Probation Officers Research Articles

Domains of the YLS: Do Some Matter More than Others?

Data were obtained in Pennsylvania to examine referrals to juvenile courts in the Commonwealth for the 2021-2022 school year that include any felony, misdemeanor or summary offenses that occurred on school property. This study looked at the referrals to see if any of the individual domains of the Youth Level of Service Case Management Inventory 2.0 (YLS/CMI) had more of an effect on how the case was disposed of, which was defined as dismissed or handled informally, or formally adjudicated, in juvenile court. The research found that while the overall YLS risk score influenced juvenile court outcomes, only five of the eight individual domains of the YLS had a significant effect on how a case was processed in juvenile court, which calls into question how closely juvenile probation officers are following the instrument in their practice.

Exploring the Impact of Remorse on Recommendations for Sentencing Diversion for Defendants With Psychiatric Diagnoses

This study, using semi-structured interviews with a sample of probation officers ( N = 151), develops a model that suggests how officers may weigh psychiatric diagnoses when assessing defendants’ expressions of remorse and how this may shape their presentencing recommendations for sentencing diversion. Results suggest that probation officers consider psychiatric diagnoses when evaluating remorse in sentencing contexts in three main ways: (a) the extent to which psychiatric symptoms may lead defendants to have difficulties showing conventional expressions of remorse and complicate how officers understand their non-normative remorse displays; (b) how psychiatric symptoms can mitigate defendants’ emotional behaviors used to develop and “feel” remorse, particularly their blunted empathy and hindered recognition of their criminal acts; and (c) some officers make stigmatized assumptions about personal qualities of defendants diagnosed with psychiatric diagnoses, which can lead them to be critical of their remorse. Then, drawing from views in the first two areas, officers discussed providing information on defendants’ psychiatric illnesses—and the potential impacts on their abilities to show or develop remorse—to support recommendations for sentencing diversion in presentencing reports. Takeaways, as well as how remorse assessments may shape probation recommendations for sentencing diversion for defendants with psychiatric diagnoses, are discussed.

IMPLEMENTASI PEMBIMBINGAN DAN PENGAWASAN PK BAPAS TERHADAP PERUBAHAN PERILAKU KLIEN PEMASYARAKATAN YANG MELAKUKAN PELANGGARAN HUKUM KEMBALI (Studi kasus di Balai Pemasyarakatan Kelas II Kediri)

The purpose of this study was to analyze the implementation of the guidance and supervision of Probation Officer according to Law Number 12 of 1995 concerning Corrections and Regulation of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Coaching and Guidance of Correctional Assisted Citizens against changes in the behavior of correctional clients who break the law again, to analyze the obstacles faced by the Probation Officer in guiding and supervising correctional clients who break the law again. The location of this study is the Class II Penitentiary (Bapas) Kediri which is located at Penanggungan street, no. 19, Kediri City, East Java, with a total of 13 respondents using the purposive sampling method with qualitative data analysis and data collection techniques using primary data and secondary data obtained by structured interviews, in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation. The result of this study is that the guidance and supervision of Probation Officer on the behavior of correctional clients has been effective as seen from Law Number 12 of 1995 concerning Corrections and Regulation of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Coaching and Guidance of Correctional Assisted Citizens because almost all of these regulations have been carried out and implemented by the Probation Officer, However, when viewed from the behavior of correctional clients, the guidance and supervision of the Probation Officer has not been fully effective because there has been no change in the behavior of correctional clients who are still breaking the law.. The factors that become obstacles for the Penitentiary (Bapas) Kediri in carrying out guidance tasks for correctional clients are a) Penitentiary regulations, b) Penitentiary personnel, c) Infrastructure, d) Personal, from correctional clients and the family., and e) Cost.

The feasibility and utility of trauma screening for children involved in the juvenile justice system.

Childhood exposure to potentially traumatic events and adversity is highly prevalent and linked to adverse outcomes. Many children suffering from symptoms related to traumatic stress are not identified or do not receive appropriate trauma-focused treatment, including evidence-based treatments. Trauma screening is a promising strategy to improve identification, but many child-serving staff members have concerns about asking youth and caregivers about trauma. This study aimed to describe staff perceptions about the feasibility, utility, and potential for distress associated with trauma screening. Between 2014 and 2019, the Child Trauma Screen was used in 1,272 trauma screenings completed by juvenile probation officers or mental health clinicians as part of routine practice with youth in the juvenile justice system. Further, 1,190 caregiver reports about youth trauma were completed for youth in the juvenile justice system. Staff completed a brief postscreening survey about the feasibility and utility of the screening and the perceived level of child or caregiver distress. Across staff roles, trauma screening was deemed to be feasible and worthwhile to practice, with very few staff members reporting that children or caregivers appeared very uncomfortable as a result of screening, although some differences in feasibility and utility by staff role did occur. Trauma screening measures appear to be useful and practical in juvenile justice settings when appropriate support is provided, including when administered by nonclinical staff. Nonclinical staff may benefit from additional training, consultation, or support with trauma screening.

보호관찰관의 폭행 피해 경험과 직무 스트레스와의 관계

This study aims at investigating the relationship between victimized experience of probation officer charged in electronic monitoring and job related stress in South Korea. Although the use of the electronic monitoring continues to expand, discussions on the job stress of the officials in charge of it are relatively few.
 Negative job stress felt by probation officers in charge of community correction will inevitably result in enormous losses of nationwide security, eventually leading to great damage to the public. In particular, the experience of physical or mental violence victimization from probation officers under electronic monitoring will cause a high level of negative job stress. To empirically verify this, a hierarchical regression analysis was conducted in the current study. This study utilized secondary data surveyed by the Korean Institute of Criminology and Justice.
 As a result of this study, it was found that the victimization of mental violence was statistically significant factor that is associated with job related stress. More importantly, hierarchical regression analysis demonstrated that social support and mental victimization experience were significant factors that are related with stress of probation officers when other variables are controlled. Further policy implications will be discussed.

Referral to a probation centre as an educational measure

Referral to a probation centre is an educational measure that is adjudicated on average against 2% of juveniles. It is most often applied to juveniles who show behavior indicative of their demoralization (in about 70%). In the context of the changes that have taken place in the phenomenon of social maladjustment (an increase in the behaviors of juveniles that are indicative of their demoralization; in 2020, in 56% this was the reason for applying educational measures to them), referring a minor to a probation center appears to be one of the better means of influencing a minor, as the centre is a facility that has extensive experience in working with demoralized persons. This argues for further development of probation centres, both in organizational and methodical spheres. The new Act on the Support and Re-socialisation of Juveniles, which replaced the Act on the Proceedings in Juvenile Matters, modifies the basic purpose of a probation centre and transforms it from a primarily preventive facility into a typical educational and re-socialisation facility. The proposed changes go in the right direction, as they strengthen probation centres in organisational terms. However, it is questionable whether it is appropriate for this Act to regulate the rules for the creation, abolition and organisation of the centre, as these issues are of a systemic nature. A probation centre is undoubtedly an element of the probation service, for which reason the Probation Officers Act seems a more appropriate place to regulate such issues.

Wykonywanie rodka wychowawczego w postaci skierowania do orodka kuratorskiego z perspektywy kuratorw sdowych

The catalog of educational measures provided by law and applied in juvenile proceedings includes, among others, referral to an attendance centre a facility that provides educational, resocialisation, therapeutic, preventive or control measures for minors. The professional guardians/probation officers who organize the work in the centres confirm that the described measure plays an extremely important role in the process of preventing criminal acts and manifestations of demoralization among minors. It is a non-custodial educational measure which plays an extremely important role in the process of resocialization and whose potential is not fully exploited. The aim of the text is to propose legislative changes aimed at giving this form of resocialization influence the character of a sui generis measure, with a broadened catalogue of competences. The analysis is based on the current legislation, as well as on the results of the author's nationwide research conducted in a group of 32 professional probation officers working in probation centres, aimed at recognizing the specificity of work in these institutions.

The Role of family probation officers in preventing demoralization and juvenile delinquency - selected system solutions

The aim of the article is to show the role of family probation officers in preventing juvenile demoralization and crime in the context of the Act of June 9, 2022 on the support and rehabilitation of minors. The considerations were supplemented with a statistical picture of juvenile delinquency in Poland and family court decisions in cases of demoralization and criminal offenses. An example of practical implications is the concept of preventive and social rehabilitation activities at the pre-trial (educational team in school) and judicial levels, which play a significant role in the system of preventing social maladjustment of children and adolescents.

Doomed from the Let‐Go: Postincarceration Strategies for Managing Monetary Debt

Monetary sanctions are an integral and expanding part of the criminal legal system, even though most of the population under community supervision are indigent. Reentering citizens often leave imprisonment with considerable debt that accumulates from court costs and fees, supervision fees, child support arrears, motor vehicle, and other forms of debt. In this article, we examine how an indigent population of reentering citizens make sense of the totality of their debt, prioritize paying their debts, and develop strategies to increase their personal autonomy within the constraints of family dependence, debt, and state supervision. We track 30 men released from an Alternative Incarceration Facility in Cleveland, Ohio and use case studies to illustrate the strategies men adopted within a set of personal contingencies, including the nature of their debt, the extent of family support, their personal skills and resources, access to jobs, probation requirements, relationships with probation officers, and the exercise of judicial discretion. Our study demonstrates how risk‐taking is baked into the criminal legal system and how this keeps reentering citizens in a perpetual state of carceral vulnerability.

Improving Probation Outcomes for Emerging Adults: An Experiment Evaluating a Specialized Caseload in Texas

Emerging adults present an array of developmental needs that community supervision agencies should address to improve outcomes including impulsivity, inability to regulate emotions, and being less likely to consider future consequences of their behavior. This study used a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the Hidalgo County Emerging Adult Strategy (HCEAS)�a specialized caseload for emerging adults using principles of goal setting, incentives, and identity and relationship formation. This study examines how HCEAS influences progress on stability measures and probation outcomes, and how stability measure progress affects probation success. Analyses showed that HCEAS was effective in increasing either within- or between-group progress for every stability measure except education. HCEAS decreased outcomes such as arrests, motions to revoke, and failures to appear for probation office visits. These outcomes suggest that an age-specific focus on stability factors is feasible during supervision and likely to result in improved outcomes.

Developing evidence based practice skills in youth justice

A number of studies have found that when probation officers, and others who supervise young people and adults on community based orders, have good intervention skills their clients are more likely to be engaged in supervision and to have low recidivism rates. The skills include, role clarification, pro-social modelling, problem solving, cognitive and relationship skills. Little research has been done, however, on the development of these skills across whole organisations. This study aimed to examine the extent to which training and coaching of probation officers, across two state youth justice departments in Australia, improved the use of workers’ skills. Audio-tapes of worker/client interviews were provided to research staff before and after training and coaching. Analysis of the audio-tapes found a significant increase in the overall use of worker skills following the training and coaching. However, the increases in the skills applied largely to role clarification, rather than pro-social modelling, problem solving and cognitive skills.

Financial Problems and Debt as Predictive Factors for Recidivism

This study aimed to examine the unique predictive validity of debt regarding recidivism and what elements are specifically predictive. This was done based on a Dutch sample of 250 people on probation using an explorative research tool, the Finances, Debt, and Offending Scale (FDOS). Cox survival regression and receiver operating characteristics analyses were conducted on the total FDOS and its individual items as predictors and diverse recidivism criteria. The average follow-up duration was 5.41 years. The results show that debt moderately predicts recidivism (adjusted for other predictors). The FDOS significantly predicted recidivism on all three levels of severity, and regarding the type of crime, it predicted recidivism in property and drug-related crime. Earlier debt and probation officers’ indications of whether finances are criminogenic were especially predictive. These insights may help frontline service providers better understand the role of finances in recidivism, measure financial problems in risk assessment, and select interventions.

Juvenile probation officer perception of contingency management to target caregiver engagement and training outcomes

Few community-based substance use treatment programs are available or skilled in treating justice-involved youth, highlighting the need to equip juvenile probation officers with the skills to deliver evidence-based substance use treatment. Contingency management (CM) is evidence-based for treating substance use and shows promise for juvenile probation officers’ successful uptake (positive opinions and trainability). However, research has not examined whether probation officers’ positive beliefs and trainability generalize to target behaviors beyond those displayed by youth, but that nevertheless affect youth outcomes. This study examined probation officers’ perceptions of using CM to engage caregivers and assessed probation officers’ CM knowledge and CM delivery after training in a protocol-specific CM program for caregivers of substance-using youth on probation. Results showed probation officers were ambivalent about CM for caregivers. Results also showed that age, training format and how competency is assessed may be essential to consider. Implications for the dissemination of CM and future research are discussed.

Assessing Readiness for Change of Juvenile Probation Policies and Practices: A Factor Analysis of the Probation Officer Attitudes, Beliefs, and Behavior (POABB) Scale.

As juvenile probation undergoes nationwide reform to better align with research on adolescent development, it is critical to understand probation officers' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about corresponding changes to supervisory practices within juvenile probation departments. The Probation Officer Attitudes, Beliefs, and Behaviors (POABB) Scale was designed for use with juvenile probation officers (JPOs) undergoing training in a specific evidence-based supervision strategy (i.e., Graduated Response) to assess staff's knowledge and beliefs about Graduated Response's practices and intended supervisory behaviors. To provide foundational empirical support for the novel scale, the current study examined the factor structure of this self-report measure using POABB data from 351 juvenile probation staff across three mid-Atlantic states. An exploratory factor analysis revealed that a five-factor structure within the POABB provided the best fit and, overall, the POABB had good internal reliability (ɑ = 0.84). Importantly, the five-factor structure suggests a key difference between knowledge of Graduated Response components and attitudes toward using those components in everyday practice. Results suggest that use of the POABB can provide probation departments with information about specific attitudes and overall willingness to implement specific supervision practices as well as offer targeted areas for additional training to support developmentally appropriate probation transformations.

Previously Incarcerated Transgender Women in Southwestern Pennsylvania: A Mixed Methods Study on Experiences, Needs, and Resiliencies

Transgender women are disproportionately incarcerated across the United States, placing a burden of adverse health outcomes on this marginalized population. This exploratory study was designed to document the experiences of transgender women experiencing the cycle of incarceration; explore the degree to which the lack of targeted re-entry services contributes to this cycle of incarceration; and identify structural and/or community-level points for advocacy, support, and programming. We use qualitative interviews and geospatial mapping to describe the lack of access to resources, as well as challenges regarding finding housing, accessing health care, and meeting probation and parole requirements. In 2017, we interviewed six transgender women, all of whom are previously incarcerated adults residing in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Additionally, we mapped mental health providers and transinclusive resources using geographic information system software to explore barriers related to transportation and access. Results indicate that access to health care, housing, transportation, and transinclusive community support is the most significant barrier to successful re-entry. These analyses suggest that transgender women residing outside the central downtown area of Pittsburgh have increased difficulty regarding access to probation and parole offices, trans-inclusive health care, and LGBTQIA+ community spaces. These preliminary data suggest that there are missed opportunities within re-entry services to change the social and health trajectories of transgender women who are returning to their communities from jail or prison. Future multilevel interventions should incorporate health care, transinclusive community support, stable housing, and the alleviation of transportation barriers. Colocation of re-entry services may increase access, support, and treatment for transgender women re-entering the community.

Factors to Reduce Drug-Related Recidivism Among Paroled Methamphetamine Users in Japan: 10-Year Data Analysis.

This study explored factors to reduce drug-related recidivism among paroled methamphetamine users in Japan, especially the significance of continuing care and motivation, internationally shown as positively related to better treatment outcomes. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed on 10-year drug-related recidivism data from 4,084 methamphetamine users paroled in 2007 who received a mandatory educational program conducted by professional and volunteer probation officers. Independent variables included participant characteristics, an index of motivation, and the length of parole as a substitute for the duration of continuing care with consideration of the Japanese legal system structures and socio-cultural context. Older age, lower number of previous prison sentences, shorter imprisonment, longer parole, and index of higher motivation were significantly and negatively associated with drug-related recidivism. The results indicate the benefit of continuing care and motivation on treatment outcomes, regardless of the differences in socio-cultural context and criminal justice system.

Terror and Crime: Anatomy of an Austrian Jihadist Prison Cohort.

Between 2014 and 2018 there was an unprecedented wave of jihadist terrorist activity in Austria that was mostly related to the "Islamic state." Meanwhile, many individuals have been or are gradually being released from prison. While many were able to disengage, two prevented and sentenced foreign fighters planned attacks in Vienna, one of them succeeded. In order to better understand this type of perpetrator, files of a cohort of 56 convicted jihadist terrorist offenders were analyzed. Half of this cohort were foreign fighters or attempted to become foreign fighters, while others contributed for instance by spreading propaganda, recruiting and assuming leadership. Additionally, a focus group with probation officers and an interview were conducted. The results shed light on various sociodemographic variables showing that there was not one specific profile. Rather, the cohort appeared to be very diverse, being comprised of all genders, age groups and socioeconomic backgrounds. Furthermore, a considerable crime-terror nexus was found. Thirty percent of the cohort had had a criminal past before their engagement in violent extremism. A fifth of the cohort had a prison experience before the arrest for the terrorist offense. The criminal offenses of the cohort were typical for the general population of probation clients which backs the notion that many terrorist offenders belonged to the same population and had switched from "traditional" crime to terrorism.

Effective Probation Strategies to Respond to Signals of Poor Progress on Community Supervision

With over 4 million adults under community supervision and an average of 30% that do not fare well, an unanswered question is which strategies reduce the likelihood of technical, absconding, and new arrest violations during the early phase of supervision. Utilizing data on 32,335 moderate to high-supervised individuals on supervision in North Carolina, the study found that success during the first 6 months is due to probation officers’ use of incentives to promote positive behavior and swift community-based consequences to address negative behavior, prioritizing treatment services or cognitive programs, increasing monitoring requirements, and using skill-building worksheets to increase engagement and build rapport. Officer actions are more important than individual characteristics, and can promote success for those that are under the age of 31, have more complex needs, and are identified as at-risk for violating supervision. Future studies should explore these concepts more directly regarding their relationship with recidivism.

Corteva sentenced for criminal negligence after incident

A Corteva Agriscience subsidiary has pleaded guilty to criminal negligence, 8 years after an accidental chemical release killed four employees and injured several others at a now-defunct insecticide plant in La Porte, Texas. On April 24, a US district judge ordered the subsidiary, EIDP Inc., formerly E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company Inc., to pay a $12 million penalty and make a $4 million community service payment to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. EIDP must also serve 2 years of probation, during which time the company must provide the US Probation Office full access to all its operating locations. The accident, which occurred on Nov. 15, 2014, at what was then a DuPont facility, released nearly 11 metric tons of highly toxic methyl mercaptan after plant workers tried to clear a section of blocked piping. A US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board probe after the incident

Problematyka dozoru ochronnego nad warunkowo skazanymi w polskim prawie karnym

Problematyka dozoru ochronnego nad warunkowo skazanymi w polskim prawie karnym