VOLUME 44, NUMBER 3 THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERIC AN PROBA TION AND P AROLE A SSOCIA TION WWW .APP A -NET .ORG TRANSFORMING JUVENILE PROBATION2 PERSPECTIVES VOLUME 44, NUMBER 3 The theme of this edition of Perspectives, “Transforming Probation,” is near and dear to my heart. From the time I began my career in the field of juvenile probation, I’ve always believed that I was an agent of change. At 35 years of age, I was considerably older than most of my co-workers, who were just out of college. I’d already been a police officer for about eight years and had owned my own business – so I figured I had a good idea for how to handle juvenile delinquents, as we called them back in the early 90s. I must have thought I could just wave my magic wand and get those “yutes” back on the right track. Was I ever wrong! I never felt so dejected in my life as when it seemed that, no matter what I did, I could not reach all the youth I supervised. Back in those days, my caseload was over 90, which was pretty much the average then, so we didn’t know any different. It seemed all I could do was triage those under my supervision. I was able to reach some, but not all. I mean, heck, I was a Little League All Star. Why couldn’t I make a positive change in everyone? The juvenile justice system in the State of Arizona underwent a major audit in 1994. The auditors reviewed everything we did and didn’t do with the youth involved in the court system. Two major findings came out of the study. First, it was pointed out that we were wasting too many resources on minimum risk children and, second, we were not involving the parents as much as we should. No sooner did we get this guidance than we were faced with proposed legislation in our state that basically said, “Do adult crime, do adult time.” This initiative was taken to the voters and, much to my surprise, passed overwhelmingly. Most of us in the field knew that the approach being mandated was not the answer to our systemic problem of dealing with youth. Well, time passed, and in subsequent years I’ve seen the pendulum of juvenile justice swing back and forth from one side to the other. Many changes have been introduced, and far too many have failed. It wasn’t until the late 90s, when I began attending APPA conferences, that I began to hear about evidence-based practices and other successful ways of dealing with our youth. Not too long after that I learned about the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the “Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative.” I must admit that I was initially a little resistant to the simple idea of “only detain the right juvenile for the right reason.” It sounded like a “soft” way to deal with youth. The more research I did though, the more I believed in that philosophy—and that philosophy is now a way of life here in Yuma, Arizona. We’ve also learned about Kids at Hope and its emphasis on looking at the positive in our juveniles, not just the negative. I’m extremely proud to have served in this profession for almost 30 years, but it’s especially pleasing to be a part of this exciting process of transforming probation. And although I’ve been speaking about the juvenile justice system, as that’s where my expertise lies, I certainly appreciate the positive transformations also occurring in adult probation. Let’s all continue to learn and make informed, positive choices. The excellent articles in this issue will certainly help in that endeavor. Tim Hardy President, APPA president’s message TIM HARDY PRESIDENT 4 PERSPECTIVES VOLUME 44, NUMBER 3 from the executive director As this issue of Perspectives is released, we have already made our way through months of pandemic life—and at the same time have encountered other serious challenges on both the environmental and social justice fronts. I think back to when I heard the earliest coronavirus stories and saw the first images from abroad. After that, it was simply a matter of weeks. The first cases on the coast were confirmed, infections spread, and then we abruptly entered a new world of shelter-at-home, social distancing, quarantines, hand sanitizers, and masks. It’s hard to believe how quickly we were jolted out of our routine patterns, both at work and in our lives in general. Experiencing the pandemic—and seeing the ways people have reacted to it—has been eye opening. In some ways what we took for granted is no more. It’s hard to avoid seeing parallels in other aspects of our lives. Indeed, I kept seeing such parallels while reading the excellent juvenile probation articles in this issue and pondering this important topic and its impact on the future. I think about the young people who become caught up in the juvenile justice system—and their family members as well—who may feel that things are moving too fast, that their lives are out of balance, and that normalcy and control are slipping away from them. I think about how, like dealing with COVID-19, improving our processes for dealing with juvenile offenders is a “long haul” endeavor that demands persistence, innovation, and group effort. I think about how the pandemic has highlighted the complexity of human behavior and the need to understand the interplay of culture and institutions in effecting change. And I think about how we develop tools to use in facing our challenges. Consider how the widespread efforts of medical professionals and researchers have allowed the understanding of this new virus to slowly advance. it is that knowledge that will help us prevail. Sometimes it may feel like an uphill battle, and answers do not come overnight, but progress is being made. Similarly, the dedicated efforts of those in our profession and researchers on juvenile justice— including those at the Annie E. Casey Foundation—have given us new tools. They have importunately worked to advance our understanding of juvenile behavior and different aspects of the juvenile justice system. Again, no overnight answers, but steps—or even leaps—in the right direction. I trust our readers will seriously consider the information being presented in these articles. Perhaps it will change perspectives. Perhaps it will offer ideas for how we can progress even further. I am continually amazed at the talent, creativity, and goodwill of those working in this profession and the potential for growth through research-based solutions. Stay safe and stay solution-oriented! VERONICA CUNNINGHAM APPA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 6 PERSPECTIVES VOLUME 44, NUMBER 3 editor’s notes The American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) has long embraced behavioral change science and posited that those working in community supervision—whether adult or juvenile—can improve public safety outcomes by using strategies based on that science. After all, we are “A Force for Positive Change!” Advances in behavioral change science pertaining to juvenile supervision have been an area of particular interest. As those challenged by individuals with lengthy criminal histories so often lament, “If we could get to them when they are kids, we could have a better chance at changing behavior.” Juvenile justice advocates recognize the value of early intervention and using effective approaches that are attuned to the unique aspects of youth. They champion practices that move these individuals out of the justice system. With this in mind, we are pleased to provide our readers with an issue of Perspectives dedicated to emerging issues in juvenile justice. More specifically, we will examine how our friends at the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF) have recently proposed strengthening juvenile justice strategies through AECF has contributed significantly to this Perspectives. To begin, AECF Program Associates Stephen Bishop and Opal West provide an overview of the initiative. The authors summarize AECF’s recent report laying out “sweeping changes and new and expanded priorities for juvenile probation.” The AECF’s impressive experience working alongside researchers, practitioners, and many others in the juvenile justice field enables it to clearly articulate the rationale for how this initiative can transform juvenile justice practices. AECF then provides an accompanying piece (“Do Familiar Reform Efforts Tackle the Fundamental Challenges Facing Juvenile Probation”) that distinguishes this newest approach from preceding approaches. Translating theory into practice is an essential component of developing our community supervision evidence base. Jeanne McPhee, Elizabeth Gale-Bentz, Amanda NeMoyer, Rena JASON STAUFFER ASSESSMENT AND CLASSIFICATION SERVICES SUPERVISOR, TREATMENT SERVICES DIVISION, BUREAU OF REENTRY COORDINATION, PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS KIMBERLY R. KRAS ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY7 AMERICAN PROBATION AND PAROLE ASSOCIATION editorial committee JASON STAUFFER Assessment and Classification Services Supervisor, Treatment Services Division, Bureau of Reentry Coordination Pennsylvania Department of Corrections 1920 Technology Parkway Mechanicsburg, PA 17050 Phone: (717) 361-4300 KIMBERLY R. KRAS, PH.D. San Diego State University Department of Criminal Justice School of Public Affairs 5500 Campanile Drive San Diego, CA 92182 Phone: (619) 594-1158 ARTHUR J. LURIGIO, PH.D. Dept. of Criminal Justice Loyola University of Chicago 820 N. Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60611 Phone: (312) 915-7564 SUSAN V. BURKE SUSAN BLACKBURN Juvenile Court Consultant PA Juvenile Court Judges Commission 1871 Old Main Drive Shippensburg, PA 17257-2299 Phone: (717) 277-1411 JASON DUDISH-POULSEN, PH.D. Executive Assistant to the Director Cook County Social Services Department 2650 South California, 9th Floor Chicago, IL 60612 Phone: (773) 674-6041 Kreimer and Naomi E. Goldstein provide us with our next article, “From Theory to Practice: Steps for Change in Juvenile Probation.” These authors lay out research on effective strategies for working with the developmental stages of adolescence and also provide us with steps that agencies should employ to make systemic changes consistent with the available research. A significant aspect of the AECF’s vision is the effective use of incentives with justice-involved juveniles. In “Incentives Inspire Positive Behavior Change in Youth on Probation,” the AECF provides an adaptation from its blog that showcases how a county juvenile probation department in Washington State successfully deployed “Opportunity-Based Probation.” This innovative program provides a series of progressive rewards for positive behavior that can ultimately culminate in earning one’s way off supervision. Finally, Stephen Bishop provides Perspectives readers with a very timely piece about changes resulting from two dominant topics of 2020: the COVID-19 pandemic and protests against racial injustice. In “Seizing the Moment for Fundamental Change: A Top 10 List,” Bishop makes the case that many changes in juvenile supervision resulting from current pandemic precautions—including having officers interact more with families of supervised youth who are sheltering at home as well as having officers choose options other than detention in response to probation violations—serendipitously fall right in line with AECF’s vision to transform juvenile probation. Moreover, the nationwide push to recognize and address racial and ethnic inequities provides an opportunity to face up to those issues in the community corrections field as well. AECF truly leads the way with foresight and vision that readily translate to the 2020’s seismic events. The importance of the juvenile justice system cannot be overstated. We applaud the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s efforts to “get it right.” We think that you will be equally enthused as you review this issue of Perspectives. 8 PERSPECTIVES VOLUME 44, NUMBER 3 instructions to authors 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 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. Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences American Correctional Association Association of Paroling Authorities International Association of Women Executives in Corrections AZ Chief Probation Officers Association AZ Probation Parole and Corrections Association Chief Probation Officers of CA Confederation of European Probation County Chief Adult Probation and Parole Officers Association of PA Crime Prevention Coalition of America / National Crime Prevention Council Dismas Charities, Inc. IJIS Institute IN Association of Community Correction Act Counties International Community Corrections Association Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision KS Association of Court Services Officers Middle Atlantic States Correctional Association MN Association of Community Corrections Act Counties MN Association of County Probation Officers MN Corrections Association National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies National Association of Probation Executives New England Council on Crime and Delinquency New York State Probation Officers Association New Zealand Association of Probation Officers NY State Council of Probation Administrators OH Chief Probation Officers Association OR Juvenile Dept. Directors’ Assn. PA Association of Probation, Parole and Corrections Probation and Community Corrections Officers Association Probation Association of New Jersey Probation Officers Association of Wielkopolska Probation Officers Professional Association of IN San Bernardino County Probation VA Community Criminal Justice Association VA Probation and Parole Association WV Association of Probation Officers appa affiliate members9 AMERICAN PROBATION AND PAROLE ASSOCIATION table of contents TRANSFORMING JUVENILE PROBATION: A VISION FOR GETTING IT RIGHT BY: STEVE BISHOP AND OPAL WEST FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE: STEPS FOR CHANGE IN JUVENILE PROBATION BY: JEANNE MCPHEE, ELIZABETH GALE-BENTZ, AMANDA NEMOYER, RENA KREIMER, NAOMI E. GOLDSTEIN INCENTIVES INSPIRE POSITIVE BEHAVIOR CHANGE IN YOUTH ON PROBATION BY: THE ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION. THIS ARTICLE IS ADAPTED FROM THE BLOG, INCENTIVES INSPIRE POSITIVE BEHAVIOR CHANGE IN YOUTH ON PROBATION, ON AECF.ORG. DO FAMILIAR REFORM EFFORTS TACKLE THE FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGES FACING JUVENILE PROBATION? BY: THE ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION. THIS ARTICLE IS ADAPTED FROM TRANSFORMING JUVENILE PROBATION: A VISION FOR GETTING IT RIGHT ON AECF.ORG. SEIZING THE MOMENT FOR FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE: A TOP 10 LIST BY: STEVE BISHOP 14 22 32 36 40 departments 10 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 12 APPA CORPORATE MEMBERS featuresNext >