005 and 2008, the Travis County probation department has seen felony probation revocations decline by 20 percent and the one-year re-arrest rate for probationers fall by 17 percent (compared with similar probationers before the departmental overhaul). Details: Washington, DC: Council of State Governments Justice Center, 2011. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 10, 2011 at: http://www.nationalreentryresourcecenter.org/documents/0000/1150/A_Ten-Step_Guide_to_Transforming_Probation_Departments_to_Reduce_Recidivism.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.nationalreentryresourcecenter.org/documents/0000/1150/A_Ten-Step_Guide_to_Transforming_Probation_Departments_to_Reduce_Recidivism.pdf Shelf Number: 122344 Keywords: Probation (U.S.)Probation OfficersProbationersRecidivismRisk Assessment |
Author: Minnesota. Department of Corrections Title: Adult Gross Misdemeanor/Misdemeanor and Juvenile Workload Study 2008 Summary: Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) community supervision agents have been basing their workload on a system and study dating back to the 1980s. Much has changed since then, including specialized caseloads; supervision standards that emphasize field contacts and case planning; utilization of various evidence-based practices; and the use of computers and cell phones. While many tasks have been added, others have been streamlined or omitted. A total of 40 agents from 10 DOC districts tracked nearly 800 adult and juvenile offenders to develop an accurate picture of each adult gross misdemeanor/misdemeanor and juvenile supervision level. There were also tasks that were tracked, including adult pre-sentence investigations; adult and juvenile new clients; juvenile pre-disposition investigations; juvenile certification studies; adult chemical assessments; adult pre-trial monitoring; and juvenile pre-disposition monitoring. Offenders were tracked for two months, and agents logged their time spent on the selected offenders. As expected, the changes that have taken place over the last few years have affected the time it takes an agent to supervise an offender. Details: St. Paul: Minnesota Department of Corrections, 2009. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 22, 2011 at: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/publications/documents/06-09AdultGrossMisdemeanor-MisdemeanorandJuvenileWorkloadReport2008.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/publications/documents/06-09AdultGrossMisdemeanor-MisdemeanorandJuvenileWorkloadReport2008.pdf Shelf Number: 122443 Keywords: Offenders, Community Based Corrections (Minnesota)ProbationProbation OfficersWorkload Analysis |
Author: Los Angeles County. Office of Independent Review Title: Evaluation and Recommendations Concerning Internal Investigations at the Los Angeles County Probation Department Summary: The Office of Independent Review was asked in March of this year by the County Board of Supervisors to conduct a three month examination of internal investigation functions at the Los Angeles County Probation Department. Our review of this 6,000 member Department revealed a number of significant problems in the units most directly involved with internal investigations and administrative discipline. During our review, we received the unqualified support of the new Departmental leadership and executive team and were granted unfettered access to documents and managerial personnel. We discovered inordinate delays in completing and reviewing internal investigations. As a result, in at least thirty-one cases over the past two calendar years, the Department may well be unable to discipline sworn employees who violated policy because it was unable to complete the cases on time. The twenty-eight cases are only emblematic of a wholesale systems breakdown in which over half of all disciplinary cases were completed five days or less shy of the statutory one-year deadline. This systemic failure caused victims, complainants, subject employees, and Department managers in over half the cases to wait almost a year before the cases were finalized. The bottlenecks that caused the delay derived primarily from bureaucratic inefficiencies, insufficient tracking, and weak case management. We found general difficulty in accurately tracking cases through the system from beginning to end. The lack of an integrated database caused investigators, reviewers, supervisors, case managers, and executives alike to be unable to ascertain fundamental data such as the current number of administrative investigations in the system. This inability to know the universe of cases and track each of them hampers the Department’s efforts to improve the system in critical ways. The Department entities assigned to root out and address misconduct work in isolation from one another and this way of doing business combined with the lack of an integrated database makes it virtually impossible to share information effectively and make the system more efficient. In the Internal Affairs unit, we found quality deficiencies in the investigations and a clear need for training in basic investigative skills to professionalize their methods and work product. We also found that the unit lacked adequate Departmental investigative support , making it extremely difficult for the investigators to conduct timely, thorough and effective investigations. In the Child Abuse Special Investigations Unit, we found the beginning of a well functioning investigation entity hampered by uneven training, erratic notification and evidence preservation at the juvenile facilities, and insufficient internal quality control within the unit. In the Performance Management unit we found significant holes in documentation and an obscure, inconsistent process of case evaluation and discipline decision-making. Some of these issues are personnel based. Many others concern processes and procedures that do not serve those personnel well and create unnecessary obstacles to effective performance. When we asked why some seemingly counterproductive procedures exist, we often heard, ―[t]hat’s the way we’ve always done it.‖ Many of the problems we identified are amenable to practical short and medium term solutions, while others may take a more sustained effort. We have recommended a total of 34 changes in structure, procedure, policy and standards. We also recommend that the leadership of the Department make an explicit commitment to creating a disciplinary system that meets the standards of skill, integrity and professionalism that are so necessary to this Department. Among our central recommendations, we believe it is indispensable for the Department to adopt a single unified case tracking system accessible by personnel from Internal Affairs, Child Abuse, and Performance Management. The confusion, data loss and mistakes engendered by the current proliferation of different, incompatible tracking systems cripples the Department’s disciplinary efforts We also recommend that the investigative and reviewing units take action to speed up the glacial pace with which cases are moved through the system and institute better safeguards and management control so that cases are not needlessly bottlenecked and potentially lost to expired statutes of limitation. We make recommendations aimed at improving the skill set of Internal Affairs and Child Abuse investigators. We also believe that IA and CASIU could benefit from merging into a single professional organization with standardized prerequisites, training, and procedures. Many of our recommendations point to a new holistic attitude we believe the Department should adopt toward the internal disciplinary system. Disciplinary investigations and their outcomes can provide significant feedback to Department leaders that can help improve the quality of operations within the Department as well as the investigations themselves. We recommend that the Department provide needed transparency and information to both its employees and the public about individual cases, the investigative process, and systemic issues. We also recommend that the Department consider seeking independent oversight to ensure a continued path to reform, system-wide as well as providing quality control, fair investigations and principled decision-making on a case-specific level. During our review, we observed a Department already actively engaging in reforms on many fronts with the assistance of the County offices of the CEO, the Auditor/Controller and Human Resources. The Probation Department’s managers have already modified some aspects of their process during our review as a result of our continuing dialogue with them. Details: Los Angeles: Office of Independent Review, County of Los Angeles, 2010. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 19, 2011 at: http://laoir.com/reports/Report%20on%20Los%20Angeles%20County%20Probation%20Department%20June%202010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://laoir.com/reports/Report%20on%20Los%20Angeles%20County%20Probation%20Department%20June%202010.pdf Shelf Number: 123397 Keywords: Probation (U.S.)Probation OfficersProbation Supervision |
Author: Gelsthorpe, Loraine Title: Deaths on Probation: An Analysis of Data Regarding People Dying Under Probation Supervision Summary: The study, Deaths on Probation, reveals that between 2005 and 2010, 2,275 men and 275 women died while under probation supervision. Of these, just a quarter were reported as having died of natural causes, with suicide accounting for at least one in eight and alcohol issues one in thirteen. Evidence in the report suggests that probation staff are recording deaths simply as a bureaucratic exercise rather than to help them understand why people are dying under their supervision and what can be done to prevent future deaths. One in eight deaths under supervision was listed as of ‘unknown cause’, suggesting valuable information is being lost. The report calls for a return to the core values of what it means to supervise people who have committed crime: making bureaucracy less of a priority and making looking after some of the most vulnerable people in our society their number one objective. This means not just helping them to turn their backs on lives of crime, but also caring for their welfare needs and giving them some hope for the future. The report highlighted specific examples of people who had been let down while under supervision. These included a man murdered after not having been given permission to travel out of an area where his life was known to be under threat and a suicidal homeless man who was found dead in a park three weeks after his release, despite the fact multiple agencies knew of his problems. Details: London: Howard League for Penal Reform, 2012. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 21, 2012 at: http://d19ylpo4aovc7m.cloudfront.net/fileadmin/howard_league/user/online_publications/Deaths_on_probation.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://d19ylpo4aovc7m.cloudfront.net/fileadmin/howard_league/user/online_publications/Deaths_on_probation.pdf Shelf Number: 126398 Keywords: Probation OfficersProbation SupervisionProbationers (U.K.) |
Author: DeMichele, Matthew T. Title: Community Supervision Workload Considerations for Public Safety Summary: Supported by a grant awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the American Probation and Parole Association developed the report Community Supervision Workload Considerations for Public Safety discussing the dilemma of managing officer time amidst an array of tasks, constraining resources, and high caseloads. Two tools are provided within the document; 1) workload matrices that provide agencies with estimated time ranges for specific tasks officers complete classified by risk level and case type (e.g., domestic violence, sex offender), and 2) a time study template to assist agencies in conducting their own examination of officer workload. Details: Lexington, KY: American Probation and Parole Association, 2011. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 1, 2013 at: http://www.appa-net.org/eweb/docs/APPA/pubs/CSWCFPS.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.appa-net.org/eweb/docs/APPA/pubs/CSWCFPS.pdf Shelf Number: 127755 Keywords: Caseload ManagementCommunity CorrectionsOffender SupervisionParole OfficersProbation Officers |
Author: Robinson, Emma Title: One-to-One Process Evaluation Summary: This evaluation sought to look at the implementation and delivery of One to One in four research areas: West Yorkshire, Northants, West Mercia and Cambridgeshire. The main aim of the research was to highlight how the programme is being implemented, in what circumstances it is used, and the types of offenders it is being targeted at. Method The research has used both quantitative and qualitative data sources to address this aims. Briefly the three main samples comprised: an IAPS data extract of referrals in each of the areas between 06/01/05 and 31/05/06 (n=237); interviews with 14 OTO delivery staff and a further 8 interviews with offenders at varying stages of the programme. Background information was gathered from each of the Areas in order to provide information on referral processes, delivery and staffing. There were differences between the areas in how the programme is implemented and delivered. In West Yorkshire OTO is only delivered in hostels by Residential Officers who have undertaken the tutor training. Two areas (West Mercia and Northants) deliver across a widely dispersed area and reported having had significant waiting lists for the programme. Cambridgeshire felt that their referral process was rather more ‘ad-hoc’ with tutors identifying appropriate participants whenever they have space to deliver the programme. Throughput Results The throughput data from IAPS appeared to correlate with the above background information. Referral rates were much higher in Northants (n=81) and West Mercia (n=122). Cambridgeshire had 32 referrals but as there were only two tutors delivering the programme in this time period their commencement rate was very low (22%). There were only 2 cases in the IAPS extract for West Yorkshire and these were both lost between the referral and assessment stage. There was little difference in the type of offenders being referred between areas, with the exception that Cambridgeshire had almost a 50/50 split of male and female referrals to the programme. West Mercia and Northants had higher proportions of Male referrals (88% and 78% respectively). Proportions of offenders from different ethnic groups were roughly similar in each area and overall, Offenders referred to the programme were predominantly ‘White:British’ (n=225, 95). Across the 4 areas, the completion rate was 35%, suggesting that offenders referred to OTO might be one of the most difficult client groups to engage and motivate. This was confirmed by feedback from tutors who commented that OTO offenders tend to have more inherent problems compared to other offender groups (e.g. mental health issues). An interesting finding from the IAPS extract was with regards to the average number of sessions completed by offenders who commenced the programme. The average across the four areas was 13 sessions. Feedback from both tutors and offenders suggested that it was the latter stages of the programme (sessions 13-20) that needed the most improvement. It was commented that these sessions can be very repetitive and in some cases unnecessary. These figures appear to suggest, when considered alongside the interview feedback, that the programme could perhaps be shortened. Feedback from Staff and Offenders The majority of tutors felt that referrals to the programme are made appropriately though there was some feeling that a minority of cases are referred to OTO purely because they are unsuitable for any other programme and don’t necessarily fit any of the other referral criteria for POTO. Northamptonshire area felt that their referral process had been greatly improved by introducing a Single Point of Contact (SPOC). All potential referrals have to be talked through with the SPOC before they are instigated and this was seen to have improved targeting and reduce the waiting lists in this area. Tutor feedback suggested that OTO is less well promoted in areas than other Accredited Programmes, and is often seen as the ‘quiet’ programme, poorly advertised with few staff outside of programmes teams aware of it’s value. This seems unfortunate given the wealth of comments from tutors and offenders on the value of the programme, and the examples given where OTO has had a significant impact on offenders Tutors also felt that it would be worthwhile looking at reconviction data for those who have been through the programme as it was felt that these cases had not gone on to re-offend. The programme was seen as needing a large amount of preparation time and tutors reported having to juggle their time as best as possible, especially if they had responsibility for delivering other programmes. The two hostel tutors in West Yorkshire found it particularly difficult to fit in OTO delivery alongside running the hostel and dealing with their normal caseloads. There was also some suggestion that at times, the tutor role can encroach onto more of an Offender Management role due to the difficult client group that they are dealing with. All Areas had tried to maintain an effective support network between tutors following the initial tutor training, with some having introduced ‘development days’ where tutors could discuss cases and share good practice. However, it appeared that not many Areas are not keeping these going as regularly as originally intended despite that fact that they are considered very useful, particularly for those tutors who work in very dispersed areas and can feel more isolated, not having another tutor nearby to ‘debrief’ with. There was some agreement between tutors and offenders as to which parts of the programme are more successful. The Offence Analysis work was considered to be particularly useful, especially as this was an area that offenders felt they would have difficulty discussing in a group situation. The role play/role rotation exercises were explicitly mentioned several times as an area of the programme that offenders dislike and is difficult for tutors to deliver. It was also felt that parts of the programme manual are quite badly written and difficult for tutors to understand and then translate into a programme session. Motivation of offenders on the programme appears to be tied to several factors. Rapport with the programme tutor appears to be one of the more important elements but also some buy-in to the programme appears to come from the fact that the programme is structured in such a way as to allow participants to see how far they have progressed. Details: Wakefield, UK: West Yorkshire Probation Service, 2007. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 5, 2013 at: http://www.westyorksprobation.org.uk/documentlist.php?type=1&year=2007 Year: 2007 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.westyorksprobation.org.uk/documentlist.php?type=1&year=2007 Shelf Number: 128271 Keywords: Probation (U.K.)Probation OfficersProbationers |
Author: Robinson, Emma Title: Added Value? HIMMAT in Halifax Evaluation Report Summary: Currently Himmat are contracted to work with South Asian offenders in Halifax. This evaluation forms part of a best value review and investigates whether the Himmat service adds value over and above the standard offender management practice. Specifically the evaluation looks at whether Himmat helps to improve order compliance and completions, whether it reduces the likelihood of breach and if offenders value the service. This study combined quantitative and qualitative approaches in order to address the question of whether the HIMMAT service adds value above that of standard offender management practice in Halifax. The aims of the research where to assess whether HIMMAT helps to improve order completions and compliance, whether it reduces instances of breach and whether the offenders themselves value the service. Quantitative data was obtained from CRAMS and Performance Information packs for West Yorkshire. A file-read was also conducted on the first 34 cases who had contact with the HIMMAT service. Interviews were also conducted with Offender Management staff (n=5) who have worked with HIMMAT in producing SDRs on their cases, and offenders (n=5) who had been in contact with HIMMAT for at least 6 months. Compliance and breach figures were analysed for the first 6 months (26 weeks) of the order/licence for each offender, this matching the process which is used for area auditing on these measures. Data was obtained for 2006/7 and 2007/8 on the number of National Standards appointments kept and instances of breach. The file-read results were very positive and revealed an average compliance rate of 90% for offenders in the sample. Only 3 cases (9%) had any breach action recorded in the first 26 weeks of their order. A total of 21 offenders (88%) went on to complete their order successfully. When compared to data for Calderdale (61%) and Area figures (61%), these results were statistically significant. These results were compared to those for Asian offenders in other districts and offenders across the area as a whole by using Nsmart data held by the Performance Information team. The results for 2006/7 showed that overall, Asian offenders in Calderdale have performed better on compliance with National Standards appointments and matched the results from the file read with a 90% compliance rate. The overall compliance rate for offenders in Calderdale was 79% in 2006/7, which showed that offenders in Calderdale are only slightly more compliant then the total caseload (76%), thus suggesting that there is indeed a high rate of compliance amongst Asian offenders in this district rather than the results being a product of Calderdale being a more compliant district in itself. The figures for 2007/8 were much closer between the districts. Although Calderdale has maintained a high compliance rate, it appears that the other districts have drive up their compliance during this period, thus they are now more on a par with Calderdale. Breach is also monitored for the first 26 weeks of an offender’s order/licence. Results are recorded by means of a ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ for each individual. The breach data was less conclusive with regards to the impact of HIMMAT when looking at results for Asian offenders in other districts. The percentage success rate for Asian offenders was fairly consistent across West Yorkshire districts in 2006/7. Data for this year showed that the average success rate for Asian offenders was 68% (compared to 63%) for the total caseload, suggesting that Asian offenders performed better on breach measures. Data for 2007/8 showed that there had been improvements across the area on breach for Asian offenders (now ranging from 75% to 87%). The average rate for Asian offenders in this time period was 80%, an improvement of 12% on the previous year. This is likely to be, in part, a result of performance improvement projects that were implemented across the area in order to improve compliance figures. However, there were some significant findings when comparing results for the HIMMAT offenders against area figures. In 2006/7 the pass rate for breach was 65% for the area (1590/2447). When compared to the HIMMAT sample results, Chi Square testing showed the better performance of the HIMMAT sample to be a statistically significant result (p=0.003). In 2007/8 the rate was 67% (1528/2267) for the area compared to the 91% for HIMMAT offenders. Again, this was a statistically significant result (p=0.007). All offenders interviewed spoke positively about the value of HIMMAT both in terms of the flexibility offered around appointments and also the way in which HIMMAT staff can help them to address often multiple issues which may have cultural implications. Offender Managers also talked about the value of HIMMAT to the offenders they supervise. Overall comments appeared to be linked to they way in which HIMMAT can assist Asian offenders in dealing with issues linked to relationships, employment, family and health whilst taking into account the offenders culture. Offender managers talked about the value of HIMMAT in terms of being able to have someone they can consult with regarding a case but also someone who can challenge offenders on things that they might not feel confident approaching themselves. Some staff members gave examples of where HIMMAT had challenged an individual in the early stages of their order and this had impacted positively on engaging that individual in supervision. There were few suggestions as to how the service could be improved. Where suggestions were made these tended to relate to whether the service could be expanded out to other districts or whether HIMMAT could offer a wider range of services (i.e. whether HIMMAT could offer support to drug misusing offenders). Offender Management staff also felt that the service could be used more by their own colleagues as it was considered that use of the service could be variable at present. Details: Wakefield, UK: West Yorkshire Probation Service, 2008. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 5, 2013 at: http://www.westyorksprobation.org.uk/documentlist.php?type=1&year=2008 Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.westyorksprobation.org.uk/documentlist.php?type=1&year=2008 Shelf Number: 128273 Keywords: Asian OffendersProbation (U.K.)Probation OfficersProbationers |
Author: McPhillips, Stuart Title: "I Wanted to Make it Work" - Knowledge and Experience from Probation Practice Changes Summary: The years from 1998 to 2010 were a prolific period for policy initiatives in community corrections. From ‘what works’ initiatives to intensive supervision schemes, performance targets to ‘modernisation’, major policy initiatives sought to reshape practice. What was their real impact on practice? How did probation staff experience those changes? What contributed to success or failure? In this initial study, the team focussed on the experience of three key ‘communities of practice’– practice staff, middle and senior managers in six Probation Trusts. Their accounts, analysed using qualitative research methodology, provide fascinating insights into the real world experience of management and practice. Their learning is relevant to all involved in policy development and implementation in community corrections. Key points from the report include: 1. Successful change strategies engage and mobilise the contribution of positive staff. A devolved approach to national changes enables local leadership and high staff engagement. 2. Tensions for practitioners and managers arose from resource and cost awareness and management which were not well developed. 3. Probation staff who were directly involved with partners were positive about that experience and worked through differences - cultural, ethical or arising from different ‘ways of working’. 4. Performance targets focus attention and priority but sometimes impact negatively on practice. For only a minority of developments were the fundamentals of sound project management in place. 5. Most changes were not subject to research or evaluation, robust monitoring or capture of lessons learned – key features of evidence-informed practice. Many staff did offer positive evidence of the impact of the work and were keen to share learning and experience. Details: Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Hallam University, Hallam Centre for Community Justice, 2012. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 18, 2013 at: http://www.cjp.org.uk/publications/academic/i-wanted-to-make-it-work-knowledge-and-experience-from-probation-practice-changes/ Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cjp.org.uk/publications/academic/i-wanted-to-make-it-work-knowledge-and-experience-from-probation-practice-changes/ Shelf Number: 129027 Keywords: Community CorrectionsCriminal Justice PolicyProbation (U.K.)Probation Officers |
Author: Gyateng, Tracey Title: Key Predictors of Compliance with Community Supervision in London Summary: Non-compliance with court orders and subsequent breach proceedings are important factors fuelling a rising prison population: one in seven (14%) receptions into English and Welsh prison establishments during 2008 were for breach of a court order. The London Criminal Justice Partnership (LCJP) has established a Compliance and Enforcement Strategy for 2008/2011 which seeks to reduce re-offending and prison overcrowding, and lower the considerable costs of enforcement activities in the capital. This independent research study by the Institute for Criminal Policy Research (ICPR), King's College London, sought to support and inform the delivery of that strategy in achieving these aims. This study aimed to meet the LCJP's need for strategic information that would: - help probation staff target their proposals to sentencers more precisely; - identify gaps in provision which could be addressed by using packages of requirements attached to orders more creatively; - identify the key predictors of breach and compliance; and - identify the sub-groups of offenders for whom other disposals, such as fines, are the most sensible PSR proposal. Details: London: London Criminal Justice Partnership, 2010. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 17, 2014 at: http://www.icpr.org.uk/media/10306/Key%20predictors%20in%20compliance%20mcsweeney%20gyateng%20hough.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.icpr.org.uk/media/10306/Key%20predictors%20in%20compliance%20mcsweeney%20gyateng%20hough.pdf Shelf Number: 132392 Keywords: Community SupervisionOffender SupervisionProbation OfficersProbationers |
Author: Ziedenberg, Jason Title: Case Study: New York City Department of Probation's Federal Partnership Efforts Summary: The New York City Department of Probation (DOP) - the second largest probation department in the country - is advancing a process to infuse evidence-based policies and practices (EBPP) throughout the organization. Building on a solid organizational foundation as well as on advances in the field over the past decade, the staff and leadership are driving initiatives to use better tools to design supervision strategies, utilize communications more effectively, and improve staff development through customized training so that senior leadership through line staff are invested in the new approach. They are also engaging community partners to build capacity so that DOP's clients can thrive in the communities where they live. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, 2014. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 12, 2014 at: https://www.bja.gov/Publications/FVTC-NYCDOP.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://www.bja.gov/Publications/FVTC-NYCDOP.pdf Shelf Number: 134022 Keywords: Criminal Justice PoliciesEvidence-Based PracticesPartnershipsProbation (New York City)Probation Officers |
Author: Zastany, Robert A., Jr. Title: Assessing the Utility of Social Media for Adult Probation Summary: The Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Court in Lake County, Illinois has stated through its Mission and Vision statements that it is committed to using new technology to provide increased services to its stakeholders. The Division of Adult Probation Services is responsible for monitoring all adults sentenced to a term of probation that reside in the county. Within the division, there are various programs and services offered to those on probation. Currently, there is no method to utilize social media. A survey was completed with probation officers, public service clerks, adult probation managers, and senior managers to identify how likely they are to embrace the use of social media, for what purposes they feel social media should be used, and to obtain their perceptions about the impact that social media can have on current programs and services. For the purpose of the survey, Probation's Cognitive Outreach Group (COG) and Public Service Employment (PSE) were used to examine potential benefits that social media could have. In addition to the survey, five COG officers, five public service clerks, two adult managers, and two senior managers were interviewed to obtain specific feedback on how they perceive the use of social media will impact adult probation and its programs and services. Results were mixed, in that there were some individuals who felt that social media did not have a place in probation, while others embraced its functionality and encouraged its implementation. Staff identified management as a possible barrier to implementing social media. However, managers responded as being receptive to implementing social media and noted several potential benefits. Those surveyed and interviewed were able to provide multiple ways they felt social media could have a positive impact on probation. While they also recognized numerous barriers must be addressed prior to implementation, the general perception was that it is feasible for social media to be implemented in probation and that social media can have a positive impact on its operations. Details: Williamsburg, VA: Institute for Court Management, 2013. 103p. Source: Internet Resource: ICM Fellows Program: Accessed February 4, 2015 at: http://ncsc.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/criminal/id/227 Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://ncsc.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/criminal/id/227 Shelf Number: 134528 Keywords: Adult Probation (U.S.)Probation OfficersSocial Media |
Author: Burke, Cynthia Title: Smart Probation: A Study of the San Diego County Probation Department's Application of Evidence-Based Practices Summary: The passage of Assembly Bill 109 (AB 109), also known as Public Safety Realignment California, shifted the supervision, housing, and rehabilitation of certain offenders (whose most recent conviction was for a nonviolent and non-serious offense) from state prison and parole to local jurisdictions. In response to this monumental change in the criminal justice system, San Diego County created a realignment plan that was structured around Evidence-Based Practices (EBP). In support of this commitment to EBP, the San Diego County Probation Department applied for, and was awarded, a Smart Probation grant from the Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance in September 2012 to support continued implementation of evidence-based supervision to ensure fidelity to its EBP-based model. The grant funded a supervisor-level EBP peer coach and mentor to work with supervisors and line staff in the Post Release Offender (PRO) division. The following are the four primary project goals implemented through the Smart grant: 1. Support EBP leadership capacity in the PRO Division management team. 2. Implement a supervision model. 3. Provide access to appropriate intervention services. 4. Collaborate with justice partners to improve the criminal justice system. To assist Probation in measuring its adoption of EBP in the PRO Division, the Criminal Justice Research Division of SANDAG was contracted to evaluate how effectively and to what extent Probation implemented the four project goals. REPORT HIGHLIGHTS - Supervising Probation Officers (SPOs) and Deputy Probation Officers (DPOs) in Probation's PRO Division who participated in focus groups viewed Probation's EBP as the standard operating procedure, but noted that IBIS and EBP training have made it more formalized. - EBP was viewed by SPOs and DPOs as effective for supervising most offenders. Offenders with severe mental health issues or criminogenic traits were the exception. - A review of the COMPAS assessments revealed that almost nine in ten offenders had been assessed. On average, there were fewer than three discrepancies per case and even fewer discrepancies in more recent assessments. - An assessment of how well offender case plans were done indicated that information regarding the offender's greatest needs was included and offenders were generally included in the goal-setting process. - Incentives and sanctions most often included verbal accolades, revocation, and verbal warnings. Sixty percent of PRCS offenders received a flash incarceration, a one to ten day custody sanction for a probation violation. - Average ratings of DPO's use of IBIS during interactions with offenders suggest that POs are implementing these skills with proficiency. - Based on survey results, offenders reported positive feelings regarding the relationship with their DPO. Details: San Diego: SANDAG, 2015. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 3, 2015 at: http://www.sandag.org/uploads/publicationid/publicationid_1951_19203.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.sandag.org/uploads/publicationid/publicationid_1951_19203.pdf Shelf Number: 134249 Keywords: Community CorrectionsEvidence-Based PracticesOffender SupervisionProbationProbation OfficersProbationersPublic Safety Realignment California |
Author: Roe-Sepowitz, Dominique Title: Report on the Incidence of Sex Trafficking in Maricopa County Adult Probation Summary: The purpose of this study is to provide training to adult probation officers to enhance their ability to identify and support victims of sex trafficking, as well as to explore how to best allocate victim services resources to Adult Probation staff who work with victims or offenders (traffickers) of sex trafficking situations. The identification of victims of sex trafficking is complicated by a number of issues, including the societally imposed shame associated with prostitution, the fact that prostitution is defined as a criminal behavior, the complex and traumatic experiences of many victims and the disinclination of many who will self-identify as a sex trafficking victim when asked. Research has begun to show that most sex trafficking victims have been connected to the social service or criminal justice systems during their lifetimes (Perdue et al 2012; Roe-Sepowitz et al 2014). In this study, a survey was given to 121 adult probation officers who attended a four-hour training on sex trafficking identification and intervention. The intent of this survey was to explore the number of sex trafficking victims and traffickers on their caseloads. The probation officers provided detailed information about each case to assist in better development of intervention programming. The survey questions solicited information about how many of their current probationers had experienced sex trafficking, as well as specific details about each victim and trafficker. Details: Phoenix, AZ: McCain Institute for International Leadership, Arizona State University, 2015. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2016 at: https://socialwork.asu.edu/sites/default/files/%5Bterm%3Aname%5D/%5Bnode%3Acreate%3Acustom%3AYm%5D/asu_juvenile_probation_study_dec15.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://socialwork.asu.edu/sites/default/files/%5Bterm%3Aname%5D/%5Bnode%3Acreate%3Acustom%3AYm%5D/asu_juvenile_probation_study_dec15.pdf Shelf Number: 138500 Keywords: Probation OfficersSex Trafficking Sexual Exploitation Victim Services Victims of Sex Trafficking |
Author: Andersen, Lars Hojsgaard Title: Decomposing Recidivism Variance into Probation and Parole Officers and their Clients Summary: Existing empirical literature on probation and parole shows that individual client characteristics matter for recidivism, but also characteristics of their assigned probation or parole officer have been shown to matter. And although theoretical accounts of probation and parole debate the relative importance of these client and officer characteristics, no study has provided an empirical benchmark of the total effects of officers and clients (i.e., their characteristics) on recidivism. In this paper I decompose the total variance in recidivism into components attributable to probationers and parolees and their assigned probation or parole officers, respectively, using register data that merges all probationers and parolees in 2002-2009 in Denmark with their assigned officer. Results show that although substantial variance components are attributable to both officers and clients, the component attributable to clients is around twice the size of the component attributable to officers. These estimates provide new evidence on the most common types of noncustodial alternatives to imprisonment, probation and parole, which affect millions of people each day. Details: Copenhagen: Rockwool Foundation Research Unit, 2015. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Study Paper No. 92: Accessed May 18, 2016 at: http://www.rockwoolfonden.dk/app/uploads/2015/12/Study-paper-92_WEB.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Denmark URL: http://www.rockwoolfonden.dk/app/uploads/2015/12/Study-paper-92_WEB.pdf Shelf Number: 139276 Keywords: Community SupervisionParole OfficersParoleesProbation OfficersProbationersRecidivism |
Author: DeLong, Caitlin Title: Learning about probation from client perspectives: Feedback from probationers served by Adult Redeploy Illinois-funded program models Summary: Satisfaction with the criminal justice system often reflects the opinions of the public, rather than that of the offender (DeLude, Mitchell, & Barber, 2012). Research in the medical and behavioral sciences indicate, however, that client satisfaction is associated with compliance and treatment outcomes (Barbosa, Balp, Kulich, Germain, & Rofail; Levenson, Prescott, & D'Amora, 2010; Zhang, Gerstein, & Friedmann, 2008). Beyond the increased adherence that is expected when probation clients are engaged in services they consider worthwhile, satisfaction data offers providers valuable insight into the specific needs of their target population, while potentially increasing perceptions of procedural justice. When participants are unable to provide feedback in a meaningful way, they are further marginalized and alienated from a process that hinges on a change in their behavior and attitudes. Since 2010, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority has administered the state's Adult Redeploy Illinois (ARI) program, offering grant funding to jurisdictions to implement local evidence-based programs that reduce the number of non-violent offenders sentenced to prison. In this study, researchers interviewed program clients for insight into program implementation and operations that could strengthen program outcomes. Interviewed were 108 clients enrolled in 10 prison diversion programs using three program models - drug courts, intensive supervision probation with services (ISP-S), and Hawaii Opportunity Probation with Enforcement (HOPE). Drug courts refer clients to court-supervised substance abuse treatment in lieu of incarceration, and staff work in interdisciplinary teams of probation officers, substance abuse treatment providers, prosecutors, law enforcement, defense attorneys, and judges to manage the cases (Carey, Mackin, & Finigan, 2012). ISP-S features specially trained probation officers who use risk/needs assessment tools to provide individualized case management, heightened supervision, and responsive referrals to social services (Andrews & Bonta, 2010). The HOPE model focuses on behavior modification through swift, certain, and fair sanctions, and offers drug treatment to those in need (Hawken & Kleiman, 2009). Data were collected after 18 months of pilot program implementation ending in mid- to late-2012. The following are key findings from the probationer interviews, during which researchers asked questions about demographics, program staff, program operations, and services. Conditions of probation Most interviewees thought the conditions of their probation were very clear (81 percent). Almost all clients (97 percent) were drug tested. Most were required to pay court costs (75 percent) and attend drug treatment (69 percent). Of 64 probationers who received a sanction for noncompliance, 89 percent (n=51) said it was very likely that they would be caught if they violated probation conditions, 75 percent (n=48) said the sanctions were fair, and 72 percent (n=46) said they were immediate. Sanctions and incentives that are swift, certain, and fair are crucial to all three models of supervision. Seventy-eight percent of interviewed clients said they had developed a case plan with clear goals with their probation officers. Clearly outlined case plans have been shown to reduce recidivism in evidence-based practice (Carey, 2010). This study revealed a statistical relationship between having a case plan and offering positive feedback on the program. On average, each client needed assistance in obtaining four different types of services (out of 22 listed); the most common were transportation, employment, or housing. Clients reported that, of the 490 total service requests, 329 (67 percent) were fulfilled by their probation officer. Compliance and incentives Sixty-six percent of respondents reported violating the conditions of their supervision (n=72); however, only 60 (83 percent) of those respondents were sanctioned. Those violations included 57 failed drug/alcohol tests, 12 arrests for new crimes, and 14 missed appointments. Four clients reported having three or more violations, 18 had two violations, but the majority (n=49; 69 percent) of those who broke the terms of their probation agreements did so only once. A total of 25 clients (23 percent) indicated they had been arrested either for new crimes or as sanctions for violations while on probation. Forty-eight (75 percent) of 64 probationers who received a sanction for noncompliance said the sanctions were fair and 46 (72 percent) said they were immediate. Seventy-five percent (n=81) of interviewees said they received rewards for program compliance, such as gift cards, certificates, praise from staff, and food. Of those, 88 percent (n=71) said these rewards were good program motivators. Client assessments Overall, clients agreed with positive statements about probation - that the program helped them, it positively impacted their future, and it made them better off than other court sanctions. A majority of clients thought probation was a better alternative to prison (100 percent), offered a better lifestyle than prison (99 percent), and was easier to complete than a prison term (66 percent). Overall, clients agreed with positive statements about their probation officers and disagreed that their officers expected too much of them. Implications for policy and practice Further address client service needs Many probationers sampled reported needing, but not receiving, housing, identification, healthcare services, public assistance, and job support. In order to address this, probation officers should be operating under reduced caseloads and be trained in evidence-based practices (for example, actuarial risk assessment and cognitive behavioral techniques) in order to provide necessary services and reduce recidivism most effectively (Jalbert, Rhodes, Flygare, & Kane, 2010). Probation officers should advocate for clients with local housing assistance agencies and assist them with obtaining subsidized or low-income housing (Family Justice, 2009). Clients must have proper identification to secure housing and half of the clients sampled requested assistance in obtaining a state ID or driver's license, birth certificate, and social security card. Probation officers should be prepared to help guide clients through the process of obtaining these documents as they are necessary to meet other needs. Thirty-eight percent of clients reported chronic medical conditions, but 59 percent of these respondents did not have health insurance. Access to healthcare and preventive health services saves lives and money (Currie, 2010). Probation officers can screen clients for Medicaid eligibility and help them apply and enroll. Research has found that public assistance alleviates financial stress leading to criminal behavior (Gartner, 1990; LaFree, 1999). Probation officers can assist clients in navigating complex public assistance regulations. Collateral legal consequences affecting clients can interfere with probation officers' efforts to meet their needs. Probationers can be barred from voting, public housing, educational grants, and employment because of their convictions. Without social supports, offenders are more likely to recidivate (Mock, in press). While there should be a balance within probation providing surveillance and social supports, jurisdictional commitments to hiring more probation officers, providing more officer training, and advocating for the removal of barriers to services are system-level changes that will address service provision problems for the long term. Increase client accountability Of 72 probationers who reported violating supervision conditions, 60 respondents (83 percent) received subsequent sanctions. While sanctions and surveillance alone may not be effective at reducing recidivism (Taxman, 2002), their presence enforces offender accountability (National Institute of Corrections, 2004). Prison diversion programs must focus on swift, certain, and fair responses to non-compliant actions while using positive reinforcement and incentives to modify behavior (U.S. Department of Justice, 2015). Develop clear case plans Probationers with clear case plans were significantly more likely to understand their conditions, probation's phase system and levels of supervision, and more likely to receive incentives. They also rated their probation officers higher in areas of respectfulness and fairness. All model probation programs are advised to develop comprehensive case plans to appropriately assess risk levels, provide individualized support to overcome criminogenic needs, and use evidence-based practices to rehabilitate probationers (National Institute of Corrections, 2004). It is also important that probationers fully understand these plans. In addition, probation officers demonstrating use of their "dual role" - surveillance with case management - increases the likelihood for offender success (Skeem, Eno Louden, Polaschek, & Camp, 2007; Trotter, 2006). Comprehension of goals and heightened perceptions of probation officer legitimacy are research-supported goals for effective probation (Crime and Justice Institute at Community Resources for Justice, 2009). Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2016. 67p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 15, 2016 at: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/assets/articles/Client%20feedback%20FINAL%2008-18-16.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/assets/articles/Client%20feedback%20FINAL%2008-18-16.pdf Shelf Number: 147880 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationCommunity SupervisionProbationProbation OfficersProbationers |
Author: Bolin, Riane Miller Title: Adultification in Juvenile Corrections: A Comparison of Juvenile and Adult Officers Summary: The growing recognition throughout the nineteenth century that juveniles were different than adults culminated in the establishment of the first juvenile court in Cook County, Illinois in 1899. By 1945, every state had developed its own juvenile justice system separate and distinct from the criminal justice system. Since its inception, the juvenile justice system has experienced two waves of adultification in which the lines between the juvenile and criminal justice systems were blurred. While a number of studies have focused on the adultification of juvenile courts, no study has examined the adultification of juvenile corrections. Thus, the present study aims to explore whether one type of juvenile corrections, probation and parole, has been adultified by comparing the professional orientations as well as the behavior of juvenile and adult probation and parole officers. The study finds that juvenile probation and parole officers do differ from adult officers in regards to their professional orientation and behavior. Specifically, it is found that compared to adult probation and parole officers, juvenile officers tend to more strongly adhere to ideas of treatment, welfare, and offender-focused probation/parole. Additionally, it is found that juvenile probation and parole officers are less likely than adult officers to issue written sanctions and to pursue revocation hearings. The evidence from the present study reveals the important practical implications of retaining a separate and distinct juvenile justice system. Details: Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, 2014. 241p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed October 11, 2016 at: http://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3801&context=etd Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3801&context=etd Shelf Number: 145410 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile ParoleJuvenile ProbationParole OfficersProbation Officers |
Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation Title: Quality & Impact inspection: The effectiveness of probation work in the north of London Summary: This is our first inspection of adult probation services in the capital for some time. It is not yet comprehensive – in that on this occasion we inspected in eight boroughs in the north of London, and will return to inspect other London quadrants next year and beyond. Meanwhile we hope that our findings are of value to those responsible for probation services throughout the city. Delivering probation services in the capital is particularly challenging. The city has a diverse, mobile and relatively young population, living in 32 boroughs that each differ in the way they work with offenders. The work is unrelenting, with some 17% of all those under probation supervision nationally living in London . Probation services in London have long struggled with high workloads, and workload pressures have been a regular feature in the most notorious of cases where a supervised individual has committed a Serious Further Offence. We found the quality of work by the Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) poor. There was some welcome good practice by individual officers and first-line managers but generally, practice was well below standard, with the public exposed unduly to the risk of harm in some cases despite lessons from the past. That is plainly not acceptable. A combination of unmanageable caseloads, inexperienced officers, extremely poor oversight and a lack of senior management focus and control meant some service users were not seen for weeks or months, and some were lost in the system altogether – something we alerted managers to early on in our inspection. This simple lack of management attention to basic attendance and supervision was the most striking and surprising finding, and again, not acceptable. Sadly and despite the heroic efforts of some staff, we found that there had been little or no likely impact on reducing reoffending. Staff were sometimes working long hours and were often 'fire-fighting' rather than enabled to deliver a professional service consistently or sufficiently well. We found the National Probation Service (NPS) delivering services better, but with plenty of room for improvement. The quality of work was mixed, but we were pleased to find that public protection work was satisfactory overall. The delivery of court services has been a rubbing point in the 'new world', and we found it stubbornly problematic here. Managers must resolve tensions between the two organisations, to improve court services. Details: Manchester: HM Inspectorate of Probation, 2016. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 20, 2016 at: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/12/North-of-London-QI-Report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/12/North-of-London-QI-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 147781 Keywords: Offender ManagementProbationProbation CaseloadsProbation OfficersProbationers |
Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation Title: Quality & Impact inspection: The effectiveness of probation work in York & North Yorkshire Summary: This inspection was the second in our new Quality & Impact inspection programme, designed to assess the effectiveness of work undertaken locally by probation services with people who have offended, to implement orders of the court, reduce reoffending, protect the public and safeguard the vulnerable. We found much to be commended and, indeed, it is a pleasure to present this report. Both the local Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) and the National Probation Service (NPS) region had gone through significant change as a consequence of the government's national Transforming Rehabilitation programme. Nonetheless, staff had maintained a pragmatic approach to the day-to-day work, focusing on responding to risks of harm posed and supporting individuals to change their lives for the better. In effect, we saw 'business as usual', with less obvious evidence of the dissonance we have seen elsewhere. That said, there was also a real sense of innovation evident across both organisations. Staff showed initiative and persistence, with the CRC introducing new innovations to aid their working practice and extend available services for offenders. Managers were frustrated, however, by not being able to judge whether probation work was making a difference, since local reoffending data was not yet available to them, albeit the quality of work we saw boded well for successful outcomes. The organisations were working well together in the face of the long-standing challenge of delivering services across a large geographical area. Working arrangements between both organisations were generally effective, supported by open and cooperative relationships between staff at all levels of both organisations. The quality of much of the work we saw was good, save that the CRC's work to manage risk of harm was not sufficiently focused, in part due to the lack of routine management oversight of practitioners' work. In contrast, the NPS was managing risk of harm with rigour. The presence of a very large army barracks at Catterick created an unusual offender group of serving and former military personnel and their families. Although probation staff were experienced in managing such cases, poor information provision by the army to probation staff in cases led to confusion as to any interventions delivered by the army, and ongoing risks. We were surprised to find no formal communications process, given that the garrison was longstanding Details: Manchester: The Inspectorate, 2016. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 20, 2016 at: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/08/York-North-Yorkshire-QI-170816.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/08/York-North-Yorkshire-QI-170816.pdf Shelf Number: 146001 Keywords: Offender Management Probation Probation CaseloadsProbation Officers Probationers |
Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation Title: Quality & Impact Inspection: The effectiveness of probation work in Kent Summary: In our March 2014 inspection of Kent we found much room for improvement in certain areas of practice, most notably assessment. Within the CRC in this inspection, we saw clear signs of improvement in some of the areas we had identified in the former Probation Trust as weak. The quality of practice overall was encouraging and (with the exception of the delivery of unpaid work) progress was noteworthy. In contrast, the quality of NPS work was mixed. Court work was being delivered to an acceptable standard, and court staff and sentencers we spoke with were content with the services being delivered. Despite this, we found an unacceptable level of cases being misallocated, meaning that offenders were too often supervised by the wrong organisation. The quality of assessments within the NPS was generally good, although subsequent work was too often insufficiently focused on addressing factors linked to risk of harm issues, and so risks to the public were not sufficiently well managed. Protecting the public CRC effectiveness We found that the assessment of the risk of serious harm individuals posed to others was generally undertaken to an acceptable standard. We found, however, that some staff managing cases that had the potential to cause significant harm did not have sufficient experience, training or managerial oversight. There had been severe and unacceptable delays in the delivery of some interventions, including the Building Better Relationships programme, designed to tackle domestic abuse. As a result, too many service users did not have an effective challenge to their behaviour quickly enough, to reduce promptly the risk of harm they posed. The situation was improving. NPS effectiveness At the pre-sentence stage, cases were generally assessed to an acceptable standard, with no noticeable difference between cases to be managed by the CRC or the NPS. There were clearly many staff with the necessary skills to work with the risk of harm NPS offenders posed, although not all staff were sufficiently alert to or focused on managing risk of harm. Nearly half of the responsible officers we interviewed felt that they had not had sufficient training to manage the cases for which they were responsible. We thought this proportion too high. Shortages in first-line managers compounded the problem, as responsible officers were not always receiving sufficient guidance or support. The CRC and NPS working together The CRC and NPS were generally working together well. There was a danger, however, that information was being lost due to insufficient NPS recording and/or onward communication of relevant information from court reports, particularly oral reports. Reducing reoffending CRC effectiveness Assessments of service users’ needs in relation to their offending behaviour were delivered to an acceptable standard in a high proportion of cases. Planning to address these needs was also sufficient in most cases. The CRC’s performance in reviewing cases, however, was poor. The organisation’s operating model necessitated the transfer of service users between two teams: the assessment team and the rehabilitation team. This could, in certain circumstances, have acted as a barrier to rehabilitation although staff were generally working hard to mitigate this possibility. Conversely, within resettlement teams the same teams of officers maintained contact with service users as they moved from custody into the community. Despite the fact there is no hard evidence of effectiveness as yet, we thought this practice looked promising. We found that there had been sufficient progress in delivering the necessary interventions within the first six months of the order in approximately half of the cases we inspected. The CRC acknowledged that not enough staff were trained to deliver programmes, and we found examples of unacceptably long waiting times for some programmes. Waiting times had reduced significantly in recent months. Substance misuse services in the county were in a state of flux at the time of the inspection. For the sample of cases we inspected, most individuals with drug or alcohol misuse needs could access an effective service. There were reasonable concerns, however, that this might not be so in future. NPS effectiveness Most pre-sentence reports were of an acceptable standard, although the lack of suitable IT equipment hindered the development of efficient practices. Feedback from sentencers and court staff indicated that those NPS staff working in courts were held in high regard. There was a problem, however, with the allocation of cases. We found several examples where staff had either not understood the complexities of the allocation procedure, or for some other reason had made errors of judgement. Overall, for cases managed by the NPS, we found that the assessment of individual offending-related needs was acceptable in a reasonable proportion of cases. Plans to tackle offending were usually sufficient. The delivery of interventions was more problematic; too many cases were being transferred between insufficiently trained temporary or inexperienced staff. This problem was compounded by a lack of oversight from middle managers who were themselves overstretched. The CRC and NPS working together Working relationships between CRC and NPS staff were generally positive. The CRC had produced high quality information leaflets about their services for courts, although NPS staff felt that there was a need for a more dynamic approach to the provision of information, so as to keep them abreast of developments within the CRC. Abiding by the sentence CRC effectiveness CRC effectiveness was mixed, but improving. The CRC had impressive arrangements to make sure that they listened to the needs of service users, captured their views and took seriously the feedback they received. There was also evidence that in most cases responsible officers had taken the time to engage offenders carefully, to establish what they wanted to achieve from probation, and to deliver interventions in ways that met their diverse individual needs. There was still work to be done, however, to better understand and deliver rehabilitation activity requirement days as intended by legislation, a common issue nationally. Most significantly, we found very poor performance with regard to the delivery of unpaid work. Despite the efforts that had been made, there had been insufficient progress on the recruitment of supervisors, leading to a totally unacceptable rate of ‘stand downs’. Consequently, offenders were sometimes prevented from abiding by the requirements of their sentence. As mentioned earlier, there were also delays in starting accredited programmes. NPS effectiveness NPS performance was acceptable. Assessments and plans drawn up by responsible officers were usually done in consultation with offenders and took account of their diverse needs. In most cases, there were good levels of contact offered and, where problems with compliance arose, these were usually dealt with effectively. The CRC and NPS working together Working relationships between CRC and NPS staff were generally positive. There was good communication between staff, and swift action taken to resolve any difficulties. Practitioners from both organisations worked together to solve problems, for example, in relation to the quality of breach reports. The problems the CRC had delivering unpaid work caused some tensions, as did the ‘fee for service’ arrangements where the CRC delivered interventions for NPS cases. Recommendations The Community Rehabilitation Company and National Probation Service should: 1. improve the exchange of information about sentencing options by supplementing the high quality information leaflets produced with other methods agreed locally 2. prepare a joint response to the health service commissioners of substance misuse services on the impact of changes in treatment opportunities. The Community Rehabilitation Company should: 3. make sure that the rate at which service users are ‘stood down’ from unpaid work placements is significantly reduced 4. monitor the waiting list for access to accredited programmes and make further progress in reducing waiting times 5. improve the availability of specialist provision for enhancing the educational, training and employment opportunities for service users 6. increase the management oversight of probation services officers, particularly during their initial training, so as to support their management of service users posing a medium risk of harm to others. The National Probation Service should: 7. seek a solution to the problems of the insufficient staff complement, recruitment and retention issues in Kent 8. make sure that the level of mis-allocations is reduced significantly 9. improve the quality of IT equipment available for use by court staff, and provide computer hardware and software that enables local staff to more easily access national online training packages 10. make sure that all new staff, whether employed directly or via an agency, have access to sufficient training to enable them to undertake the work they are given. Details: Manchester: The Inspectorate, 2016. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 21, 2016 at: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/10/Kent-QI.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/10/Kent-QI.pdf Shelf Number: 147794 Keywords: Offender Management Probation Probation CaseloadsProbation Officers Probationers |
Author: Irwin-Rogers, Keir Title: Beyond the Prison Gate: Licencees' Perceptions of the Legitimacy of Power Holders Summary: In England & Wales, the number of people leaving prison subject to a period of supervision in the community has almost doubled in the last decade. The significant and consistent upward trend in the number of people 'on licence' has been accompanied by another notable trend: an increasing number of people being recalled to prison for breaching the terms and conditions of their licence. Yet, despite these two important trends, there has been a dearth of research on postcustodial supervision. This thesis explores post-custodial supervision from the perspective of those on licence. In particular, it explores licencees' perceptions of the legitimacy of probation and hostel workers, and considers how these perceptions were shaped. Understanding licencees' perceptions of the legitimacy of power holders is important, since previous research has consistently identified a relationship between people's perceptions of power holder legitimacy and their willingness to comply with rules and cooperate with those in power. Empirical fieldwork was conducted in three Approved Premises in England, including periods of observation and interviews with hostel residents and members of hostel staff. Based on this fieldwork, I identified two fundamental sources of power holder legitimacy: procedure-based and outcome-based legitimacy. Overall, I argue that licencees' perceptions of procedure-based legitimacy were pivotal, since they formed the basis of constructive relationships between licencees and power holders (e.g. probation and hostel workers). In turn, these relationships could play a significant role in helping licencees to reintegrate into their communities, thus contributing to licencees' perceptions of power holder outcome-based legitimacy. The thesis rides on a tide of legitimacy research that has already served to illuminate the fields of policing and other forms of penal sanction. While research to date has primarily utilised quantitative data to explore perceptions of legitimacy, the current research highlights the role that qualitative data can play in this regard. The thesis aims not only to increase our understanding of a neglected area of penology, but also to contribute to the development of theories of legitimacy Details: Sheffield, UK: University of Sheffield, 2015. 249p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed December 21, 2016 at: http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/9179/1/KIR%20Thesis%20Beyond%20the%20Prison%20Gate.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/9179/1/KIR%20Thesis%20Beyond%20the%20Prison%20Gate.pdf Shelf Number: 147793 Keywords: Community SupervisionProbationProbation OfficersProbationers |
Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation Title: Quality & Impact inspection: The effectiveness of probation work in Greater Manchester Summary: The two organisations providing probation services in Greater Manchester were working well in some respects, but needed to do more to reduce reoffending, said Dame Glenys Stacey, HM Chief Inspector of Probation. The Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) also needed to do more to protect the public, she added. Today she published the report of a recent inspection of probation work in Greater Manchester. The inspection looked at the quality of probation work carried out by the CRC and the National Probation Service (NPS) and assessed the effectiveness of work undertaken locally with people who have offended. Overall, the quality of the Cheshire and Greater Manchester's CRC's work was mixed. The CRC is applying the same innovative way of working in each of the five CRCs it owns, based on solid research into what makes people turn away from crime. Despite this, leaders were finding it hard to embed in practice. Public protection work was not good enough because policies and procedures, though commendable, were not being applied consistently enough by frontline staff to protect actual or potential victims from the risk of harm. Sickness absence rates were high in the CRC and individual caseloads had been large in the months before the inspection. This led to cases moving from one Responsible Officer to another, making it difficult to keep hold of the meaningful relationships so central to good rehabilitative work and reducing reoffending. Extra staff had recently been recruited, which should improve the quality of work and staff morale. The CRC was delivering impressive services for women, supported by additional funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner. In common with other regions, the NPS had experienced less change and was more settled. Staff morale was relatively high and good core work to protect the public was carried out, though there was more to do on delivering rehabilitation work consistently. Inspectors made recommendations which included the NPS accessing the range of accredited and non-accredited programmes and services on offer from the CRC to reduce reoffending, and the CRC providing all staff, and especially new staff, with regular supervision and training. The CRC should also improve the effectiveness of the management of unpaid work. Details: Manchester, UK: HM Inspectorate of Probation, 2016. 77p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 16, 2017 at: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2017/02/Greater-Manchester-QI-report-final2.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2017/02/Greater-Manchester-QI-report-final2.pdf Shelf Number: 146276 Keywords: Offender Management Probation Probation CaseloadsProbation Officers Probationers |
Author: Klein, Andrew R. Title: Practical Implications of Current Domestic Violence Research for Probation Officers and Administrators Summary: This booklet looks at the recent research on intimate partner violence and analyzes what it reveals that probation officers and administrators should know to do their jobs better in terms of completing PSI for defendants convicted of intimate partner violence, supervising abusers on their caseloads, and dealing with the victims of these abusers on probation and victims who have also ended up on probation caseloads. Although much of the research is not focused directly on probation, what it tells us about abusers, victims and the responses of law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts directly bears on probation. Other research reviewed looked specifically at probation’s response to IPV. Although the title of this booklet refers to “domestic violence (DV),” this term has come to mean different things over the past few decades. In the following text, we are focusing specifically on “intimate partner violence (IPV),” that is physical assaults, terroristic threats, stalking, sexual abuse and other criminal abuse by current and former spouses, boy/girl-friends, and dating couples, not intra-family violence (other than marital), child abuse, or abuse among members of the same household. However, some of the research reviewed lumped DV and IPV together or failed to define whether the study included non-intimates. For this reason, we use the term “DV” when the study was clearly not limited to IPV only or when we when the precise relationships included were not defined. It should be noted, for example, that many of the criminal justice related studies define DV consistent with state statutes and state statutes vary in terms of relationships and criminal behaviors covered. Notwithstanding this, despite the broader focus of DV than just IPV, most of the subjects in DV studies are, in fact, intimate partners so the "DV" research substantially overlaps with what we are specifically interested in and helps inform our specific area of interest. Details: Minneapolis: Battered Women’s Justice Project, 2015. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 24, 2017 at: http://www.bwjp.org/assets/documents/pdfs/practical_implications_of_current_domestic_violence_research_for_probation_officers_and_administrators.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.bwjp.org/assets/documents/pdfs/practical_implications_of_current_domestic_violence_research_for_probation_officers_and_administrators.pdf Shelf Number: 141215 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceProbation OfficersViolence Against Women |
Author: Sorsby, Angela Title: Probation Staff Views of the Skills for Effective Engagement Development (SEED) Project Summary: The aim of the SEED project implemented by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is to provide training and continuous professional development for probation staff in relation to skills which could be used in supervising offenders, particularly in one-to-one supervisions. The SEED training package, which has been influenced by the STICS project in Canada (Bourgon et al. 2008) and the aims of the broader Offender Engagement Programme, includes relationship building, prosocial modelling, motivational interviewing, risk-need-responsivity, cognitive behavioural techniques and structuring of one-to-one supervision. The training package consists of an initial three day training programme, and three one day and one half-day follow-up training events at three monthly intervals. The initial three day training programme took place in March to April 2011 and the final follow-up events took place in February 2012. The SEED project also includes action learning sets (regular meetings of offender managers (OMs) to discuss cases) and observation and feedback on one-to-one supervision sessions from team leaders. The training package was delivered within eight Probation Trusts in total, three of which are included in this external evaluation. The three externally evaluated Trusts are London, Merseyside and Thames Valley. Within these three Trusts training was delivered to six teams: in London, Merton and Sutton OMT3 and Barking, Dagenham and Havering OMT3; in Merseyside, two teams based in the St Helens office and in Thames Valley, Milton Keynes PPU and Reading OMUB. The evaluation was designed as action research, so this progress report provides a detailed look at how practitioners viewed the training and the SEED model, which it is hoped will be helpful to those implementing and developing the training. This progress report focuses on practitioners' views of the training, and of the SEED model, as assessed by evaluation questionnaires completed by participants at the conclusion of each of the training events.. Details: Sheffield, UK: University of Sheffield, Centre for Criminological Research, 2013. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 27, 2017 at: https://www.shef.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.293093!/file/probation-staff-views-seed.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.shef.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.293093!/file/probation-staff-views-seed.pdf Shelf Number: 141221 Keywords: Offender SupervisionProbationProbation Officers |
Author: Dominey, Jane Title: Fragmenting Probation? A Qualitative Study of Voluntary, Public and Private Sectors' Interactions in Supervision Summary: The context for this dissertation is the growing use of voluntary sector organisations and private companies as providers of probation services in England and Wales. The study focusses on the everyday experience of probation supervision in an increasingly multi-agency environment and explores this experience from the point of view of probation workers and the people they supervise. The objectives of the study are to examine whether the probation service makes a distinctive contribution to this work, to investigate the interactions between supervisees, probation supervisors and workers from other agencies, to explore the purpose of different elements of community orders and to understand whether supervisees adopt different approaches to compliance with different elements of their orders. Drawing on empirical interview data, supplemented by data from probation service case records and from fieldwork notes compiled while in probation offices undertaking interviews, I identify patterns, themes and associations which help us understand the new structures and relationships. The research concludes that, for supervisees and supervisors, the involuntary nature of community supervision is significant. The supervisees in this study viewed the requirements of their community orders as legitimate because the orders were imposed by the court. They complied with these requirements in order to avoid breach proceedings, few would have volunteered for the services that they were receiving from the probation service or elsewhere. They attached more weight to instructions from probation supervisors than to those from key workers from other agencies. Supervisees viewed their orders as both a punishment and a help, without drawing a distinction between services received from the probation service and from other agencies. Thus the research makes a significant contribution to knowledge by outlining the importance of these relationships, between worker and supervisee and between worker and worker, in a new context of provision. Details: Cambridge, UK: University of Cambridge, 2016. 214p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed February 27, 2017 at: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1810/254960/Dominey_2015_PhD.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1810/254960/Dominey_2015_PhD.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Shelf Number: 114222 Keywords: Offender Supervision Probation Probation OfficersProbationers |
Author: Marougka, Matina Title: Sentencing Women: Considering the factors that influence decision-making. Interviews with sentencers and probation officers Summary: It is widely thought that women are disproportionate imprisoned in comparison to their male counterparts. It might be expected that this would have changed following publication of the Corston Report (Home Office, 2007) but there has been little research about the sentencing of women since Corston. This research project is based on interviews with judges, magistrates and probation officers in order to explore the factors that influence decision-making when sentencing women; and what sentencers take into account when they sentence or remand women to custody. The research also explores the interviewees' awareness of women-specific needs and gender-specific community resources - and the influence that this knowledge may have on the sentencing process. Interviewees were also invited to comment on how they use community options and prison remand for women. Details: London: Griffins Society, 2012. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Paper 2012/03: Accessed May 1, 2017 at: http://www.thegriffinssociety.org/system/files/papers/fullreport/griffins_research_report_2012-03_final.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.thegriffinssociety.org/system/files/papers/fullreport/griffins_research_report_2012-03_final.pdf Shelf Number: 145219 Keywords: Female Offenders Gender-Specific Responses Probation OfficersSentencing |
Author: Cotten, P. Ann Title: Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services: Parole and Probation Agent Workload Study. Final Report Summary: The Maryland General Assembly required the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) to conduct a workload study of the department's parole and probation agents. The Office of Community Supervision Support (CSS), in turn, contracted with the Schaefer Center for Public Policy at the University of Baltimore's College of Public Affairs (Schaefer Center) to conduct a study that included a review of the literature relating to parole and probation agent staffing, an analysis of agents' workload including a time study of agents, an analysis of the supervision caseload, and the collection of comparative caseload data from other states. From the research, the Schaefer Center team was charged with producing staffing recommendations, average caseload counts, and recommendations for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of parole and probation supervision. The primary focus of the research is agents who directly supervise offenders on parole and probation. As part of the research, the team also produced an analysis of how Court Liaison Unit (CLU) agents, Liaison Waiver (LAW) agents, and Warrant Apprehension Unit (WAU) officers spend their work time, and solicited input into recommendations for improving the effectiveness of their work. To fulfill its charge, the research team employed a mix of quantitative and qualitative strategies listed below. A comprehensive literature review of all known English language articles on community supervision and staffing. A four-week time study with 114 parole/probation agents and Warrant Apprehension Officers. Participants recorded 25,743 hours of work activity. Time observations were reported for work relating to 6,388 offenders. A caseload analysis that included all offenders under supervision on September 29, 2014. A review of agent case notes for a 12-month period for 215 randomly selected offenders. Fifteen focus groups with 137 participants including: 71 supervising agents, 42 supervisors, 5 agents and 1 supervisor from the Court Liaison Unit, 9 agents and 1 supervisor from the Liaison Waiver Unit, and 9 Warrant Apprehension Officers. A national survey of state parole and probation agencies. Details: Baltimore, MD: Schaefer Center for Public Policy University of Baltimore College of Public Affairs, 2015. 149p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 3, 2017 at: http://dlslibrary.state.md.us/publications/JCR/2014/2014_116(v3).pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://dlslibrary.state.md.us/publications/JCR/2014/2014_116(v3).pdf Shelf Number: 147534 Keywords: Community SupervisionOffender SupervisionParole CaseloadParole OfficersParoleesProbation CaseloadProbation OfficersProbationers |
Author: Tallarico, Suzanne Title: Alabama Juvenile Probation Officer Weighted Workload Assessment Study Summary: Excessive caseloads for Juvenile Probation Officers (JPOs) jeopardize both public safety and the quality of supervision officers can provide to the youth they supervise in the community. The quality of investigation and supervision services is directly related to the number of Juvenile Probation Officers available to handle the probation investigation and supervision work in Alabama. Currently, the state of Alabama does not use workload standards on which to base its need for Juvenile Probation Officers. In order to be more objective in determining their staffing needs for Juvenile Probation Officers, the Alabama Administrative Office of Courts contracted with the National Center for State Courts to develop workload standards for Juvenile Probation Officers, taking into account all activities Juvenile Probation Officers are statutorily required to perform. The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) has conducted workload assessment studies for many years. The weighted caseload method uses time as a measure for workload and is based on the assumption that the more time required to process, manage, or supervise a case, the more work is involved. In this study, a case weight or workload values is defined as the average amount of time it takes to investigate or supervise a particular type of case. Workload values are computed based upon the average number of minutes it takes to complete tasks associated with juvenile probation investigations and supervision. Using case weights, the number of probationers can be translated into workload for Juvenile Probation Officers. Details: Denver: National Center for State Courts, 2010. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 3, 2017 at: http://www.ncsc.org/topics/court-management/workload-and-resource-assessment/~/media/8E11806349FD44FC96795BCBE0C3D5FA.ashx Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncsc.org/topics/court-management/workload-and-resource-assessment/~/media/8E11806349FD44FC96795BCBE0C3D5FA.ashx Shelf Number: 147535 Keywords: Juvenile ProbationProbation CaseloadProbation Officers |
Author: Cotten, P. Ann Title: Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services: Parole and Probation Agent Workload Study Report on Agent and Officer Focus Groups Summary: The Maryland General Assembly required the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) to conduct a workload study of the department's parole and probation agents. The Office of Community Supervision Support (CSS), in turn, contracted with the Schaefer Center for Public Policy at the University of Baltimore's College of Public Affairs (Schaefer Center) to conduct a study that included a review of the literature relating to parole and probation agent staffing, an analysis of agents' workload including a time study of agents, an analysis of the supervision caseload, and the collection of comparative caseload data from other states. From the research, the Schaefer Center team was charged with producing staffing recommendations, average caseload counts, and recommendations for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of parole and probation supervision. The primary focus of the research is agents who directly supervise offenders on parole and probation. As part of the research, the team also produced an analysis of how Court Liaison Unit (CLU) agents, Liaison Waiver (LAW) agents, and Warrant Apprehension Unit (WAU) officers spend their work time, and solicited input into recommendations for improving the effectiveness of their work. To fulfill its charge, the research team employed a mix of quantitative and qualitative strategies listed below. A comprehensive literature review of all known English language articles on community supervision and staffing. A four-week time study with 114 parole/probation agents and Warrant Apprehension Officers. Participants recorded 25,743 hours of work activity. Time observations were reported for work relating to 6,388 offenders. A caseload analysis that included all offenders under supervision on September 29, 2014. A review of agent case notes for a 12-month period for 215 randomly selected offenders. A national survey of state parole and probation agencies. To gain a good understanding about the work of the agents and variation in the work across regions, the research team conducted fifteen focus groups with 137 participants including: 71 supervising agents, 42 supervisors, 5 agents and 1 supervisor from the Court Liaison Unit, 9 agents and 1 supervisor from the Liaison Waiver Unit, and 9 Warrant Apprehension Officers. The findings from the focus groups are presented in this supplemental report Details: Baltimore, MD: Schaefer Center for Public Policy University of Baltimore - College of Public Affairs, 2015. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 4, 2017 at: http://dlslibrary.state.md.us/publications/JCR/2014/2014_116(v2).pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://dlslibrary.state.md.us/publications/JCR/2014/2014_116(v2).pdf Shelf Number: 147555 Keywords: Parole CaseloadParole OfficersProbation CaseloadProbation Officers |
Author: Great Britain. HM Inspectorate of Probation Title: New Psychoactive Substances: the response by probation and substance misuse services in the community in England Summary: The prevalence of NPS is hard to quantify for several reasons. Synthetic drug manufacture is not geographically constrained and this prevents an estimation of the volume of such drugs being manufactured worldwide. Users of NPS often don't know what they are taking, and in some cases they have been misled, with NPS passed off as more conventional drugs such as ecstasy. In addition, GPs, accident and emergency departments, probation services and the police do not specifically record NPS use. While the overall size of the NPS market is small in comparison with other drugs, an increasing number of countries are reporting seizures of NPS. There is also growing recognition of the harm associated with NPS use - often the result of crude manufacturing techniques and unpredictable dosage levels. As a result, they can be more lethal than other drugs. Concern is also rising about their use among marginalised populations such as prisoners and street homeless, attracted by the availability and low cost of NPS. Treatment options are more limited than with other substances, for example opioids, where substitutes are available. In most cases, treatment involves psychosocial interventions to help people consider the health risks and the costs of using NPS, and to help them make behavioural changes to reduce harm and moderate their drug use. We came across two areas using clinical detoxification to help manage withdrawal from NPS use. Overall, inspected areas did not have a good enough understanding of the prevalence of NPS use at a local level or what may work for those using NPS. While the UK government has issued advice and guidance for commissioners and substance misuse services, in the main, strategies have focused on crisis management to address emergencies. While local management relationships between substance misuse services and probation providers were good, probation engagement at a strategic level was less consistent. Where the strategic response was appropriately coordinated, for example in Newcastle, it included longer-term actions for agencies to work together and address NPS-related concerns locally. They were also more likely to be collecting NPSspecific data. Partnership working was strongest in probation teams that worked in collaboration with other agencies, such as Integrated Offender Management, and in cases where service users had court-imposed or licence conditions to engage with substance misuse services. In other cases, work was often being done in isolation. We found the assessments and plans completed by substance misuse services sufficient overall. In line with Public Health England guidance, substance misuse services worked with the individual symptoms and not specifically on the drug that the individual used. We were told that this national guidance that NPS users should be treated the same as other drug users was the reason that NPS-specific training had not been rolled out to all keyworkers - we found that this had led to a significant gap. Without specific training, keyworkers relied on their more experienced colleagues and their own research to increase their knowledge and understanding. The most skilled practitioners had developed NPS toolkits, which were then used in individual work with service users. Where these were being used, we found that there was more awareness of the risks and effects of using NPS. However, many NPS users were not accessing available services. All the cases we inspected were known either to have used or be currently using NPS, yet probation assessments lacked sufficient information to explore the pattern, level and funding of NPS use. Many users experienced problems with housing, mental health, relationships and finances. Some had lost placements in hostels or housing tenancies for reasons that were often related to their NPS use, but responsible officers rarely identified this. In the process, those who lost their accommodation ended up on the streets, sleeping rough in an environment where NPS were easy to obtain and frequently used. Worryingly, probation providers did not routinely consider the risks associated with NPS use to groups such as children, staff, prisoners or the wider community, despite there being enough known about the unpredictable behaviour that could be displayed by those using the drugs. Two Community Rehabilitation Companies had developed short-duration substance misuse interventions. NPS use was only covered to a basic standard, with many attendees being better informed than responsible officers. We found no evidence that the Building Skills for Recovery accredited programme, which is designed to reduce offending behaviour and problematic substance misuse, was used for NPS users by either the National Probation Service or Community Rehabilitation Companies. Responsible officers were rarely able to talk to NPS users about their symptoms and consolidate work undertaken by substance misuse services. While probation providers were making appropriate referrals to substance misuse services, these were not always responded to in a timely fashion. Service user engagement was often sporadic and responsible officers did not do enough to support NPS users to re-engage. We found poor-quality information-sharing. Prisoners were being released into the community often with no information shared about their NPS use in prison, and release plans did not meet the needs of the prisoner in relation to their substance misuse. We found good recording of information by substance misuse keyworkers who had access to probation IT systems. In many cases, however, we found that substance misuse services held information that would have improved the quality of probation assessments and plans but was not being shared. NPS users were disengaged from services, insufficient progress had been made to address NPS use and in many cases no other work was taking place either. NPS users lacked trust in the help and support available, and many turned to using NPS to forget their problems. Confidence, knowledge and awareness were the key areas that affected the quality of work for both probation and substance misuse services. While some training had been provided, this was often not sufficient for practitioners and was no longer up to date. As a result, responsible officers and many substance misuse keyworkers were not confident enough to undertake harm minimisation work with NPS users. While clinical guidance is available, not enough has been provided to inform professionals working with NPS users on community orders in the criminal justice system. Details: Manchester, UK: Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation, 2017. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 30, 2017 at: http://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/cjji/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/11/New-Psychoactive-Substances-report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/cjji/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/11/New-Psychoactive-Substances-report.pdf Shelf Number: 148589 Keywords: Drug Abuse and AddictionDrug OffendersDrug TreatmentProbation OfficersProbationersSubstance AbuseSubstance Abuse TreatmentSynthetic Drugs |
Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation Title: Enforcement and Recall: A thematic inspection Summary: Introduction -- Good-quality case management should underpin effective decisions on enforcement and recall. We expect responsible officers to be able to assess risk of harm, risk of reoffending and individuals' needs. They should be able to plan work, implement or facilitate structured programmes of work and review the progress of that work. This should all be done in a way that is sensitive to the diverse backgrounds and needs of those under probation supervision, and that builds on identified strengths in a person's life. Evidence from effective practice and desistance theories suggests that these approaches provide the best platform for successful rehabilitation7 Our findings - Community Rehabilitation Companies Community orders and suspended sentence supervision orders Overall, the quality of offender management and consequent enforcement decision-making in our sample of community orders and suspended sentence orders was poor. Assessment was too often deficient. Plans, though timely, were not of good quality. Engagement with the individual in constructive work was insufficient in too many cases. Planned levels of contact were not always adequate to meet the individual's needs. Consequently, CRCs did not always know when enforcement was appropriate. The task of building a competent workforce was constrained by the level of resourcing, with dwindling front-line resources to manage the work. Licence recall We found better work in licence cases. We cannot be definitive about why that is, but we noted that the majority of the individuals were assessed as posing a medium risk of harm to others, and so were more likely to be allocated to an experienced member of staff at probation officer grade. We found that staff were clearer about the process for recall than for community enforcement. Overall, the quality of assessment and planning was sufficient. The programmes of work then delivered should have been better tailored to reducing the risk posed to the public and the likelihood of reoffending, but in almost all cases the level of contact met the requirements of the licence. Recall decision-making was good. Judgements about the acceptability of absences or individual behaviour were generally appropriate. Post-sentence supervision We looked at a small sample of post-sentence supervision cases. Overall, the quality of case management and consequent enforcement decision-making in the sample of post-sentence supervision was poor. We found that CRCs were struggling to provide adequate services for the range of complex needs of this group of individuals. In particular, responsible officers struggled to find ways to engage with them. Enforcement had the effect of compounding rather than lessening the sense of a revolving door between prison and the community. Our findings - National Probation Service Community order and suspended sentence supervision orders Overall, the quality of assessment, supervision planning and consequent enforcement decision-making was good. At the beginning of the community sentence, responsible officers outlined to individuals the consequences of non-compliance, including a return to court. Judgements about the acceptability of absences or individual behaviour were appropriate in most cases. However, better attention should have been paid to engaging individuals in the process of supervision. While staff had a heightened sensitivity to issues of risk, the level of contact set was based on considerations of the risk of harm posed to others in just under two-thirds of cases. Overall, we found a good balance struck between purposeful work and the use of enforcement to re-engage individuals or to apply controls on behaviour when necessary. Licence recall Overall, the quality of case management and consequent enforcement decisionmaking was good. The NPS had an organisation-wide process for managing these cases. This supported engagement and promoted compliance, and enabled staff to take recall action when necessary and appropriate. More needed to be done to ensure that relevant information from the prison is incorporated into the plan of work undertaken in the community. Nevertheless, we considered that judgements about the acceptability of absences or behaviour were appropriate in all but one case. We also found that senior managers had applied sufficient checks and balances to ensure that recall was viewed as a last resort, with action only taken when the risks of continued supervision in the community were unmanageable. Post-sentence supervision We looked at a small sample of post-sentence supervision cases. Overall, the quality of case management and consequent enforcement decision-making was good. Are women treated differently? Within CRCs we found some evidence that staff responded positively to women's needs, but this was far from consistent. The identification of women-specific issues was better at the NPS. However, both had very limited access to appropriate womenonly provision. Details: Manchester, UK: HM Inspectorate of Probation, 2018. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 14, 2018 at: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2018/02/Enforcement-and-Recall-report.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2018/02/Enforcement-and-Recall-report.pdf Shelf Number: 149480 Keywords: Case ManagementCommunity OrdersCommunity-Based CorrectionsOffender SupervisionProbation OfficersProbationers |
Author: Hannon, Catherine Title: Managing a risky business: developing the professional practice of police and probation officers in the supervision of high risk offenders Summary: Discussions about risk are central to the formulation of criminal justice and penal policies. They shape ways of perceiving and responding to what is deemed risky behavior. This thesis builds upon research about the application and effects of "the new penology", with its emphasis on "actuarialism", which promotes quantitative methods used in accountancy as an analytical method for risk assessment. This thesis goes beyond policy texts and theories providing original contribution that explores how the police and the probation services actually interpret and implement policy and manage mutual institutional pressures and biases. It does so by using interviews and debriefing process with police and probation practitioners, as well as by drawing upon the author's own professional experience. This thesis identifies some of the effects of implementing actuarial practices within police and probation working, looking at convergent and divergent views. It aims at a clearer understanding of the partnership working between police and probation services arising from different perspectives and response to risk. The findings support the notion that actuarial practices permeate this arena of public protection; influencing intra and inter-service partnerships and the implementation of MAPPA aims. Actuarial analysis accentuates a tendency to prioritise police crime control policies but not without resistance from probation officers. A number of MAPPA deficiencies including ineffective information sharing processes exist between critical partners impeding partnership working. Disagreements formed from differences in organisational aims of rehabilitation and crime control, accentuated by the actuarial risk assessment methodology. Repeated working together of personnel and development of collaborative initiatives helped alleviate misunderstandings. Conflict between the two services was most acute in relation to the transfer process, breach of licence conditions and recall to custody of offenders. Gaps in knowledge and experience created significant issues particularly for those new to risk management and the responsibilities associated to this arena of public protection work. Activities to aid communal development were identified through organisational learning founded in communities of practice and isomorphic learning encouraging the growth of networks of learning. Crisis causation models and the systemic lessons learned knowledge model (Syllk) provided diverse perspectives to assess people, learning, culture, social values, technology, process and infrastructure. Improvements in any combination of these factors supported the development of trust and learning between agencies. The Transforming Rehabilitation agenda transformed the public protection world and amplified the negative aspects of the findings in this thesis. Anxieties about data, information sharing and the effectiveness of the framework to transfer cases between agencies are a contemporary problem for the National Probation Service and Community Rehabilitation Companies to tackle. Failure to do so will place the public at greater risk. Details: London: London Metropolitan University, 2016. 232p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 19, 2018 at: http://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/1137/ Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/1137/ Shelf Number: 149861 Keywords: Community Supervision High Risk OffendersOffender SupervisionPolice OfficersProbation Officers |
Author: Harvell, Samantha Title: Bridging Research and Practice in Juvenile Probation: Rethinking Strategies to Promote Long-term Change Summary: Over the past several decades, the knowledge base on how to improve public safety and outcomes for youth has expanded substantially, yet probation officers that work with these young people lack guidance on how this research can inform their work. This report offers practical tips for frontline juvenile probation officers to align their practice with research on successful strategies for reducing recidivism and improving outcomes for youth, their families, and the communities in which they live. The report describes five core practice areas-screening, assessment, and structured decision-making; case planning; matching services and promoting positive youth development; structuring supervision to promote long-term behavior change; and incentivizing success and implementing graduated responses. For each area, the report highlights relevant research findings, identifies core focus areas for bridging research and practice, and offers concrete strategies for probation officers and agencies to hold youth accountable, prevent future delinquency, and promote healthy development. Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2018. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2018 at: https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/99223/bridging_research_and_practice_in_juvenile_probation_2.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/99223/bridging_research_and_practice_in_juvenile_probation_2.pdf Shelf Number: 153145 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationProbation Officers |