Research Agenda

Our Research Agenda is the compass that guides our quest for knowledge and improvement in community supervision.

"Adhering to BEST practices while pursuing NEXT practices"

- DCS Commissioner Michael W. Nail

Regarding legal system issues, especially community supervision, we tend to focus on what’s easy to measure, such as success rates or population size. These metrics, however, have limited actionable information. For example, the overrepresentation of justice-involved people with mental illness—despite plenty of research showing mental illness as an unreliable predictor of criminal behavior—is a complicated paradox worthy of deeper examination. Rather than describe a problem, practitioners want to improve services.

Specifically for DCS, we want to sculpt a more humane and productive type of probation and parole. We routinely partner with the academic community to study the interplay between the legal system and the social contexts of people’s lives. Explore our Research Agenda to gain a deeper understanding of the questions we're asking, the solutions we're seeking, and the impact we aim to achieve.

DCS Research Agenda

Our Research Agenda is accessible for viewing and downloading as a PDF. Browse the agenda below, or click download pdf to save to your files.

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Four main elements of
Person-Centered Supervision

Delivering Quality Supervision Takes Time

Officer-Supervisee Relationships are Important for Outcomes

Allowing Feedback Promotes Fairness

Addressing Barriers is Critical to Success

The first element: Time

Delivering Quality Supervision Takes Time

Forecasting

With the nation’s highest caseloads, DCS must analyze statistical trends to determine where to focus its limited resources. Following the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) framework, the first step of productive supervision involves matching an individual’s intervention intensity with their likelihood of reoffending (i.e., the Risk principle). We are advancing knowledge in this area in several ways:

Integrated Dynamic Risk Assessment for Community Supervision (IDRACS)

With support from the National Institute of Justice, we are developing a new risk assessment instrument to predict the probability of felony or violent misdemeanor arrests for individuals on probation or parole. The IDRACS project has multiple objectives: (a) testing artificial intelligence/machine learning algorithms against traditional statistical models, (b) incorporating dynamic variables, (c) identifying protective factors, and (d) integrating uncertainty into predictions. In short, IDRACS will assess risk factors to inform real-time supervision strategies.

Research Partners:John Speir, Applied Research Services (ARS)Chris Inkpen, Research Triangle Institute (RTI)

Needs and Responsivity Assessment Component

In addition to risk, the RNR model emphasizes tailoring services to individuals’ criminogenic needs and their responsiveness to interventions. In this vein, the Needs and Responsivity Assessment Component will upgrade IDRACS in 2 ways: (1) systematically capture individuals' criminogenic and responsivity factors and (2) automatically generate suggested services and providers matching individuals' needs, risk levels, and responsivity factors.

Research Partner:Research Triangle Institute (RTI)

Strike a Balance

Regardless of academic findings or automated algorithms, the responsibility for implementing Person-Centered Supervision rests with officers. For instance, officers often exercise discretion when applying risk algorithms, but the impact of deviating from a risk tool needs to be clarified. Therefore, this project examines the interplay of officer risk-score overrides and recidivism.

Research Partner: James McCafferty, Kennesaw State University (KSU)

Human-Machine Synergy: Machine Learning Engagement and Nurturing Peer Mentorship for Dignified Recovery in Community Reintegration (MEND-R)

We are utilizing machine learning to predict substance use treatment outcomes in probation and parole. In addition, we analyze administrative data to examine the features that predict substance use treatment outcomes among Matrix and DRC participants. Substance use disorders among justice-involved individuals result in high rates of relapse, overdose, and incarceration. Yet, probation and parole programs lack structured tools to personalize interventions and address urgent unmet needs. This project develops and evaluates “MEND-R”, a novel decision support tool that integrates machine learning and peer mentorship to enhance treatment engagement in Georgia’s Day Reporting Centers. By complementing experience-based decision-making with data-driven strategies, MEND-R aims to optimize resource allocation, enhance treatment engagement, reduce relapse, and support long-term recovery for individuals at high risk of suspension or dropout from community supervision programs.

Research Partner:Frances Chen, Georgia State University (GSU)

2. Incentives

Reoffending is most likely during the first 10-18 months of supervision, and long supervision terms fail to deliver better results. Additionally, incentives are more effective than sanctions at improving outcomes. In fact, the most valued incentive among individuals is reduced supervision length. Two paths in which this occurs are Unsupervised Status and Early Termination.

Unsupervised Incentive: Receiving and Succeeding

Anyone who completes two years of probation without issue is eligible for the incentive of no longer reporting to an officer (i.e., Unsupervised Status). Nevertheless, we know little about who receives this incentive or the success rate among those who do. This study aims to fill that gap by investigating patterns for (a) placement on Unsupervised probation and (b) outcomes for those who are placed on Unsupervised probation.

Research Partner: Bill Sabol, Georgia State University (GSU)

Senate Bill 105 Evaluation

This project will evaluate Georgia's most recent probation reforms that aim to reduce the supervision population through early terminations. It examines three areas: (a) Implementation/Process, (b) Criminal Justice Outcomes, and (c) Organizational Impact.

Research Partner:Chris Inkpen, Research Triangle Institute (RTI)

The second element: Relationships

Officer-Supervisee Relationships are Important for Outcomes

3. The Role of Stress in Officer-Supervisee Relationships: A Biosocial Approach to Reducing Recidivism

The quality of officer-supervisee relationships heavily influences the success of interventions. As such, it is critical to understand the factors that hinder these relationships, and officer stress is a prime candidate. To this end, we are conducting a series of projects funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that examine the role of officer stress in building working alliances with supervisees and how these resulting relationships impact criminal justice outcomes. Two examples are:

Stress Profiles and Officers: Integrating Biological Measures

The limited research on stress among community supervision officers (CSOs) often relies on subjective reports and rarely incorporates biological measures. Subjective reports of stress are informative but can suffer from recall bias and social desirability, which do not always correlate with the output of the physiological mediators of stress. This study fills this gap by describing the daily cortisol profile of CSOs during their regular workdays. The findings will shed light on the utility of incorporating such biological measures into CSO stress research.

Research Partner:Frances Chen, Georgia State University (GSU)

Community Supervision and Officer Stress: The Role of Stress in Implementing Person-Centered Communication Skills

Despite expanding the knowledge base on “what works” in community supervision, we have only seen modest gains in criminal justice outcomes. Given that implementing new interventions is the responsibility of CSOs, a deeper understanding of the factors that influence their adoption of evidence-based practices is critical to the effectiveness of probation and parole. To this end, we assess whether increased stress among CSOs is associated with their likelihood of implementing the Enhanced Supervision Program (ESP), a research-informed initiative designed to improve officer-supervisee relationships.

Research Partner:Frances Chen, Georgia State University (GSU)

4. Jail Impact Study

Incarceration, even for short periods, interferes with employment, disrupts treatment, and isolates people from their support systems. Furthermore, a key ingredient in effective supervision services is a positive working relationship between officers and their clients; however, an overreliance on jails hinders the relationship-building process. For example, the Probation Options Management (POM) Act, an administrative process for officers to bypass courts and jails when resolving technical violations, is vastly underutilized across the state. Therefore, we are conducting a Jail Impact Study to inform strategies for reducing jail use without compromising public safety. We are in the first two stages of this research project.

Jail Sanctions

Assess the relationship between the use of jail sanctions and the likelihood of recidivism upon release.

Research Partners:Mathew Gayman, Georgia State University (GSU)Karen Nielsen, Georgia State University (GSU)

Household Member Incarceration

Examine the association between experiencing the incarceration of a household member during childhood and legal system involvement as an adult.

Research Partner:Eric Wright, Georgia State University (GSU)

5. PCS Assessment Tool

Community Supervision Officers (CSOs) are unreasonably expected to implement myriad evidence-based practices (EBPs) simultaneously. In effort to support EBPs as a means of promoting and enhancing better service delivery, DCS has implemented a Person-Centered Supervision Model, in which this approach organizes various EBPs (e.g., Risk-Need-Responsivity, Procedural Justice, Motivational Interviewing, etc.) into an easy-to-understand conceptual framework. In other words, PCS is our overarching strategy for putting principles into practice.

By focusing on the fidelity of EBP implementation, we can improve services and enhance public safety outcomes. However, currently, there are no studies that have holistically assessed the effectiveness of the PCS approach. Therefore, we partnered with UGA to evaluate the effectiveness and fidelity of the PCS model.

Research Partner:Orion Mowbray, University of Georgia (UGA)

The third element: Dialogue

Allowing Feedback Promotes Fairness

6. Joint Supervision

Where the risk principle tells us who to treat, the need principle tells us what to treat. Criminogenic needs are those factors in a person’s life directly related to recidivism. However, there is often a service gap for supervision agencies around two of the most prevalent criminogenic needs: antisocial associates and a lack of prosocial support.

Furthermore, an internal analysis revealed that people labeled with gang affiliation experience worse supervision outcomes than those without a gang label. For instance, only 9% of the DCS population is a known gang associate, but they comprise 18% of all revocations.

Therefore, DCS is seeking support to implement and evaluate a pilot project that establishes a joint mentor/officer caseload, focusing on providing strengths-based programming to gang-involved young adults. The objectives of this project are to reduce recidivism, increase prosocial support, and foster trusting relationships between officers and the individuals they supervise. The joint supervision model combines the skills of formerly incarcerated peer mentors with those of specially trained DCS officers.

Research Partners:Bill Sabol, Georgia State University (GSU)Julius Campbell, Offender Alumni AssociationGlobal Dialogues

7. Virtual Check-in Evaluation

This project examines the perceptions surrounding the use of virtual check-ins, the cost implications of conducting them, and their impact on maintaining fidelity to the principles of PCS. Additionally, there is a correlation between virtual check-ins and changes in rates of violent or felony arrests. It is crucial to understand the challenges and benefits of various communication methods between officers and clients.

This study examines the impact of virtual check-ins on community supervision outcomes in comparison to traditional in-person check-ins. Utilizing administrative data for individuals on probation and parole from 2017 to 2024, we examine supervision outcomes, including misdemeanor and felony rearrest rates, as well as employment status and transitions to contact or “call-in” supervision, at both the individual and judicial circuit levels.

This analysis also examines the prevalence of supervision conditions and technical violations to assess how these factors co-occur with virtual or in-person check-ins. Our mixed-methods approach also integrates longitudinal analyses with qualitative insights from focus groups and interviews. Combined, these insights will offer valuable recommendations for policymakers and practitioners on implementing and optimizing virtual supervision methods, potentially informing future strategies in community corrections nationwide.

Research Partner:Chris Inkpen, Research Triangle Institute (RTI)

The fourth element: Intersections

Addressing Barriers is Critical to Success

8. Mental Health

Facing complex challenges (e.g., homelessness, addiction, and victimization), individuals with mental illnesses experience increase odds of supervision failure,, such as rearrests and revocations. Unsurprisingly, assisting people with mental illness takes an emotional toll on officers, which affects their willingness or ability to deliver evidence-based supervision. Hence, we devote much attention to increasing our understanding of the intersection between community supervision and mental illness.

Adopting a Case Consultation Model to Enhance Mental Health Supervision

With support from the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program, we are conducting a multi-site pilot project to improve service delivery for people with mental health needs. This project will support officers through clinical case consultations that build their skills and knowledge to assist clients with mental illnesses.

Research Partner:Tonya Van Deinse, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)

Mental Health Special Conditions

In addition to matching risk level to supervision intensity and prioritizing the criminogenic needs that drive recidivism, the RNR framework calls for us to address individual characteristics that inhibit engagement in and adherence to supervision (i.e., the Responsivity principle). Yet, it is unclear how including a mental health condition as part of a person’s parole impacts their supervision experience. Therefore, we are assessing the relationships between mental health conditions, officer decisions, mental health engagement of supervisees, and criminal justice outcomes.

Research Partner:Michael Applegarth, University at Buffalo (UB)

9. Addiction

A disproportionate number of supervisees are dealing with substance use issues, which is one of the primary criminogenic needs directly related to recidivism. Thus, DCS offers a range of direct services to support individuals with addiction. Two of these services are Day Reporting Centers and the Matrix Recovery Program.

Day Reporting Center Program Assessment Tool (DRC-PAT)

Since 2002, DCS has provided evidence-based behavioral health services through DRCs, including community supervision, cognitive behavioral therapy (i.e., Moral Reconation Therapy), addiction treatment, and psychosocial interventions (e.g., GED, vocational training, and family reunification services). Given the scope of services provided, there was a need to assess the quality of DRCs to ensure that the programs’ implementation aligns with research. For this reason, we developed the DRC-PAT as a validated instrument for evaluating program quality across all DRCs.

Research Partner:Orion Mowbray, University of Georgia (UGA)

10. The Community Supervision Experience of Veterans

While it is estimated that approximately 107,400 veterans are incarcerated in either state or federal prison. To date, there is no comparable data for community supervision populations. Individuals who are identified as veterans may require different needs and services to be successful under supervision compared to civilians or non-veterans serving time under community supervision.

As a result, we are partnering with Veterans Affairs to conduct a first-of-its-kind study on the intersection of armed service experience and community supervision. This project uses the Veteran Re-entry Search Service (VRSS) to identify and analyze individuals eligible for veteran services and to gain insights into the veteran supervision experience.

A manual comparison of DCS self-report data and VRSS data revealed a 75% difference between those who self-report as veterans and those identified by VRSS as potentially eligible for VA services. Thus, it is important to consider supervisees who are labeled as veterans to better understand and examine their experiences with community supervision.

As a result, this research focuses on the following: 1) What is the proportion of Veterans under community supervision in Georgia?; 2) Of Veterans under community supervision, how many have contact with the Veterans Justice Programs? ; 3) Of Veterans under community supervision, how many use VHA for any services?; and 4) What proportion of Veterans under supervision recidivate?

Research Partner:Andrea Finlay, Veterans Affairs