< Previous10 PERSPECTIVES VOLUME 44, NUMBER 3 We seek to create a system of community justice where: A full range of sanctions and services provides public safety by insuring humane, effective and individualized sentences for offenders and support and protection for victims; Primary prevention initiatives are cultivated through our leadership and guidance; Our communities are empowered to own and participate in solutions; Results are measured and direct our service delivery; Dignity and respect describe how each person is treated; Staff are empowered and supported in an environment of honesty, inclusion and respect for differences; and Partnerships with stakeholders lead to shared ownership of our vision. 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. BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Tim D. Hardy President Brian Lovins President-Elect Susan Rice Vice President Tom Gregory Treasurer Joseph Russo Secretary Gene Cotter At-Large Member Alisha James At-Large Member Francine Perretta At-Large Member Erika Preuitt Immediate Past-President Veronica Ballard Cunningham Executive Director PRODUCTION STAFF Veronica Cunningham Editor in Chief Kimberly Kras Perspectives Co-Editor Jason Stauffer Perspectives Co-Editor Nathan Lowe Production Coordinator Julie Pelstring Designer Aaron Burch Copy Editor SERVICES DIRECTORY General (859) 244-8000 Publication Orders (859) 244-8204 General Training Institute (859) 244-8204 Information Clearinghouse (859) 244-8204 Membership (859) 244-8212 Request for Training (859) 244-8057 Resource Expo (859) 244-8206 Advertising (859) 244-8212 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, 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 © 2020 The Council of State Governments12 PERSPECTIVES VOLUME 44, NUMBER 3 Intoxalock Linda Vadel Affiliate Marketing Coordinator 11035 Aurora Avenue Des Moines, IA 50322 Phone: (515) 251.3747 Journal Technologies Derek Harris Sales and Marketing Manager 843 South 100 West Logan, UT 84321 Phone: (435) 713.2100 LifeSafer Pete Andrews National Director of Business Development 215 Southport Drive, Suite 400 Morrisville, NC 27560 Phone: (919) 280.6846 National Curriculum and Training Institute Gary Bushkin President 319 East McDowell Road, Suite 200 Phoenix, AZ 85004-1534 Phone: (602) 252.3100 Micro Distributing Roy G. Whiteside, Jr. Vice President Micro Distributing II, Ltd. PO Box 1753 620 Kennedy Court Belton, TX 76513 Primary: (254) 939-8923 Office: (254) 939-5867 Noble Software Diana Norris President 1320 Yuba Street, Suite 212 Redding, CA 96001 Phone: (979) 248.6568 Omnilink Thomas McKay Senior Marketing Manager Omnilink 400 Interstate North Pkwy Suite 900 Atlanta, GA 30339 Phone: (877) 687-7795 Attenti Kerri Ryan Director of Marketing and Business Development 1838 Gunn Highway Odessa, FL 33556 Phone: (813) 749.5454 x 1275 Email: averhealth Justin Manni Director of Business Development 1700 Bayberry Court, Suite 105 Richmond, VA 23226 Phone: (848) 992.3650 Email: Cordico Brady Pilster Director of Business Development 2377 Gold Meadow Way, Suite 100 Gold River, CA 95670 Phone: (844) 267-3426 Corrisoft Susan Harrod VP, Sales & Marketing Corrisoft 1648 McGrathiana Pkwy, Suite 225 Lexington, KY 40511 Phone: (217) 899.5323 Corrections Software Solutions James Redus President 316 North Lamar Street Austin, TX 78703 Phone: (512) 347.1366 Fax: (512) 347.1310 Email: Equivant Caryn Shaw 1764 Forest Ridge Drive Suite A Traverse City, MI 49686 Phone: (330) 470-0618 Fax: (330) 494-2483 Email: Geo Care Monica Hook Marketing Communications Director 621 NW 53rd Street, Suite 700 Boca Raton, FL 33487 Phone: (800) 241.2911 x 1230 Email: 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. APPA CORPORATE MEMBERS13 AMERICAN PROBATION AND PAROLE ASSOCIATION APPA ASSOCIATE MEMBERS AdventFS Daniel Flick Sales Manager 2927 Ring Road Elizabethtown, KY, 42701 Phone: (270) 209.0422 Buddi Limited Steve Chapin Chief Location Luminary 2710 Alt 19 North Palm Harbor, FL 34683 Phone: (727) 560.8432 Precision Kiosk Technologies David Kreitzer General Manager 2855 Country Drive, Suite 100 Little Canada, MN 55117 Phone: (651) 383.1213 Promise Diana Frappier Chief Legal Officer 436 14th Street, Ste 920 Oakland, CA 94612 Phone: (415) 305.4560 Email: diana@joinpromise Reconnect, Inc Sam Hotchkiss Founder & CEO 1 Faraday Drive Cumberland, Maine 04021 Email: Web: SCRAM Systems Jennifer Mill Marketing Manager 1241 West Mineral Avenue Littleton, CO 80120 Phone: (303) 785.7828 Email: Securus Technologies Jose Andrade Vice President, Sales 14651 Dallas Parkway, Suite 600 Dallas, TX 75254 Phone: (800) 844.6591 Email: Shadowtrack Robert L. Magaletta ShadowTrack Technologies, Inc. Cypress Bend Office Building 1001 Ochsner Blvd., Ste. 425A Covington, LA 70433 Office: (985) 867.3771 Ext 120 Smart Start, Inc. Michelle H. Whitaker Conference and Promotions Coordinator 500 East Dallas Road Grapevine, TX 76051 Phone: (919) 604.2513 Email: The Change Companies Jesse Tillotson National Director of Justice Services 5221 Sigstrom Drive Carson City, NV 89706 Phone: (888) 889.8866 Email: Track Group Matthew Swando VP of Sales and Marketing 1215 North Lakeview Court Romeoville, IL 60446 Phone: (877) 260.2010 Email: TRACKtech Ben Williams Vice President - Business Development 6295 Greenwood Plaza Blvd, Suite 100 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Phone: (303) 834-7519 Email: Website Tyler Technologies Larry Stanton Director of Sales - Courts & Justice 5101 Tennyson Parkway Plano, TX 75024 Phone: (904) 654.3741 Email: Vant4ge Sean Hosman National Sales Leader – Public Sector Vant4ge P.O. Box 802 Salt Lake City, UT 84110 Phone: (877) 744-136014 PERSPECTIVES VOLUME 44, NUMBER 3 Transforming Juvenile ProbationTransforming Juvenile Probation TRANSFORMING JUVENILE PROBATION: A VISION FOR GETTING IT RIGHT BY: STEVE BISHOP AND OPAL WEST15 AMERICAN PROBATION AND PAROLE ASSOCIATION Transforming Juvenile ProbationTransforming Juvenile Probation Juvenile probation, much like adult probation, has seen significant changes and advances over the last 20 years. The implementation of evidence-based practices has brought an increased level of professionalism to the field as well as an increased understanding of the causes of juvenile delinquency. Why Transform Juvenile Probation? Despite these advances, and despite the dedication and admirable intentions of probation professionals, data reveals that young people continue to be pulled deeper than necessary into the juvenile justice system. Moreover, racial and ethnic disparities have increased over this period of time (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention [OJJDP], 2019) (figure 1). Based on the widespread adoption of evidence-based practices and structured decision- making tools, it would appear that juvenile justice practice which has generally heeded research with a focus on surveillance and compliance is ineffective for reversing delinquent behavior in adolescents (Lipsey, Howell, Kelly, Chapman, & Carver, 2010). However, research suggests that practitioners have not fully embraced, or at least have not implemented, the kinds of developmentally appropriate support and guidance that put youth on the right path and reduce the likelihood of reoffending (OJJDP, 2018). Getting probation right means transforming probation into a focused intervention that promotes personal growth, positive behavior change, and long-term success for those young people who pose significant risks for serious offending. Getting probation right means embracing 16 PERSPECTIVES VOLUME 44, NUMBER 3 Transforming Juvenile ProbationTransforming Juvenile Probation families and community organizations as partners, promoting equity, and motivating youth primarily through incentives and opportunities to explore their interests and develop skills. And, getting probation right is especially important in view of the large number of lives affected. Scope of Probation The latest data indicate that over 260,000 youth were given some form of probation in 2018, making probation the most common disposition in juvenile justice (OJJDP, 2020a). Moreover, almost half of the youth on these juvenile probation caseloads were never found delinquent in court or had only committed status offenses. Unlike adult probation, most youth who break the law will have some contact with a probation officer regardless of whether the charges against them have been formally adjudicated. Juvenile probation officers in most jurisdictions across the country provide intake services, often acting as gatekeepers and making critical recommendations about which youth get diverted from court and what disposition they receive. But it does not have to be that way. An Enormous Opportunity In view of the significant footprint of juvenile probation, transforming it presents an enormous opportunity to improve the entire juvenile justice system. Given both the considerable amount of available research regarding adolescent behavior and brain development and the increasing evidence about the types of intervention that consistently reduce delinquency, the knowledge now exists to get juvenile probation right. The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s report, Transforming Juvenile Probation: A Vision for Getting it Right (2018), lays out sweeping changes and new and expanded priorities for juvenile probation. Based on more than 25 years of experience with the JDAI® (Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative) and years of studying probation with researchers, practitioners, youth, families, and pilot probation-transformation sites, the paper describes the evidence and rationale behind: 1. reducing probation caseloads by diverting a greater share of cases from formal court processing; and 2. refashioning probation into an effective intervention for the much smaller group of young people who will remain Getting probation right means transforming probation into a focused intervention that promotes personal growth, positive behavior change, and long-term success17 AMERICAN PROBATION AND PAROLE ASSOCIATION Transforming Juvenile ProbationTransforming Juvenile Probation on supervision caseloads, which should be limited to youth who have engaged in serious or repeat offending. Steps for Reinventing Probation to Advance Youth Success • Clarify probation’s mission. Probation suffers from a lack of clarity about its mission and goals. Is it compliance, rehabilitation, or behavior change? The answer varies from state to state, and even officer to officer. Probation transformation cannot succeed until probation leaders, line staff, and key partners resolve to refashion probation into a targeted, purposeful, and developmentally appropriate intervention whose mission is to promote personal growth, behavior change, and long-term success of a specific target population: youth who pose a serious threat to community safety and require help to develop self-awareness and other critical life skills on the pathway to success in adulthood. • Divert far more youth from formal processing. Significantly more youth (upwards of 60% of juvenile cases) should be diverted from juvenile court, compared to the 43% of juvenile referrals nationwide that were diverted in 2018. Community organizations, human service agencies, and families, not the courts, should be responsible for responding to low-level offenses committed by young people, including behavior such as truancy, running away, and curfew violations—which are not crimes but are prohibited under the law because of a youth’s status as a minor. As the Council of State Governments’ Justice Center notes, “Juvenile justice systems can do more harm than good by actively intervening with youth who are at low risk of reoffending” (Siegle, Walsh, & Weber, 2014, p. 9). Under the current system, many youths placed on probation have limited or no previous court histories and pose little risk to public safety. That needs to change. • Replace standard conditions with individualized case planning. Juvenile courts should cease imposing numerous standardized conditions of probation. Instead, probation departments should work with youth and families to develop case plans that set realistic expectations and goals for young people’s progress. This would start with a case planning process that is individualized, strength-based, trauma- responsive, and inclusive, i.e., the product of an open, three-way discussion among youth, parents and family members, and the probation officer. • Emphasize rewards, not sanctions. For generations, juvenile probation has imposed long, standardized lists of probation rules and then threatened punishment (including incarceration) for youth who fail to comply. Research makes clear that this approach is fundamentally backwards: youth respond far better to rewards and incentives for positive behavior than to the threat of punishment for misbehavior. As explained by Naomi Goldstein (Drexel University psychologist and Director of the Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab) and a team of colleagues, “Incentives are an important component of behavioral management systems because they help youths learn and 18 PERSPECTIVES VOLUME 44, NUMBER 3 Transforming Juvenile ProbationTransforming Juvenile Probation implement new, desired behaviors. In contrast, although applying punishment often results in a reduction or suppression of certain conduct, this technique only inhibits undesired behaviors; it does not replace them with desired ones” (Goldstein, NeMoyer, Gale-Bentz, Levick, & Feierman, 2016, p. 820). The delivery of positive feedback to negative feedback in a 4:1 ratio appears most effective (Wodahl, Garland, Culhane, & McCarty,(2011), and support for this feedback ratio has been advocated by the Carey Guides (Carey Group Publishing, 2015, 2016) and organizations such as the Pennsylvania Council of Chief Juvenile Probation Officers (Graduated Response Workgroup of the Pennsylvania Council of Chief Juvenile Probation Officers, 2017). • Pursue racial and ethnic equity. Probation plays a significant role in perpetuating the vast overrepresentation of African American, Latino, and other youth of color in juvenile justice. Indeed, as shown in Figure 1, 64% of youth held in residential custody in 2017 for a technical violation—breaking probation rules—were youth of color (OJJDP, 2020b). Yet surveys find that few probation professionals regularly analyze data to determine where disparities are occurring. The Casey Foundation offers a 15-step checklist (see Figure 2) for juvenile probation agencies to improve equity and inclusion, with steps such as examining differential arrest and referral rates for various offenses (especially those such as resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, which involve considerable discretion) and measuring the relative effectiveness of service providers in working with youth of different races and ethnicities. As areas are identified, system stakeholders would follow up with strategies or practices to address issues and commit to monitoring and continuous improvement. • Offer more positive youth development opportunities. Young people build many of the skills they need to make better decisions and succeed as adults when they have opportunities to explore their interests and develop their talents. Probation transformation means helping young people grow through opportunities to build relationships with caring adults, participate in constructive recreational and educational activities, repair harm caused by their offense, and contribute in meaningful ways to their communities. • Establish stronger community partnerships. Young people need access to meaningful, positive youth development opportunities and especially to positive role models and organizations in their home communities. All communities, even if they have high rates of poverty and chronically low levels of resources, possess significant strengths and assets. These include a reservoir of caring adults with the capacity and will to nurture young people, adults such as coaches, employers, or credible messengers—i.e., specially trained adult mentors from the community who use their knowledge of community dynamics and resources to help young people manage everyday challenges. To better enable community-based organizations to provide therapeutic, skill-building, and 19 AMERICAN PROBATION AND PAROLE ASSOCIATION Transforming Juvenile ProbationTransforming Juvenile Probation other relevant programming to youth on probation, probation agencies or the courts should fund them appropriately. • Nurture stronger family partnerships. Parents and other family members are experts regarding their children and the most powerful long-term influences on them. Probation systems would be wise to welcome and support families as true partners, which comes from interacting and collaborating with them in ways the families find respectful and empowering. Juvenile court and probation can be intimidating and incomprehensible to families. Moreover, many families will initially be reluctant and ill-equipped to participate constructively in their children’s cases. Probation agencies have a duty to provide purposeful outreach, support, and encouragement so that families can become effective advocates for their children. When probation agencies establish family advisory councils or invite parents to participate on oversight committees and other work groups formed to guide probation policies and practices, they are building stronger family partnerships. In all these areas, glaring gaps persist between current practices in juvenile probation and the best available information about what works optimally with court-involved youth. We have the knowledge necessary to close these gaps. For the sake of our young people, it is time to get probation right. Bios Stephen Bishop is a senior associate with the Annie E. Casey Foundation and manages the Foundation’s efforts to transform juvenile probation nationally. Bishop started his career in juvenile justice as a juvenile probation officer and supervisor in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, followed by more than a decade at the Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission. He is past president of the Pennsylvania Association on Probation, Parole and Corrections. He can be reached at Opal West is a program associate with the Annie E. Casey Foundation who is dedicated to transforming juvenile probation nationally. West began her career as a juvenile probation and parole officer in Louisiana. Working for state government there, she led statewide expansion efforts for the JDAI® approach to building a better and more equitable youth justice system and served on a task force to develop standards of care for state-run secure facilities and local detention centers. She can be reached Next >