Probation Officers' Views on Supervising Women Probationers

Abstract

At the end of 2002, the number of women probationers was substantially higher than the number of women inmates. However, much less is known about women probationers than women inmates. We surveyed and interviewed probation officers to examine their perceptions about the special needs of women probationers and explored officers' experiences with women probationers. Probation officers believe women and men on probation have different needs and therefore require different supervision strategies. Results suggest that the multiple problems and challenges female clients present to their officers, and the greater emotionality they express in their interactions with officers, often place considerable demands on officers' time, energy and skills.     

A conceptual replication of the Strategic Training Initiative in Community Supervision (STICS)

Objectives

This study was an attempt to replicate the findings from an earlier experimental evaluation of a probation officer training program by Bonta et al. (Criminal Justice and Behavior, 38: 1127–1148, 2011). An experimental design was used with an improvement in the random assignment of clients and was tested with a sample of probation officers from a new jurisdiction.

Methods

Probation officers from the Canadian province of Alberta were randomly assigned to training or probation-as-usual. Officer behavior was measured by audio recordings of supervision sessions and recidivism was defined as a new conviction within 2 years of the initial recording. Attrition resulted in 27 probation officers submitting audio recordings of supervision sessions over a 6-month period (15 in the experimental group and 12 in the control). There were 160 recordings of 81 probationers submitted.

Results

The audio recordings showed inconsistent changes in officer behavior and no differences in recidivism between the clients of the experimental and control probation officers. However, the use of cognitive techniques by the probation officers was associated with a longer time to recidivism. In addition, by 10 months, more than half of the trained officers stopped their involvement in ongoing professional development activities.

Conclusion

Although the study failed to replicate the major findings reported by Bonta et al., it did highlight the importance of cognitive techniques in officer training. The results are interpreted with respect to the replication literature and the difficulties inherent in direct and conceptual replications especially in real-world settings.

     

Corrections in Israel and the United States: A Comparative Analysis

The general underlying philosophical intent of corrections in both Israel and the United States is the restoration of the offender to a productive role in the community. Since the correctional intent is essentially the same, it is not surprising that the systems established to implement this aspiration are rather similar and exhibit many of the same ambiguities, weaknesses, and frustrations. The focus of the paper is on two correctional alternatives: incarceration and probation.

As in America, Israel's prisons are overcrowded; most of the correctional facilities are unfit for human habitation; sanitary conditions are poor; occupational, vocational, and educational opportunities are virtually non-existent; and rehabilitation exists in name only. The recidivist rate of criminal offenders is as high in Israel as in the U.S. Various Israeli commissions in recent years have decried the prison conditions and have called for reform but, again as in the U.S., the problem has defied an acceptable solution.

Israel's probation services are part of the country's social services delivery system rather than the penal or judicial systems. That is the case because, unlike the U.S. conception, probation in Israel is not considered a punishment. Probation services are utilized by the Criminal Justice System, but organizationally they are not part of it. Still, the functions carried out by the Israeli probation officers very much resemble those of their counterparts in the U.S. Probation services in Israel have not expanded in recent years, even though the number of incarcerated offenders has increased.

Corrections has never been a priority in Israel and will not be so long as the country remains preoccupied with security matters. On the other hand, the crime rate continues to increase and so does the prison population. Consequently, the country's correctional problems and policies, in all their dimensions, should be re-examined, and the sooner the better.     

Intensive probation: An examination of recidivism and social adjustment

Intensive supervision was began as an extension of regular probation for those offenders who needed closer surveillance. However, in the last decade, Intensive Supervision has been used increasingly as an alternative to incarceration in order to help alleviate the problem of overcrowding in our prisons. In the eight-year period from 1977 to 1985, the prison population of this country has increased 68 percent. In view of this, many states are using intensive supervision as one alternative to reduce commitment rates. This study examines the effectiveness of one such program called the Intensive Treatment Supervision Program which operates out of the Montgomery County Adult Probation Department, Dayton, Ohio. The performances of probationers on intensive supervision are compared to a group of probationers on regular supervision to determine whether intensive supervision, through improved service delivery, can have an impact on high risk probationers and serve as a basis for a program to divert offenders from overcrowded facilities.     

Treatment manuals: The good,the bad and the useful

Abstract

This paper offers a commentary on the debate between Marshall and Mann on the desirability and merits of treatment manuals in the treatment of sexual offenders. Marshall offers a view of manuals as restrictive to clinical practice and as stifling to clinical innovation. Mann takes the position that manuals are a vital component in effective correctional practice. The commentary suggests that these contrary views are understandable: Marshall takes a clinical perspective and advocates best practice; Mann speaks from a realist forensic perspective in which manuals offer a practical means to deliver treatment on a large scale within prisons and probation. Of course, both positions have their merits and it is suggested that the two are perhaps not irreconcilable if the skills of the practitioner and model of treatment delivery are taken into account.     

Walking the line: Specialized and standard probation officer perspectives on supervising probationers with serious mental illnesses

Specialized probation programs were developed to more effectively address the unique needs of probationers with serious mental illnesses. Probation officers are tasked with serving both law enforcement and rehabilitative functions, and officers play an important gatekeeper function in helping probationers with serious mental illnesses avoid long incarceration sentences. The purpose of this paper was to explore specialized and standard probation officers' work in supervising probationers with serious mental illnesses. Twenty-one probation officers (11 specialized and 10 standard) participated in semi-structured interviews. Qualitative analyses examined: 1 — beliefs on the relationship between mental illness and crime; 2 — purpose of specialized and standard probation units; and 3 — approaches to supervising probationers with serious mental illnesses. Implications for developing more effective probation supervision programs are discussed.     

Investigating Probation Strategies with Juvenile Offenders: The Influence of Officers’ Attitudes and Youth Characteristics

Probation officers are the focal point for most interventions with delinquent youths in the juvenile justice system. The present study examines probation strategies and interventions in a sample of 308 probation officers who completed the Probation Practices Assessment Survey (PPAS) in a web-based survey. The PPAS measures six probation approaches: deterrence, restorative justice, treatment, confrontation, counseling, and behavioral tactics. Structural equation models and latent class analyses showed that probation officers use multiple approaches with delinquent youths consistent with the balanced and restorative justice movement. Younger youths, high-risk youths, and youths with prior social service involvements are likely to receive more intensive interventions. The implications of these findings for improving probation practices with delinquent youth are discussed.     

缓刑执行的技术分析

缓刑是附条件不执行原判刑罚的一种刑罚制度，就其自身的制度设计而言已经比较完善。但其存在于刑罚制度的综合体系中，不可避免地要与其他刑罚制度发生关系，其中也出现了一些衔接不畅的情况。如缓刑考验期内如何适用减刑和自首、被宣告缓刑的犯罪分子同时剥夺政治权利的刑期计算问题等等。研究和解决这些问题有助于刑罚制度的整体完善。     

The Protection of Prisoners’ Rights in England and Wales

The system in England and Wales for the protection of prisoners’ rights relies on three institutions: a prisons inspectorate with right of entry to all prisons at any time, a prisons and probation ombudsman, and local independent monitoring boards. This contribution focuses on the Prisons Inspectorate and discusses its methodology and criteria for inspection, based on international human rights standards; the effectiveness of the inspectorate; its independence and relationships with other monitoring bodies, the government and the prison service; the application of the methodology to other countries outside the UK; and future developments and threats.     

Out of touch – a youth perspective

In March 2012 the Ministry of Justice published two consultations: Punishment and reform: effective probation services and Punishment and reform: effective community sentences. Taken together, the two documents have the potential to impose wholesale reform on the work of Probation Trusts in England and Wales, primarily through the privatisation of considerable sections of Trusts’ work.     

Surviving the Trenches: The Personal Impact of the Job on Probation Officers

The purpose of this study was to assess traumatic stress and burnout in probation officers who work with criminal offenders. Adult probation officers from five departments in three states (Arizona, California, and Texas) participated in this study (N?=?309). Officers completed several survey instruments including the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (Weiss & Marmar, 1997), the Compassion Satisfaction/Fatigue Self-Test for Helpers (Steed & Bicknell, 2001), and the Probation Personal Impact Scale (PPI). The results indicated officers who reported violent and sexual recidivism on their caseloads, offender suicide, and threats and/or assaults in the line of duty scored significantly higher on measures of traumatic stress and burnout than officers who did not experience these caseload events. Assessments, education, training, and stress management programs are discussed as options to mitigate negative impacts, enhance the resiliency of officers, and improve the quality of evidence-based practices.     

Reducing criminal recidivism: evaluation of Citizenship, an evidence-based probation supervision process

‘Citizenship’ is a structured probation supervision program based on ‘what works’ principles, designed for offenders on community orders or licenses supervised within the UK National Probation Service. The program was evaluated using survival analysis comparing the reconvictions of a cohort of all offenders in one probation area eligible for Citizenship over a 2-year period (n = 3,819) with those of a retrospective cohort of all eligible offenders in the same probation area receiving ‘traditional’ probation supervision (n = 2,110), controlling for risk related factors. At the 2-year stage, 50% of offenders in the comparison group had reoffended compared to 41% in the experimental group, and the difference between the survival curves was statistically significant. The hazard ratio was 0.69, which represents a 31% reduction in reconvictions in the experimental group over the proportion in the comparison group at any given time. Time to violation of a supervision order or post custody license was also statistically significantly longer in the experimental group. A key element of the program, promoting contact with community support agencies, was statistically significantly related to reduced reoffending in the Citizenship group. The overall effects remained after controlling for differences in risk scores although effectiveness varied by risk level. Contrary to other ‘what works’ research findings, the program was found to be most effective across the low–medium and medium–high risk thresholds, and was not effective with the highest risk group. This difference can be explained and is discussed in terms of risk, need, and responsivity principles. The Citizenship program was found to be cost-beneficial.     

Women Corrections Officers in Men's Prisons

ABSTRACT

Women have worked as corrections officers (COs) in some adult male prisons in most states for the past two decades. However, the degree of acceptance of women COs and the perception of women officers' job performance by men officers have varied greatly. This study was based on the results of a survey of men and women officers working in men's prisons in a midwestern state. Comparisons of the officers' responses about women's acceptance, safety, and perceived job performance revealed some significant gender differences. The results indicated that while women faced some resistance among men officers, it was not to the extent suggested by previous research studies, and the resistance came primarily from more experienced men officers. Women officers were confident of their ability to work effectively in men's prisons. The resistance to women that persists among some men officers is likely to provide an obstacle for women seeking opportunities for advancement and promotion in adult male prisons.     

Criers,liars, and manipulators: Probation officers' views of girls

This study examines the perceptions of girls held by juvenile probation officers, psychologists, and others involved in juvenile court decision making. Through qualitative analysis of girls' probation case files and indepth interviews with juvenile probation officers, we discuss the social construction of gender, race, culture, and class. Our findings suggest that in an environment marked by scarce resources, gender and racial/ethnic stereotypes leave girls few options for treatment and services in the juvenile court. Some probation officers expressed distaste for working with girls and had little understanding of culturally or gender-specific programming. Others were frustrated by the lack of programming options for girls in the state. Based on our findings, we question whether the current ideology or structure of juvenile probation can nurture a holistic approach to justice for girls.     

Gang activity in english prisons: The staff perspective

Abstract

Gang behaviour has been associated with serious problems in American prisons (e.g., Fong and Buentello, 1991). This study explored the possible existence of indicators of gang activity in English prisons. Surveys of problems consistent with gang activity were completed by 374 prison staff in 16 prisons that were representative of the English Prison Estate. Results showed significant differences between categories of institution. The most gang-related activity was reported in male Medium security prisons and Young Offender Institutions. The lowest reported incidence was in both male Low and High security prisons. Female establishments demonstrated levels lower only than Medium security male prisons. Discussion focuses concern on the levels of gang activity apparently present in the Medium security English Prisons and suggests directions for further research.     

Evaluation of the ADViSOR project: Cross‐situational behaviour monitoring of high‐risk offenders in prison and the community

Purpose. The release on licence of prisoners who have committed serious violent and/or sexual offences requires rigorous risk assessment and risk management. This study evaluates the ADViSOR project, designed to examine the contribution of prison behaviour monitoring to community supervision of a sample of the highest risk offenders released in England and Wales under Multi‐Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA). Method. The offence‐related behaviour of a total group (n= 25) of MAPPA prisoners in one prison, due for release in the following year to two adjacent probation trust areas, was monitored. Their behaviours in the community were followed up for 1 year. A comparison group (n= 36) was formed of the total number of MAPPA prisoners released from prisons nationally to the same two probation trusts. Results. The frequencies of ADViSOR negative behaviours in prison and the community were strongly correlated, r_s (25) = .55, p= .004, as were positive behaviours, r_s (25) = .56, p= .004. No statistically significant correlations were found either under usual MAPPA processes in the ADViSOR prison or comparison group prisons. The frequency of ADViSOR negative behaviours statistically significantly predicted, with 92% accuracy, the offenders who would reoffend or be recalled to prison (n= 8). Statistically significant similarities in types of behaviour were also identified. Conclusion. Results are discussed in terms of the contribution of behavioural monitoring to risk prediction with high‐risk offenders, consistency of cross‐situational behaviours, and implications for policy and practice.     

缓刑制度的实践与思考

我国刑法中的缓刑,是指人民法院对于被判处拘役、三年以下有期徒刑的犯罪分子,认为暂不执行原判刑罚,确实不致再危害社会的,在一定考验期内,暂缓执行原判刑罚的制度.缓刑制度在实践中对教育改造罪犯,使之改过自新,预防重新犯罪,维护社会稳定等方面发挥了重要作用.然而,缓刑制度在司法实践中存在着种种具体问题,难以达到缓刑制度的立法目的,因而必须进行改革和完善.通过从立法上明确缓刑的适用条件,可以避免缓刑适用中的随意性,在一定程度上限制法官的自由裁量权;在适用技术上,通过确立缓刑适用前的再犯预测制度,可以更加客观地考量被告人是否具备"确实不致再危害社会"的条件,使缓刑的适用更具科学性;从适用程序上设置缓刑适用的听证程序,增加缓刑适用过程的透明度,可以避免缓刑适用中的"暗箱操作",有利于将缓刑的适用置于法律监督和社会监督之下,体现出法律程序中的公平、正义;在对缓刑的考察监督方面,首先,通过建立缓刑监督考察委员会制度,改革和完善监督考察的主体,以弥补当前以公安机关为主的监督考察主体无力对缓刑人员监管的不足,还可以做到权责分明,利于对缓刑人员的监督考察落到实处;其次,确立缓刑指示制度,完善监督考察的内容,可以使监督考察有的放矢,缓刑人员亦有明确的目标与行为准则;最后,将对缓刑人员的监督考察纳入社区矫正体系,是完善监督考察方式的必由之路,是真正实现对缓刑人员的监督考察的必要保障.建立一个缓刑制度的体系,对于完善我国的缓刑制度是必要的和可行的.