Travis County Impact Supervision Probation Practices That Work

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Travis County Impact Supervision Probation
Practices That Work

• Travis County Re-entry Conference January 2007
• Austin, Texas
• Dr. Geraldine Nagy
• Director, Travis County Adult Probation Department

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Challenge Facing Probation and Travis
Growing county population
Jail and prison overcrowding
Stiffer competition for resources to pay for
incarceration at state and local level
Demand for probation systems to become more
effective in reducing recidivism and divert
offenders from prison while protecting public
safety
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Developments in the Field
Evidence Based Practices (EBP) model as a
strategy to enhance the effectiveness of probation
EBP are practices in which there is general
evidence of effectiveness in reducing recidivism
Organizational practices
How can a locality implement EBP in a systematic
and cohesive way that maintains fidelity to the
model?
Diagnosis and supervision strategies
Program Accountability
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Goal of TCIS
Balances Risk-Control with Risk Reduction
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Travis County Impact Supervision(Evidence-Based
Practices)

• Related to Re-entry EBP impacts recidivism
  fewer arrests and fewer confinements in local
  jails and prisons. In this case, re-entry is
  no entry.
• Key parts
• Uses research to provide guidance.
• Involves methodical re-engineering of the
  organization to support implementation of EBP in
  all aspects operations.
• Two-year plan with JFI Dr. Tony Fabelo

The key is to use methods that have been proven
to work and thus the term Evidenced-Based
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Key Areas

• Effective assessment
• Management of populations according to their risk
  levels
• Use supervision methods that address those
  characteristics that place the offender at risk
  of re-offending
• Redesigning programs around cognitive
  interventions those shown to impact
  anti-social thinking, peers, impulsivity, etc.
• Use of incentives and sanctions
• Development of research, quality control
  mechanisms.
• Creating an organizational culture which can deal
  with long-term change and support a dramatic
  shift in mission.

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Assessment of the Department
By Dr. Tony Fabelo and his team at The JFA
Institute Fabelo is the former Executive
Director of the Criminal Justice Policy
Council The JFA Institute is a research policy
center dealing with crime and corrections in
Washington, DC
Travis department has qualified personnel, strong
processes, supportive judiciary and active
Community Justice Council to provide foundation
for EBP
Two year plan to accomplish this Travis Community
Impact Supervision Model
Department needs to improve assessment and field
supervision strategies, program monitoring, and
training, and needs to bring balance to a culture
in which process is main focus
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TCIS Model
Effective Assessments to Classify Population
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TCIS Offender Outcomes
Low Risk Offender
Social Problem Offender
High Risk Last Chance Offender
Diversion from the system
Reduction in recidivism
Compliance and revocation
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Diagnosis and Supervision
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Supervision Strategies
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What Have We Done

• Reduction of case-loads (2005 Leg. Session)
• Low-risk and high-risk caseloads (plus
  Specialized)
• Validation of assessment tools and creation of
  offender profile
• Design of Centralized Diagnostic Unit
• Training, and re-design of supervision practices
• Collaboration with all CJ stakeholders
• Enhancement of existing programs
• Re-evaluation of policy and removal of barriers
• Quality Control methods/reports

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Incubator Reports
All 8 are available at http//www.co.travis.tx.us
/community_supervision/TCIS_Initiative.asp
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Project Timeline
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Stronger Probation as the Goal
Stronger and More Effective Probation Department
to Manage Increasing Demands
Low Risk Offender
Social Problem Offender
High Risk Last Chance Offender
Diversion from the system
Reduction in recidivism
Compliance and revocation
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Thank You