Probation

1
Probation Parole
EAST Project Presentation

• Group Members
• Laura Wynn Meloni Carter
• Whit Sheppard Juan Martinez
• Stacy Rudd

2
EAST Project

• What is EAST Project and how are we
• involved?
• Environmental
• And
• Spatial
• Technologies
• EAST Project is commonly used by high school
  students, but was recently introduced to college
  students.

3
EAST Project

• We were given 1 semester (11 weeks) to complete
  our project.
• For several weeks, we had the opportunity to
  spend 1 class period dedicated to our project.
• Total hours spent on the project between all
  group members 100 hours

4
EAST Project

• The criteria for our project selection
• It must be relevant to the field of probation
  parole.
• It must serve a need in the community and be able
  to successfully meet that purpose.
• We had a general idea for our project, and once
  we talked with Mr. Russell, a more organized plan
  began to form.

5
EAST Project Relevant to Probation Parole

• Our project is an extension of Employment
• Resources group training program piloted by
• Steven Russell from the Washington County
• Probation/Parole Office.

6
EAST Project Relevant to Probation Parole

• Current program contains 8 modules that assists
  selected P P candidates in learning about
• Career planning
• Interests and skills
• Incorporating those interests and skills into a
  career
• Learning decision making skills
• Researching the needed education and training

7
EAST Project Relevant to Probation Parole

• Our group project was a Testing Module 9 in
  which we assisted in jumpstarting their careers
  by
• Utilizing the information and skills they learned
  in the previous modules and incorporating into a
  actual interview.
• Helping them Dress for Success
• Increasing employment opportunities
• Teaching them to make a good first impression

8
EAST Project Community Aspect

• We are assisting the community in many ways by
• Helping recently released felons become an
  independent, productive member of society.
• Teaching them not to rely on public assistance,
  but rather provide them with job opportunities.
• Giving them the opportunity to use the skills
  they learned in order to avoid becoming repeat
  offenders.

9
EAST Project Why we chose this project

• There are many repeat offenders, and we chose a
  program to assist in finding a solution to this
  problem.
• This project provides a positive reinforcement
• It serves as a need within the community
• Assists probation and parole officers to reduce
  their workload
• Assists offenders that may not know how to go
  through this process
• We are testing a key part of the Employment
  Resources Group Training program

10
EAST Project - Results

• Our first initiative was to work with Mr. Steven
  Russell to develop possible candidates for our
  program.
• We decided to call our program PP Staffing
  Services.
• Once we had viable candidates for the program, we
  gathered 8 basic interview questions that would
  be used during all telephone interviews.
• The candidates answers would then be entered into
  a Newsletter that would be sent to local
  organizations for recruiting use.

11
EAST Project Results Cont.

• We interviewed a total of 9 candidates.
• Our goal was to help those that were on
  probation, understand their qualifications and
  really think about what careers or jobs they
  would like to look into.
• Everyone was interviewed individually, via
  speaker phone.
• This process helped us understand that several
  people, although they may have been felons, were
  qualified for many jobs available in todays
  workforce.

12
EAST Project Results

• The technology used was different than what we
  originally had planned.
• We did not use a video camera for the interviews.
  We used a speaker phone and on two separate days
  interviewed a total of 9 individuals.
• We had limited camera use for pictures. Mr.
  Russell took the pictures of the candidates that
  we interviewed and e-mailed them to us. These
  pictures were used in the newsletter.

13
EAST Project - Results Continued.

• Through our initiative, Mr. Russell has partnered
  with Juan to create a web page. Although the web
  page is still in the infancy stage of
  development, the result with a valuable tool in
  which potential employers can access.

14
EAST Project Bottom Line

• As a group, we learned how to delegate projects
  and the to-dos for deadlines that had to be
  done.
• We learned the importance of communication with
  each other and in keeping the line of
  communication open among the group members.
• We learned the importance of being respectful and
  giving everyone another chance regardless of what
  mistakes they may have made.

15
EAST Project Bottom Line

• We learned how we can make a difference in
  peoples lives.
• We learned how working as a group can accomplish
  so much more than working individually.
• We learned how an idea can become a project and
  in turn can have the opportunity to change lives.
  

16
Community Contacts

• Steven Russell, Staff Development Specialist with
  Washington County Probation and Parole,
  Fayetteville, AR
• Jerry Rose, Program Coordinator for Criminal
  Justice, Northwest Arkansas Community College
• Dianne Phillips, EAST Project Facilitator,
  Northwest Arkansas Community College

17
Mr. Steven Russell
Staff Development Specialist with Washington
County Probation and Parole, Fayetteville, AR
18
What I learned from the EAST Project Laura Wynn

• I learned that school projects can really make a
  difference in the communities.
• I learned that for those people that do try, they
  just need to have a few doors opened for them.
• I learned that there are many people out there,
  such as Mr. Russell, that took time out of his
  busy schedule to listen to us and to hear our
  idea.
• This project helped me to open my mind about
  various opportunities within the probation and
  parole system.

19
What I learned from the EAST Project Juan
Martinez

• What I have learned about the project is that it
  makes me feel good to help others, especially
  those in need of a second chance. It also helps
  me to develop my skill in communications with
  others not only in our group but also in society.
  I learned that communication is the key to
  success, and that is what we did during this
  project, I am glad to be part of this EAST
  Project.

20
What I learned from the EAST Project Whit
Sheppard

• I feel that this EAST project has opened my eyes
  to what other people go through when they make a
  serious mistake. For us to help these people be
  able to get a job back is great. They have
  already proved to society that they are willing
  to change their old behaviors, so I feel that
  society owes it to them to give them a second
  chance.

21
What I learned from the EAST Project Meloni
Carter

• The EAST project led me to understand the plight
  of those who are on probation and parole. I never
  really placed myself in their shoes in order to
  see how hard it was to get back on your feet.
  Everything you need to do begins with getting a
  job. So many have self-esteem issues and are
  ashamed of the crime they committed whether it is
  from addiction or a bad choice in their life. The
  project itself has allowed me to delve into this
  issues and hopefully create an easier way for
  these people to gain employment and become an
  active member in their community and the lives of
  their families.
• This is so important to our community as it grows
  bigger, to lower the crime rate by hopefully
  lowering the amount of repeat offenders that we
  have involved in them.