T his edition on partnerships is great. In the field of community corrections, collaborations are essential. I really enjoyed reading the articles and I’ve taken a stab at summarizing them, mainly for my future reference. First, Dr. Cassandra Atkin-Plunk emphasizes that those in the criminal justice field and academia who want to collaborate on research projects must take the correct steps in order to overcome barriers and build an effective and sustainable partnership.She presents useful strategies that include “engaging in action research” and ensuring that research outcomes are presented effectively to stakeholders and other audiences. Importantly, this article also brings up the importance of translating research findings into practice. This is edition on partnerships is great. In the field community corrections, collaborations are essential. I really enjoyed reading the articles and I’ve taken a stab at summarizing them, mainly for my future reference. The need to develop effective researcher-practitioner partnerships is also discussed by Dr. Robert Cramer, Dr. Lewis Peiper, and Andréa R. Kaniuka. Due to concern about the issue of self-directed violence (suicide and other self-injury) in the North Carolina Division of Prisons, a work group from the Division of Prisons collaborated with suicide prevention experts from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.This article explains the importance of finding a partner with the desired expertise, identifying shared values, and ensuring “buy-in” on the part of those working in the prison by including their input in project planning.Importantly, the authors emphasize that translating science into practice does not happen overnight. That point about allowing enough time to see results is at the heart of the article by Dr. Alexandra Walker and Johanna Leal.They explain how failure to understand this need can cause legislatively mandated “reforms” to criminal justice programs to go off the rails. Many promising new policies fall short due to faulty implementation. Indeed, implementation science has shown time and again that simply having the desire and a rudimentary strategy is not enough.Effective implementation also requires personnel, training, research, persistence and—crucially important—adequate funding and time.It is counterproductive to abandon initiatives that are still in the baby-step stage in order to plow ahead with something new due to a premature and possibly erroneous conclusion that previous efforts didn’t work.This all-too- common pattern has a deleterious effect on organizational morale, stakeholder engagement, and ultimate outcomes. Build tracks and stay on them! Finally, we present two articles that discuss quite different needs in the criminal justice field-- providing substance abuse treatment and increasing family contact for those who are incarcerated.Both include an overview of the issue and discuss promising solutions. At the same time, they both point to the need for additional research. Dr. Dana Hubbard addresses the important issue of obtaining effective community services for probationers and parolees who need to achieve and maintain abstinence.In particular, he discusses the nature of AA programs and how effective they can be. He emphasizes that research on such programs has shown positive outcomes and that AA programs often include many of the important components for promoting behavioral and cognitive change that are described in “what works” literature. The article concludes that AA deserves a second look by both community supervision professionals and researchers rather than being prematurely discounted by those who do not necessarily understand what is happening in meetings. Beatriz Wronski and Dr. Lori Lovins present the results of a study examining whether use of video visits increases the quantity and quality of family contact for women confined in a correctional facility.They make the case that opportunities for interaction with family members are often much too limited for those who are incarcerated, especially for women. They describe the benefits augmented video visitations had on study participants, such as sustaining them and helping to prepare for successful reentry, and they also present the necessary implementation steps--a roadmap, as it were— to aid any agencies opting to start a similar program.The article notes that more research in this area is needed, especially research that includes the capacity to assess long-term post-release impact. As always, I am impressed by the quality of these articles and appreciative of the work of all these researchers for the value added to the field. H appy New Year! The new year always brings with it a time to reflect over the past year’s events while looking forward to the opportunities a new year brings us all. The past year has been tough for many of us. We have lived through the lingering issues with a national pandemic. We felt the effects of the great resignation, with many departments having a difficult time filling positions that were frozen during COVID. We exposed ourselves to the brutal honesty that the system we work in has systemic inequities and disparate outcomes for brown and black folks. We started taking a hard look at some of the core underpinnings of the way our system operates including drug testing, conditions of supervision, and fees/ fines. All while continuing to help people on supervision find pathways forward. This work is difficult. I am reminded every day that systems were built for status quo—ensuring that the equilibrium is maintained regardless of who comes in or out of the system. But as the people who make up the system, we have the power to change the system. It just takes momentum. It takes perseverance. It takes grit. Grit. Coined by Angela Duckworth, grit is the human resolve to continue working hard at something, even in the face of adversity. As Dr. Duckworth discusses grit, it becomes obvious that our society is often focused more on “natural talent” than we are on hard work and development. To understand this in corrections, we don’t have to look any further than how the conditions of supervision are designed in many jurisdictions. We often take people who are identified as moderate to high risk and give them a list of conditions that they must follow right away or face the risk of revocation. We put people on supervision with serious substance use issues and then immediately test them for drugs and issue a sanction often before we have even built rapport. We put people who have extensive barriers to obtaining employment and tell them they need to have a job right away and if not, they once again are in violation of their conditions of supervision. If we take the time to reflect on our work, we will see that much of our system is designed for natural talent, or what we sometimes call self- correction, then it is on hard work and determination. Even as employees, we are often expected to know what we are doing before we are trained. We are hired and given a caseload within 30 days. We are promoted and given a team of staff to support and supervise without any training. We are expected to know the answers and not make mistakes. Many of us coming to work every day, hoping that today is not the day that someone on our caseload does something that hits the front page of the paper. As we reflect on the previous year and plan for the next, I challenge us to remember that life takes grit, hard work, and determination. Very few of us just show up and everything falls in place. This includes those that work in the system as well as those that move through the system. These days I find myself giving grace more than ever before. Recognizing that people are trying to do their best and that sometimes the conditions in which we make decisions impact the decisions we make, more than bad intentions. So, as we move forward this year, let’s try to remember to give ourselves and others grace. Let’s focus a little less on getting things perfect and a little more on learning, growing, and developing great skills. Let’s focus a little more on grit.I nformation produced from localized evaluations in community corrections agencies is central to employing evidence-based practices. Many corrections agencies have the capacity to develop robust research evidence for their program implementation, but many others require the support of external research partners. This researcher-practitioner partnership becomes the inextricable link to understanding successful implementation of practices and identifying the gaps in adoption, adaptation, and fidelity. In this issue of Perspectives, curated by committee member Dr. Eileen Ahlin (Penn State Harrisburg), we highlight the important work of these researcher- practitioner partners in community corrections settings. Across these articles readers will get a behind the scenes view of how these relationships form and work to create a better understanding of research in practice. First, Dr. Cassandra Atkin-Plunk provides a glimpse into the development of relationships with research partners from an academic’s perspectives, and the vital responsibility of sustaining the relationship, with special attention to conducting action research and translational outputs for practitioner and public audiences. Next, Drs. Robert Cramer, Lewis Peiper, and Andréa Kaniuka, offer direct insight into the results of a researcher-practitioner partnership attending to issues of properly training staff to address self-directed violence inside prison. In particular, the workgroup formed by the North Carolina DOC partnered with the authors to develop a tool for staff that combined the academic expertise of the researchers in the area of self-directed violence and the expertise of corrections staff about the realities of the environment and population. Together, they produced and tested the use of the rating tool, training, and other efforts to assist staff in suicide prevention. Drs. Beatriz Wronsk and Lori Brusman Lovins examine the result of a collaborative project related to video visitation for incarcerated women. Their article reveals the process by which they engaged with a corrections organization to design, resource, implement, and evaluate electronic alternatives to visitation. This became an essential project during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the authors give insight to lessons learned from this experience. Next, Dr. Dana Hubbard reviews the corrections literature around Alcoholics Anonymous to offer a counter-perspective to critiques that AA is not evidence- based. Specifically, Dr. Hubbard offers that a robust body of qualitative research supporting the impacts of AA on maintaining sobriety and challenges readers to consider the role of lived experience in our understanding of what constitutes evidence. Finally, Alexandra Walker and Johanna Leal discuss how effective implementation is the missing link in actualizing meaningful and important change in pursuit of social justice. In their article, the authors explain that it’s not just what practices we do, but how we do them, that matters in the effort to be evidence-based organizations. To bolster this assertion, Walker and Leal present analysis of nearly 200 legislative bills, identifying that while legislation aims to account for aspects of implementation, it often has unrealistic expectation of the timing and process by which such provisions should be accomplished. The authors highlight tools to attend to this, but most important is using an implementation science lens. This issue of Perspectives offers an array of real-life experiences and insights into the work of bringing correctional interventions to life—especially in how practitioners and researchers can combine their respective expertise into meaningful change for the systems and populations we serve.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 perspectives@csg.org 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. affiliate members Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences American Correctional Association Association of Paroling Authorities International Association of Women’s Executives in Corrections AZ Chief Probation Officers Association Chief Probation Officers of CA Confederation of European Probation Correctional Leaders Association Dismas Charities, Inc. FL Association of Community Corrections 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 NY State Council on Probation Administrators OH Chief Probation Officers Association 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 SC Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services SC Probation and Parole Association VA Probation and Parole Associationures 8 PRODUCTION STAFF 9 APPA CORPORATE MEMBERS corporate membersVeronica CunninghamEditor in Chief Kimberly KrasPerspectives Co-Editor Jason StaufferPerspectives Co-Editor Travis JohnsonProduction Coordinator Cathryn HahnDesktop Publisher 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 Br ian Lovins Susan Rice Marcus Hodges Tom Gregory Audrey Rigsbee Tim Hardy Scott Taylor Isabel Perez-Morina Tania Appling Alyza Gonzalez Herb Sinkinson Corinne Briscoe Dena Davis Gene Cotter LaTasha Jones Veronica Cunningham Pr esident President-Elect Vice President Treasurer Secretary Immediate Past President Second Past President Affiliate Representative MemberAt-Large Rep Line Staff Representative Region 1 Representative Region 2 Representative Region 3 Representative Region 4 Representative Region 5 Representative 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, E-mail: appa@csg.org Website: www.appa-net.org 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 perspectives@csg.org. © 2023 The Council of State Governments 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 jastauffer@pa.gov San Diego State University Department of Criminal Justice School of Public Affairs 5500 Campanile Drive San Diego, CA 92182 Phone: (619) 594-1158 kkras@sdsu.edu 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 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 Corrisoft 1648 McGrathiana Pkwy, Suite 225 Lexington, KY 40511 Phone: (217) 899.5323 https://corrisoft.com/ Corrections Software Solutions James Redus, President 316 North Lamar Street, Austin, TX 78703 Phone: (512)347.1366 Fax: (512) 347.1310 https://www.correctionssoftware.com Geo Care Monica Hook, Marketing Communications Director 621 NW 53rd Street, Suite 700 Boca Raton, FL 33487 Phone: (800) 241.2911 x 1230 https://www.geogroup.com Honest Jobs Melissa Dickerson PO Box 8942 Denver, CO 80201 https://www.honestjobs.com Indivior Scott Schoenborn 10710 Midlothian Lane Suite 430 North Chesterfield, VA 23235 Phone: (804) 423-8919 http://indivior.com Intoxalock Linda Vadel, Affiliate Marketing Coordinator 11035 Aurora Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50322 Phone: (515) 251.3747 Website: https://www.intoxalock.com Journal Technologies Heidi Henry Senior Account Executive 915 E 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 https://journaltech.com/ Micro Distributing Roy G. Whiteside, Jr., Vice President PO Box 1753, 620 Kennedy Court Belton, TX 76513 Primary: (254) 939-8923 https://www.micro-distributing.com 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 https://www.accilifeskills.com Acivilate Louise Wasilewski, CEO Acivilate, Inc. 75 5th Street NW, Suite 2310, Atlanta, GA 30308 Phone: 678.662.6465 https://www.acivilate.com averhealth Justin Manni, Director of Business Development 2916 W. Marshall Street, Suite A Richmond, VA 23230 Phone: (848) 992.3650 https://www.averhealth.com Axon Zach Austin, Director of Sales, Corrections 17800 North 85th Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85255 Primary: (917)789-0916 https://www.axon.com/industries/corrections buddi Kyle Chapin Director of Account Management 1964 Bayshore Blvd., Suite B, Dunedin, FL 34698 Phone: (727) 560-8432 https://buddi.us/ Care Guide Services 281 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 Website: https://www.changecompanies.net 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 MEMBERNext >