Probation and Pretrial Services - Annual Report 2009
Innovations in supervision include applying research-based techniques and interventions.
Research-Proven, Evidence-Based Supervision Techniques
The federal probation and pretrial services system strives to reduce recidivism through the use of supervision techniques that research has proven to work. These evidence-based supervision strategies include using statistical and clinical methods to identify which defendants and offenders are most likely to commit future crimes, and matching individuals with the services and interventions related to their risk and to which they are likely to respond.
The AO established the Research-to-Results (R2R) grant program in 2007 to assist districts with implementing evidence-based practices. During 2009, probation and pretrial services offices in 16 districts continued their partnership with the AO in this effort. The practices fell into four areas: cognitive behavioral techniques, motivational interviewing, risk assessment, and workforce development. In fiscal year 2010, the R2R funding will be extended to training for districts beyond the pilot.
In an effort to meet the core evidence-based goal of identifying which offenders are most likely to commit future crimes and targeting the correct set of services toward the higher-risk population, the federal probation system decided to address risk assessment. The system has been well served by a second-generation risk assessment tool for the past decade, but advances in the field of risk and needs assessment required a system-wide upgrade. During 2009, the AO developed a new, fourth-generation risk assessment tool that will be implemented in FY 2010. The tool will assist officers in establishing the level of supervision appropriate in a given case and will identify the specific areas in an offender’s life that require intervention. In addition to the post-conviction tool, a new actuarial assessment instrument for pretrial services will soon assist officers in making recommendations regarding which defendants should be released on bond. National implementation is underway and is scheduled for completion in the first half of FY 2010.
National Training Academy
Several years of experience with the National Training Academy have shown the benefits of centralized, consistent training for probation and pretrial services officers.
In fiscal year 2009, the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Training Academy conducted 33 classes and trained 704 officers. Since the January 2005 opening of the academy in Charleston, South Carolina a total of 1,216 new officers and 1,180 officers serving as firearms and safety instructors in their districts have been trained there. For the U.S. probation and pretrial services system, a centralized focus on training has enhanced uniformity and cohesiveness in policy and program implementation. Officers who have completed training at the academy overwhelmingly report that they are better prepared to perform their jobs.
The academy’s six-week new officer training program provides officers with in-depth training on the core responsibilities of pretrial services investigations, presentence reports, and various supervision responsibilities. The program offers specialized classes on mental health, sex offenders, domestic violence, location monitoring, officer ethics, and legal liability. The officers are also offered practical exercises in which they interact with role players in realistic settings. The new officers also are trained in defensive tactics, firearms, non-emergency driving, and other important areas.
Officers serving as firearms and safety instructors for their districts are certified in a two-week training program and receive re-certification in a one-week program. These programs are designed to provide firearms and safety instructors with the tools necessary to instruct staff on safety and defensive tactics and to provide firearms training in their respective districts.
Technology
With officers spending more time in the field, AO IT support has met the challenge by adapting case data and reporting applications to mobile devices.
The AO continued to work with the courts in developing technology that helps probation and pretrial services staff to complete their work better and quicker.
To reduce paperwork burdens on probation and pretrial services officers, the AO launched a pilot of the Electronic Reporting System (ERS). It uses self-help kiosks to collect routine administrative data from defendants so that officers can focus their personal interactions on more critical issues. Similarly, the Electronic Probation and Pretrial Services System (EPPS) was enhanced to allow case-related documents to be imaged and shared electronically, easing record-keeping and paper-filing requirements. With new “Cosign” software from the AO, officers can complete national forms and applications with digital signatures.
The AO’s Safety and Information Reporting System (SIRS) makes reporting of hazardous incidents and search and seizure data more uniform for officers. And, working with IT staff from three different clerks offices, the AO developed an automated system to inform probation officers of fine and restitution payments made by defendants to clerk’s offices across the country.
To see data in a more useful and graphic way, the AO upgraded the Probation Automated Case Tracking System (PACTS) to display address information via Google maps. The feature allows officers to determine the proximity of defendants’ homes to treatment centers and areas of known drug and gang activity. The Decision Support System (DSS) was also enhanced to display more operational data in dashboards and dynamic reports to help managers in probation and pretrial services offices with a variety of day-to-day and strategic decision making.
The AO continued to make officers more mobile and self sufficient. The AO designated the Blackberry as the standard smart-phone device and created mobile applications such as the Access to Law Enforcement Systems (ATLAS) so that officers can instantaneously conduct license plate checks and search the status of warrants and defendants’ criminal histories.
Program Reviews and Technical Assistance Visits
The AO conducted 22 program reviews in 19 districts in fiscal year 2009, representing 11 combined probation and pretrial services offices, eight probation offices, and three pretrial services offices. The reviews focused on the probation and pretrial services offices’ compliance with statutory requirements and Judicial Conference policies. In addition, the AO conducted more than 30 technical assistance and training visits related to various aspects of probation and pretrial services operations.