Abstract

Justice-involved people have too often received the worst society has to offer. Many have grown up with street violence and underfunded schools. Additionally, a disproportionate number are dealing with poverty, homelessness, mental illness, and addiction (Hawks et al., 2020; Pager, 2007; Lutze, et al., 2014 Remster, 2021 ). However, instead of addressing underlying issues, we tend to brand people as "criminals," remove them from our communities, and restrict their ability to work or receive services (Mele & Miller, 2005; Pager, 2007). What has resulted from such practices is a persistent but troubling aspect of our legal system: Criminal justice involvement perpetuates criminal justice involvement. To overcome this dilemma and shift paradigms surrounding probation and parole, Georgia developed the Person-Centered Supervision (PCS) model for improving client services. PCS promotes success by recognizing people as unique individuals with distinct strengths, needs, and goals. In short, PCS is a paradigm for putting principles into practice.

Abstract

Home visits provide a space for officer–supervisee encounters. However, little is known about the dynamics of home visits and their association with supervision outcomes. This study examines the context, content, and role of home visits in parole. Home visits are described using systematic observation data of officer-initiated contacts (N = 383). The average visit included only those on parole, inside a single-family home, lasted 8 minutes, was conducive to discussions, and covered rules and needs topics. A separate agency records dataset (N = 26,878) was used to estimate Cox hazard models. Findings suggest that each visit is related to reduced risk of a new felony arrest or a revocation, controlling for criminogenic factors and supervision activities. Risk was further associated with a reduction if officers engaged in mixed-topic discussions (rules and needs). Home visits can enable officers to help people on parole successfully navigate the challenges of reentry.

Abstract

Although psychotherapy literature identifies the client–therapist relationship as a key factor contributing to client outcomes, few studies have examined whether relationship quality among corrections populations and supervising officers influences outcomes. This is surprising given that many criminal justice intervention models include quality of the client–practitioner relationship. Parolees enrolled in a six-site randomized clinical trial, where they were assigned to a parole officer–therapist– client collaborative intervention designed to improve relationship quality (n = 253) or supervision as usual (n = 227), were asked to rate relationship quality with their supervising officer. Results showed parolees assigned to the intervention endorsed significantly higher relationship ratings and demonstrated a lower violation rate than those assigned to the control group. Ratings of the parolee–parole officer relationship mediated the relationship between study condition and outcomes; better perceived relationship quality was associated with fewer drug use days and violations during the follow-up period, regardless of the study condition. Findings are discussed as they pertain to supervision relationships.