VOLUME 47, NUMBER 2 THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERIC AN PROBA TION AND P AROLE A SSOCIA TION INNOVATIONS AND CHALLENGES IN COMMUNITY SUPERVISION: Exploring the Advancement of Technology in Probation and ParoleAMERICAN PROBATION AND PAROLE ASSOCIATION Feb 25 - 28, 2024 Hyatt Regency, Seattle, WA TRAINING INSTITUTE 2024 WINTER American Probation and Parole Association SAVE THE DATE3 AMERICAN PROBATION AND PAROLE ASSOCIATION Greetings to all as we advance toward the end of this (for many) hot, hot summer. APPA’s 48th Annual Training Institute is approaching, and the host city this year is the always exciting New York! In keeping with the technology theme of this Perspectives issue, you may participate either in person (August 27-30, 2023) or attend virtually (August 22-September 22, 2023)—an option that includes the ability to connect with other virtual attendees. All Events | 48th Annual Training Institute | August 27 - 30, 2023 When it comes to introducing new technologies in our field, I’ve observed over the years that some eagerly embrace what is newly possible, while others tend to be much more hesitant. Well, the articles in this edition won’t let us forget the importance of technology. Of course, in the case of remote reporting during the pandemic, we all had to plunge ahead. No one wants to revisit those circumstances, but the leap forward in use of remote reporting technologies has proved beneficial. I am happy to share my summary of some of the articles. In the first article, having technological tools available does not mean that planning can be neglected in adopting them for optimal use. Even a task that may seem simple or common sense can benefit from thoughtful analysis, as Dr. Samuel Scaggs, Pamela Lattimore, and Nicole Jasperson make abundantly clear in “Lessons Learned from the Design and Development of an Automated Appointment Reminder Tool for People on Probation.” Issues such as confidentiality and interagency communication must be addressed. Moreover, it is worth taking the time to determine the best wording of reminders and, as the article eloquently states, “the optimal cadence of notifications.” This article will prove invaluable to any agencies planning to initiate a similar automated reminder system. “Aspects of this Virtual Reporting: Reforming Probation for the Modern Age,” Drs. Isabel Perez-Morina and Jamie Newsome provide a useful discussion on this subject, including covering a case study in which a dedicated room/ virtual probation office was developed through a licensed Zoom account where clients could have private face-to-face interactions with their probation officers. Reading this article brings insight into the need for careful planning regarding issues such as tools, access, eligibility, and staff scheduling. Next, as described by Charise Hastings in “Simulations for Community Supervision: From Virtual Reality to Serious Games,” a considerable number of bright minds are working to make simulated environments more and more valuable by developing tools that promote the development of real-world skills via virtual practice. While correctional facilities have been taking more advantage of simulations than probation and parole offices, the article describes the learning and therapeutic benefits that such technology may bring to clients in the community supervision setting. Consider what an asset it would be, for example, to have simulation that helps clients hone job interview skills—increasing their interview readiness and decreasing interview anxiety. Sounds like a win-win to me. One of the points made in both the simulations and appointment reminder articles is that smartphones are widely used by those under community supervision--but not by all. This may sometimes be due to financial constraints, the same financial constraints that take center stage in the final article, “Financial Requirements within Diversionary Programs: Critical Issues and Innovative Strategies” by Drs. Clare Strange, Jordan Hyatt, Nathan Link, and Kathleen Powell. These researchers emphasize the need to understand how financial obligations imposed for those under supervision can mount up and scuttle their chances for successfully completing court-ordered mandates. The special case of fees needed to pay for substance abuse evaluations, treatment, and classes—payments presenting a “hidden burden” not always included in administrative court data—is carefully examined. These authors do much to elucidate this issue, but they also emphasize—as do all authors in this issue—that more research is needed. It is certainly true that, while we have made advances, more research is needed, and I want to thank all the authors in this issue for doing their part. Perspectives is just one way APPA proudly offers information about our field to external stakeholders both far and near. My sincere appreciation to the contributors, the editorial chairs and committee, and our sponsors for their contributions. Having recently concluded countless amazing PPPS Week celebrations, I want to again thank all community supervision employees for your yearlong commitment to this important work; and especially to our members for your support of our organization and for your enthusiasm to move the field forward. Everyone, let’s continue to read, learn, and work together. Every success! VERONICA CUNNINGHAM, M.S. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO executive director/ceo’s message4 PERSPECTIVESVOLUME 47, NUMBER 2 I am excited to have assumed the role as your president of APPA on July 1st of this year. I am fortunate to step into a position which has been filled by many leaders in the field, including our immediate past president, Dr. Brian Lovins. Dr. Lovins began his role as president at a time when we had made several changes to our board structure and there were many unknowns. With his leadership, we have worked through the challenges of operating in a new and different manner, and I believe we are in great shape to move forward and make this association stronger and larger than it has ever been. Thank you to Dr. Lovins for his leadership and vision during this critical time. The past several years have been filled with changes for both our association and the agencies we serve. As we have worked our way out of the pandemic, we have seen many new and innovative ways of doing business. Out of necessity, agencies were forced to find alternative methods of providing supervision which allowed for safety of officers and the clients they supervised, while continuing to meet minimum standards required to ensure community safety. I can still remember my own initial thoughts questioning how we could adequately accomplish this, but soon learned that supervision officers and clients were all quite adaptive, and willing and able to welcome change. Without missing a beat, agencies embraced technology as an alternative to in-person reporting requirements. Although we all had to spend a bit of time learning to utilize things like video chat, mobile supervision apps, and court hearings by Zoom, we learned together and found there were advantages for all, but specifically for our clients. Individuals with transportation issues, heath problems, or young children at home could report remotely. Those who were employed did not have to take an entire day off work for a quick check-in with an officer. Ideas for better ways to provide supervision which had been discussed for years were quickly put into action and many agencies have never looked back. This issue of Perspectives explores the use of technology within the field of community supervision, and I encourage you to read about many of the initiatives which started during the pandemic and have continued to allow for better use of time for both officers and clients. Rather than slipping back into our old ways of doing business, we must continue to push forward and embrace the advantages provided using technology. Many agencies are also beginning to look at the utilization of virtual reality as a tool for assisting clients with behavior change. While the use of technology should never replace the advantages of personal interaction with those under supervision, a multifaceted approach to developing supervision plans which are most beneficial to individual clients should help to improve outcomes. Finally, the issue looks at financial requirements for individuals participating in diversionary programs. The imposition of fines and fees connected to supervision has been a hot topic for years and it is time we seriously start to look at the impact they have on one’s ability to successfully exit the system. Coming from a department which was forced to rely heavily on the collection of fees to meet budget requirements, I know this is a difficult topic as leaders work to find solutions which are equitable for all. I am looking forward to the next two years as we continue our work to move the field in a forward direction. Our goal is to be the go-to association for those working in community supervision and I believe we are well positioned to accomplish this. We have a board of directors who are committed to our advancement and a wonderful staff who do the hard work of turning ideas into reality. I hope you will join me as we work together to bring community supervision into the spotlight. board president’s message SUSAN RICE BOARD PRESIDENT5 AMERICAN PROBATION AND PAROLE ASSOCIATION editor’s notes Technology is an essential tool in our fast-paced society. In fact, you may be reading this document on the latest smartphone or e-reader. The task of community supervision has been transformed by these advances, making the job more efficient, more effective, and, arguably, more innovative. This issue of Perspectives, curated by Dr. Jill Viglione (University of Central Florida), focuses on some advancements in technology used by community corrections professionals. These are innovations emerging from needs in our industry related to supporting client progress and improving job performance. The articles in this issue offer relevant insights for planning and implementation of these types of innovations that can also be generalized to other areas for testing. In the first article, “Lessons Learned from the Design and Development of an Automated Appointment Reminder Tool for People on Probation,” Dr. Samuel Scaggs, Dr. Pamela Lattimore, and Nicole Jasperson of the Research Triangle Institute provide a behind-the-scenes view of creating and implementing automated appointment reminder tools for people on probation in North Carolina who are receiving behavioral health treatment from a partnering service provider. The authors describe the process of determining what the reminder messages should contain, issues involved in working with HIPAA-protected information, technical aspects of deploying the reminder tool in routine practice, and assessing the effectiveness of the tool in helping people under community supervision meet their reporting requirements. Perhaps most instructive is the overview of the lessons learned during the project, as this information can be used by other agencies seeking to implement reminder technology. This is a first of its kind review of how a research-practitioner partnership took steps to develop these automated reminders, gleaning information from staff and clients on what works best. The next article reviews the onset and evolution of virtual reporting processes for people on community supervision, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In “Virtual Reporting: Reforming Probation for the Modern Age,” Dr. Isabella Perez-Morina and Dr. Jamie Newsome identify a set of key questions that should be asked when designing a plan for moving reporting from in-person to remote. In addition, the authors present a case study that illustrates how such practices were adopted in Miami-Dade County, Florida, where the pressure from the pandemic and resulting legislation became the driver for innovating remote reporting practices that could move probation into a more modern and virtual era. Virtual reality is another advance in technology that has found a place in the client services space. Author Charise Hastings’ “Simulations for Community Supervision: From Virtual Reality to Serious Games” discusses the increased use of simulations/ virtual reality to support training and preparation for the release of incarcerated individuals. Hastings describes various aspects of virtual reality technology in the correctional setting and how gamification (gameplay) of instructional programs can support reentry experiences. This article does an excellent job of describing how simulations have the potential to improve delivery of education, training, and therapy, with the prevalence of smartphones making this technology a more accessible and viable tool in the community supervision space, potentially allowing us to be more effective in delivering treatment and promoting engagement with probation activities. Finally, alternatives to traditional justice system punishment, like diversion programs, are an innovation whose time has come. However, the use of financial requirements has grown in the past few decades and their impacts have been increasingly studied. In “Financial Obligations, Diversionary Programs, and Community Supervision: Critical Issues and Innovative Strategies” by Drs. C. Clare Strange, Jordan Hyatt, Nathan Link, and Kathleen Powell, the authors describe how legal financial obligations proscribed in diversion programs may create additional challenges for people on community supervision. They offer a case example from the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program, Philadelphia’s version of a statewide diversion program where preliminary data show that these fees are a substantial barrier to enrollment and completion of diversion programs. The authors also provide policy solutions to address the financial barriers to successfully implementing punishment alternatives. In summary, this issue of Perspectives provides readers with insights into technological developments and innovations and their potential as tools for criminal justice professionals—tools that can help us interact more effectively with clients, that remove barriers between clients and needed services, and that do so much more. I am grateful to all the knowledgeable authors who’ve outlined the various benefits, the issues to be considered, and the planning and implementation steps necessary to adopt such innovations to avoid potential negative impacts and make them most useful to clients and staff. LILY GLEICHER SENIOR SUPERVISORY RESEARCH SCIENTIST THE BAIL PROJECT KIMBERLY R. KRAS ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY6 PERSPECTIVESVOLUME 47, NUMBER 2 Perspectives disseminates information to the American Probation and Parole Association’s members on relevant policy and program issues and provides updates on activities of the Association. The membership represents adult and juvenile probation, parole, and community corrections agencies throughout the United States and abroad. Articles submitted for publication are screened by an editorial committee and, on occasion, selected reviewers, to determine acceptability based on relevance to the field of criminal justice, clarity of presentation, or research methodology. Perspectives does not reflect unsupported personal opinions. Articles must be emailed to in accordance with the following deadlines: • Unless previously discussed with the editors, submissions should not exceed 12 typed pages, numbered consecutively, and double-spaced. All charts, graphs, tables, and photographs must be of reproduction quality. Optional titles may be submitted and selected after review with the editors. • All submissions must be in English and in American Psychological Association (APA) Style. • Authors should provide a one-paragraph biography, along with contact information. • Notes should be used only for clarification or substantive comments, and should appear at the end of the text. • References to source documents should appear in the body of the text with the author’s surname and the year of publication in parentheses, e.g., to (Mattson, 2015, p. 73). • Alphabetize each reference at the end of the text using the following format: • Mattson, B. (2015). Technology supports decision making in health and justice. Perspectives, 39(4), 70-79. • Hanser, R. D. (2014). Community corrections (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. While the editors of Perspectives reserve the right to suggest modifications to any contribution, all authors will be responsible for, and given credit for, final versions of articles selected for publication. Submissions will not be returned to contributors. instructions to authors Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Advocate Program, Inc American Correctional Association Association of Paroling Authorities International Association of Women’s Executives in Corrections Chief Probation Officers of CA Confederation of European Probation Correctional Leaders Association Dismas Charities, Inc. FL Association of Community Corrections Franklin County Municipal Court Hidalgo County CSCD IJIS Institute International Community Justice Association Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision MN Association of Community Corrections Act Counties MN Association of County Probation Officers National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies National Association of Probation Executives National Crime Prevention Council New England Council on Crime and Delinquency New York State Probation Officers Association New Zealand Association of Probation Officers OH Chief Probation Officers Association PA Association of Probation, Parole, and Corrections Pine County Probation Probation and Community Corrections Officers Association Probation Association of New Jersey Probation Officers Association of Wielkopolska Probation Officers Professional Association of IN Saratoga County Probation Department SC Probation and Parole Association VA Probation and Parole Association affiliate members7 AMERICAN PROBATION AND PAROLE ASSOCIATION SIMULATIONS FOR COMMUNITY SUPERVISION: FROM VIRTUAL REALITY TO SERIOUS GAMES BY BEATRIZ AMALFI WRONSKI, MS AND LORI BRUSMAN LOVINS, PHD 28 FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS WITHIN DIVERSIONARY PROGRAMS: CRITICAL ISSUES AND INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES BY DANA J. HUBBARD, PH.D. 38 corporate members 12 LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF AN AUTOMATED APPOINTMENT REMINDER TOOL FOR PEOPLE ON PROBATION BY SAMUEL J.A. SCAGGS, PAMELA K. LATTIMORE, NICOLE JASPERSON 20 VIRTUAL REPORTING: REFORMING PROBATION FOR THE MODERN AGE BY ROBERT J. CRAMER, PHD, LEWIS J. PEIPER, PHD, AND ANDRÉA R. KANIUKA, MA featuresPRODUCTION STAFF Veronica Cunningham Editor in Chief Kimberly Kras Perspectives Co-Editor Jason Stauffer Perspectives Co-Editor Travis Johnson Production Coordinator Cathryn Hahn Graphic Designer DIRECTORY APPA Main (859) 244-8204 Publication Orders (859) 244-8204 General Training Institute (859) 244-8236 Information Clearinghouse (859) 244-8204 Membership (859) 244-8212 Request for Training (859) 244-8236 Resource Expo (859) 244-8206 Advertising (859) 244-8206 Grants/TA (859) 244-8015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Brian Lovins President Susan Rice President-Elect Marcus Hodges Vice President Tom Gregory Treasurer Audrey Rigsbee Secretary Tim Hardy Immediate Past President Scott Taylor Second Past President Isabel Perez-Morina Affiliate Representative Tania Appling, Rep. Member At-Large Alyza Gonzalez Line Staff Representative Herb Sinkinson Region 1 Representative Corinne Brisco Region 2 Representative Dena Davis Region 3 Representative Gene Cotter Region 4 Representative LaTasha Jones Region 5 Representative Veronica Cunningham Executive Director/CEO Communications should be addressed to: American Probation and Parole Association c/o The Council of State Governments 1776 Avenue of the States, Lexington, KY, 40511 Fax: (859) 244-8001, Website: Perspectives is published four times annually by the American Probation and Parole Association through its secretariat office in Lexington, Kentucky. ISSN 0821-1507 Reprint permission. Direct requests for permission to use material published in Perspectives in writing to © 2023 The Council of State Governments CO-CHAIRS LILY GLEICHER Senior Supervisory Research Scientist The Bail Project PO Box 750 Venice, CA 90294 Phone: (312) 869 - 4806 lgleicher3@gmail.com KIMBERLY R. KRAS, PHD, San Diego State University Department of Criminal Justice School of Public Affairs 5500 Campanile Drive San Diego, CA 92182 Phone: (619) 594-1158 MEMBERS: Eileen Ahlin, PhD, Penn State Harrisburg Ansley Dille, Utah Administrative Office of the Courts Lauren Duhaime, Bureau of Justice Assistance/George Mason University Phillip Galli, University of Wisconsin-River Falls Lily Gleicher, PhD, Robina Institute/DePaul University Shelley Johnson, PhD, University of North Carolina Charlotte Jennifer Lanterman, PhD, University of Nevada Reno Sarah Manchak, PhD, University of Cincinnati Katie Meyer, CAIS/JAIS Program Manager Carrie Ross, Yavapai County Adult Probation David Sattler, Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts Reveka Shteynberg, PhD, California State University San Bernardino Renea Snyder, Public Health Advisor Mark Stodola, NHTSA Probation Fellow David Taylor, Montgomery County (OH) Probation Reyna Cartagena Vasquez, CSOSA Jill Viglione, PhD, University of Central Florida Melissa Waldock, Kansas Department of Corrections Susan Wright, Pennsylvania Counseling Services editorial board The American Probation and Parole Association is an affiliate of and receives its secretariat services from The Council of State Governments (CSG). CSG, the multibranch association of the states and U.S. territories, works with state leaders across the nation and through its regions to put the best ideas and solutions into practice.Corrisoft Susan Harrod, VP, Sales & Marketing 1648 McGrathiana Pkwy, Suite 225 Lexington, KY 40511 Phone: (217) 899.5323 Email: Corrections Software Solutions James Redus, President 316 North Lamar Street, Austin, TX 78703 Phone: (512) 347.1366 Fax: (512) 347.1310 Email: Fieldware Ken Tomlinson, Director Customer Engagement 13012 Harmony Parkway Westminster, CO 80234 ktomlinson@fieldware.com (312) 258-1000 FRSH Chris Heckler, President 5815 Walnut Hill Lane Dallas, TX 75230 chrisheckler@hotmail.com Geo Care Monica Hook, Marketing Communications Director 621 NW 53rd Street, Suite 700 Boca Raton, FL 33487 Phone: (800) 241.2911 x 1230 Email: Honest Jobs Melissa Dickerson PO Box 8942 Denver, CO 80201 Email: melissa@honestjobs.com https://www.honestjobs.com Indivior Scott Schoenborn 10710 Midlothian Lane, Suite 430 North Chesterfield, VA 23235 Phone: (804) 423-8919 Email: scott.schoenborn@indivior.com http://indivior.com Intoxalock Linda Vadel, Affiliate Marketing Coordinator 11035 Aurora Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50322 Phone: (515) 251.3747 Email: Journal Technologies Heidi Henry Senior Account Executive Abbott Vandi Sugumaran 3650 Westwind Boulevard Santa Rosa, CA 95403 https://www.abbott.com Allied Universal Electronic Monitoring Kerri Ryan 1838 Gunn Hwy. Odessa, FL 33556 https://www.aus.com American Community Corrections Institute Trevor Lloyd, President American Community Corrections Institute Phone: 435 767-9658 Acivilate Louise Wasilewski, CEO Acivilate, Inc. 75 5th Street NW, Suite 2310, Atlanta, GA 30308 Phone: 678.662.6465 Averhealth Justin Manni, Director of Business Development 2916 W. Marshall Street, Suite A Richmond, VA 23230 Phone: (848) 992.3650 Email: Axon Zach Austin, Director of Sales, Corrections 17800 North 85th Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85255 Primary: (917) 789-0916 Buddhi Kyle Chapin Director of Account Management Buddi US, LLC 1964 Bayshore Blvd., Suite B, Dunedin, FL 34698 Phone: (727) 560-8432 Care Guide Services 8281 Goodwood Blvd Baton Rouge, LA 70808 https://www.careguideservices.com The Change Companies Jesse Tillotson, National Director of Justice Services The Change Companies 5221 Sigstrom Dr, Carson City, NV 89706 Phone: (888)889-8866 CoreCivic Shannon Carst, Managing Director 5501 Virginia Way, Ste 110 Brentwood, TN 37027 Shannon.Carst@Corecivic.com (303) 842-8301 9 AMERICAN PROBATION AND PAROLE ASSOCIATION Corporations with an interest in the field of probation, parole, and community corrections are invited to become APPA corporate members. Corporate members receive benefits such as enhanced visibility among APPA’s international network of community corrections professionals, as well as shared information on the latest trends and issues that specifically affect community corrections. CORPORATE MEMBER corporate membersNext >