The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) has a 5-course series of online training on Evidence-Based Practices in Community Corrections. These courses can help for students to learn more about EBP or to show professors how to become informed about EBP and its application in the field of corrections. NIC offers these and over 150 more e-courses free of charge. All you need is to create a free account. 

Click here for NIC Learning Center Registration.

EBP Course 1 - Course and Program Overview
This is course one in NIC’s six-course Evidence-Based Practices in a Correctional Setting program. The purpose for the entire six-part program is to provide front line supervisors and staff with the opportunity to learn the history, advancements, and benefits of using evidence-based practices. 

Click here to log in and start this course.

EBP Course 2 - Risk Assessment and Classification: Fundamentals for Criminal Justice Professionals
This is course two in NIC’s six-course Evidence-Based Practices in a Correctional Setting program. The main purpose of this course is to introduce you to actuarial risk assessments and describe how they are utilized as a tool within criminal justice professions. 

Click here to log in and start this course.

EBP Course 3 - Effective Behavior Change Interventions for Offenders in Community and Institutional Settings
This is course three in NIC’s six-course Evidence-Based Practices in a Correctional Setting program. The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of the research on offender behavior change. As such, this course summarizes the principles of evidence-based practice, social learning theory and effective interventions, and the many opportunities available to shape offender behavior. 

Click here to log in and start this course.

EBP Course 4 - Essential Elements of Case Planning
This is course four in NIC’s six-course Evidence-based Practices in a Correctional Setting program. The main purpose of this course is to provide front line supervisors and staff the opportunity to learn the history and advancements of evidence-based practices (EBP) relating to the area of case planning. 

Click here to log in and start this course.

EBP Course 5 - Outcome and Performance Measures: Why Data Are So Important
This is course five in NIC’s six-course Evidence-Based Practices in a Correctional Setting program. The main purposes of this course are to allow the practitioner to appreciate the significance of ensuring that correctional practices are implemented with fidelity to their model, and to understand the degree to which intended actions are accomplishing their goals by reviewing data that is collected and analyzed. 

Click here to log in and start this course.

EBP Course 6 - Putting it all Together
This is the final course in NIC’s six-course Evidence-Based Practices in a Correctional Setting program. The course addresses specific skills and practices that, when implemented effectively, can increase positive outcomes with defendants, offenders, and inmates in the areas of pretrial, probation, jail, prison, parole, and re-entry back into the community. The main purpose of this course is to integrate and link the information from the preceding courses to explain how core correctional practices that are known to enhance public safety are implemented throughout the correctional continuum. 

Click here to log in and start this course.

An Example of a Practice/Policy that was Demonstrated Not to Work via Research

One evidence-based principle suggests using research to inform policy and practice in the field. Sometimes that means finding out a program does not perform as well as originally intended. An example would be the Hawaii’s Opportunity Probation with Enforcement (HOPE) model. HOPE is based on a model to reinforce a strong and immediate relationship between probationers’ actions and their consequences, sending consistent messages to probationers about personal accountability and responsibility, while directly involving the judge. HOPE conducts frequent and random drug tests for high-risk probationers, and responds to detected violations (including failed drug tests and missed appointments) with swift, certain and short stays in jail. HOPE also rewards probationers for negative drug tests and other compliant behavior and mandates treatment upon request for probationers who do not abstain from drug use while in the program.

After the model was initially implemented in Hawaii, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) funded a research study to determine its effectiveness on supervision outcomes among probationers (see Hawken & Kleiman, 2009). The researchers found that HOPE probationers were 55% less likely to use drugs, 72% less likely to skip appointments, and 53% less likely to have their probation be revoked, as compared to the control group. The study provided early evidence of the benefit in applying swift and certain graduated, proportional punishment to improve the outcomes of drug use and crime.

Several years later, as the HOPE model became more well-known across the country and in the field, NIJ funded an additional research study to evaluate the model in multiple demonstration field sites across the continental United States (see Lattimore et al., 2016). The results of this study found no significant differences among supervision outcomes―arrests, probation revocations, or new convictions―between probationers who underwent the HOPE model approach and those who underwent probation as usual. Both research studies used the same rigorous, randomized control trial methodological design as well.

Such a research process does not necessarily mean that the HOPE model, in this case, isn’t effective at all. What it does tell us is where there are limitations to the model and what efforts should be made to modify it to become the most effective model in a community supervision setting.

Brad Bogue Bill Woodward Nancy M. Campbell Elyse Clawson Dorothy Faust. “Implementing Evidence-Based Practice in Community Corrections: The Principles of Effective Intervention.” National Institute of Corrections, 2004. https://nicic.gov/implementing-evidence-based-practice-community-corrections-principles-effective-intervention. 
Principles of effective evidence-based intervention are presented. Topics discussed include: 

• Evidence-based practice (EBP)
• Term clarification
• Eight principles for effective interventions—(1) assess actuarial risk/needs, (2) enhance intrinsic motivation, (3) target interventions, (4) skill train with directed practice, (5) increase positive reinforcement, (6) engage ongoing support in natural communities, (7) measure relevant processes/practices, and (8) provide measurement feedback
• Components of correctional interventions
• Implementation of EBP principles
• Application of the principles of EBP at the case, agency, and system levels
• Seven recommended strategies for implementing effective interventions
• Levels of research evidence

“Toward Evidence-Based Decision Making in Community Corrections: Research and Strategies for Successful Implementation.” National Institute of Corrections. Justice Research and Statistics Association (JRSA) (Washington DC), November 1, 2013. https://nicic.gov/toward-evidence-based-decision-making-community-corrections-research-and-strategies-successful. 
This special issue of Justice Research and Policy contains invited articles on community corrections, with special emphasis on successful implementation strategies. A common thread that runs through these articles relates to what is needed to better ensure fidelity to evidence^[1]based practices in community supervision and treatment. The research and implementation strategies shared by the authors should provide greater guidance to agency and program administrators working to assimilate evidence^[1]based practices into their organizations.

Rempel, Michael. “Evidence-Based Strategies for Working with Offenders.” Innovating Justice. Center for Court Innovation, Bureau of Justice Assistance, 2014. https://www.innovatingjustice.org/sites/default/files/documents/Evid%20Based%20Strategies.pdf. 
Findings from academic and program evaluation literatures in the fields of psychology, criminal justice, sociology, and public policy suggest that evidence-based interventions, which effectively combine the core principles of rehabilitation (risk-need-responsivity), deterrence, procedural justice, and collaboration, can significantly reduce recidivism. 

The Pew Charitable Trusts. “Legislating Evidence-Based Policymaking.” The Pew Charitable Trusts. The Pew Charitable Trusts, March 3, 2015. https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2015/03/legislating-evidence-based-policymaking. 
To examine this trend, the Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative reviewed more than 100 state statutes passed between 2004 and 2014 and identified five different approaches to promoting data-driven program choices.

Orchowsky, Stan, and Roger Przybylski. “Promoting and Sustaining the Use of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices by State Administering Agencies.” Justice Research and Statistics Association, Justice Research and Statistics Association, National Criminal Justice Association, 2016, www.jrsa.org/projects/evidence-based.htm. 
These toolkits comprise "a series on promoting the use of evidence-based practices in State Administering Agencies (SAAs) [in understanding and implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs) in their states]. These toolkits include a briefing paper, an executive summary, and a slideshow."

“JTC Resource Bulletin Using Technology to Improve Pretrial Release Decision-Making.” Joint Technology Committee, 17 Feb. 2016.https://www.ncsc.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/1663/it-in-pretrial-3-25-2016-final.ashx.pdf 
"Properly validated evidence-based pretrial risk assessment tools are better predictors of pretrial success than money bail or professional discretion alone. Jurisdictions can implement a pretrial risk assessment tool using data collected manually from local, state and federal databases, but a pretrial risk assessment tool would ideally be automated and integrated with existing systems that house relevant data. Implementing an automated pretrial release tool is a relatively small project with the potential for significant judicial, social and fiscal benefits" (p. ii). Sections following an executive summary cover pretrial detention decisionmaking, pretrial risk assessment tools, technology considerations, data considerations, implementation considerations, and an overall summary. 

“Evidence-Based Practices in the Criminal Justice System: An Annotated Bibliography.” National Institute of Corrections. National Institute of Corrections. Information Center (NICIC), 2017. https://nicic.gov/evidence-based-practices-criminal-justice-system-annotated-bibliography. 
This bibliography is not a complete list of “EBP” citations, but a mere selection based on questions we receive at the Information Center. 

“Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices in Corrections.” National Institute of Corrections. NIC Information Center, July 2017. 
Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices in Corrections Bibliography PDF 
This annotated bibliography was developed to provide current and useful information to professionals on implementation of evidence-based programs in the criminal justice system. Topics covered include implementation science, community services, fidelity, health, juvenile justice, and local and state efforts. 

James, Nathan. “Risk and Needs Assessment in the Federal Prison System.” Congressional Research Service Reports. Congressional Research Service, July 10, 2018. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/details?prodcode=R44087. 
The Risk-Needs-Responsivity (RNR) model has become the dominant paradigm in risk and needs assessment. The risk principle states that convicted offenders need to be placed in programs that are commensurate with their risk level; in other words, provide more intensive treatment and services to high-risk offenders while low-risk offenders should receive minimal or even no intervention. The need principle states that effective treatment should also focus on addressing the criminogenic needs that contribute to criminal behavior. The responsivity principle states that rehabilitative programming should be delivered in a style and mode that is consistent with the ability and learning style of the offender.

Cunningham, Mary. "Mental Health & Trauma among Incarcerated Persons: Development of a Training Curriculum for Correctional Officers." ResearchGate. February 1, 2019. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331023069_Mental_Health_Trauma_among_Incarcerated_Persons_Development_of_a_Training_Curriculum_for_Correctional_Officers. 
With probation officers providing services to nearly five million people on community supervision in the United States, they play a critical role in the criminal justice system. Finding proven, effective ways to enhance probation and parole practices is important in keeping people from returning to the correctional system, which will improve lives and reduce costs. Evidenced-based research exists to help probation/parole officers improve their practice; however, the research can be difficult for probation/parole agencies to implement.

Box Set: Evidence-Based Principles for Reducing Offender Risk 
Since 2002, NIC and the Crime and Justice Institute have worked to develop processes and tools to assist state and local jurisdictions implement successful practices to reduce offender risk. Efforts at four project sites (Maine; Illinois; Orange County, CA; and Maricopa County, AZ) have resulted in an implementation framework that applies evidence-based principles for corrections, as well as other components and stakeholders of the justice system. Experiences at these project sites has made it clear that officials from all system components and stakeholders involved with offenders as they move through the system need practical information regarding the basic research principles of risk reduction. 
https://nicic.gov/series/ebp-box-set

Crime and Justice Institute EBP Integrated Model 
The Vision: To build learning organizations that reduce recidivism through systemic integration of evidence-based principles in collaboration with community and justice partners. 
Through this cooperative agreement established in the fall of 2002, NIC joined with the Crime and Justice Institute to assist two pilot states (Illinois and Maine) in applying an integrated approach to the implementation of evidence-based principles in community corrections. The project model maintains an equal and integrated focus on three domains: the implementation of evidence-based principles, organizational development, and collaboration. 
http://www.crj.org/assets/2017/07/51_NICCJI_Project_ICCA_2.pdf

Suggestions to Enhance University-Practitioner Relations

There are several ways that universities and practitioners can work together. One way is for universities to encourage faculty to engage in applied research projects with practitioner agencies or jurisdictions. For example, the Department of Justice offers external funding opportunities for such partnerships to occur by pairing agencies with research partners, which could be academics. University faculty, particularly young tenure-track professors, often seek opportunities to conduct research to increase publications; whereas, agencies often need researchers to help them evaluate programs or policies. So, it can be a win-win for both parties. A second way is for universities to hire adjunct faculty who have direct experience working in the community corrections field. Such faculty members can teach directly to the course topic and provide insight not always available to undergraduate students.

Core Correctional Practice Articles

Dowden, C., & Andrews, D. A. (2004). "The Importance of Staff Practice in Delivering Effective Correctional Treatment: A Meta-Analytic Review of Core Correctional Practice." International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 48(2), 203–214. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X03257765. 
Several meta-analyses have rendered strong support for the clinically relevant and psychologically informed principles of human service, risk, need, and general responsivity. However, each of these reviews has focused on specific program components and not on the characteristics of the staff or the specific techniques used to deliver the program. This meta-analytic review examines the role of core correctional practices in reducing recidivism and provides strong preliminary evidence regarding their effectiveness. Staff characteristics and training in core skills must be addressed to ensure the maximum therapeutic impact of correctional treatment programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Haas, S. M., Spence, D. H. (2016). Use of core correctional practice and inmate preparedness for release. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. Available Online First. doi: 10.1177/0306624X15625992

• Latessa, E. J., & Smith, P. (2015).Corrections in the community (6^th ed.). Routledge. 
  Locate review copy information here.
• Hemmens, C., Belbot, B., & Bennett, K. (2013). Significant cases in corrections (2^nd ed.). Oxford University Press. 
  Locate review copy information here.
• Taxman, F. S., & Belenko, S. (2012).Implementing evidence-based practices in community corrections and addiction treatment. Springer. 
  Locate review copy information here.

National Institute of Corrections - https://nicic.gov/ 
NIC provides training through our catalog of data-driven research as well as our online Learning Management System. We have corrections experts and researchers on staff to answer questions. We also provide technical assistance (on-site training) to agencies and facilities to help evolve their practices in ways that benefit their operations and their communities. We also provide leadership and data to help advance correctional policies, procedures, practices, and operations nationwide.

American Probation and Parole Association - http://www.appa-net.org/eweb/ 
As the voice of the community corrections industry, the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) serves as the field’s leading professional membership association. Our work is supported by thousands of passionate members throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as other countries actively involved in strengthening community corrections work. APPA has members at all levels of government and the private sector, including: Community corrections professionals, service providers, libraries and educators, research students, volunteers, concerned citizens, corporations, public policy advocates, and others with an interest in criminal and juvenile justice.

Evidence-based Decision Making (EBDM) - https://info.nicic.gov/ebdm/ 
The National Institute of Corrections (NIC), in partnership with the Center for Effective Public Policy, built the Evidence -Based Decision Making Initiative (EBDM) initiative to create game-changing criminal justice system reform. EBDM is a strategic and deliberate method of applying empirical knowledge and research-supported principles to justice system decisions made at the case, agency, and system level and seeks to equip criminal justice local and state policymakers with the information, processes, and tools that will result in measurable reductions of pretrial misconduct, post-conviction reoffending, and other forms of community harm resulting from crime.

National Reentry Resource Center - https://nationalreentryresourcecenter.org/ 
The NRRC was established by the Second Chance Act (Public Law 110-199). Signed into law in 2008 and reauthorized in 2018, the Second Chance Act authorizes federal grants to government agencies and nonprofit organizations to provide reentry services—including employment assistance, substance use treatment, housing, family programming, mentoring, victims support, and other services—and to support corrections and supervision practices that aim to reduce recidivism. The American Institutes for Research (AIR) operates the NRRC in collaboration with BJA, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), and BJA's SCA training and technical assistance providers at AIR, The Council of State Governments Justice Center, the Vera Institute of Justice, and RTI International.

CrimeSolutions.Gov - https://crimesolutions.ojp.gov/ 
A resource of the National Institute of Justice that provides and uses research to rate the effectiveness of programs and practices in achieving criminal justice related outcomes in order to inform practitioners and policy makers about what works, what doesn't, and what's promising in criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services. 
Suggested Assignment for Students: Give students a topic (e.g., cognitive behavioral interventions) and ask them to locate 2-3 examples each of programs that are shown on Crimesolutions.gov to be effective, promising and have no effects on that topic area. Also, have students include a summary of how the site defines effective, promising and no effects. This will give them an opportunity to use a resource used in the corrections field to begin determining what some of the evidence-based practices in community corrections are. The students also could be asked to review the original research studies cited for the programs to get more details and present their findings.

JusticeReinvestment, Council of State Governments - https://csgjusticecenter.org/projects/justice-reinvestment/ 
JRI is funded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance with support from The Pew Charitable Trusts and utilizes criminal justice, behavioral health, and other reentry experts from the CSG Justice Center to:

• Collect data that is often siloed and under-analyzed to spotlight the most pressing trends and drivers of crime, recidivism, and costs;
• Meet with a range of stakeholders and assess statutes, policies, and current practices;
• Deliver findings and recommendations to state leaders and stakeholders in clear, compelling, and actionable presentations;
• Help address implementation challenges once changes are adopted; and
• Establish an ongoing data monitoring process.

GAINS Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation - https://www.samhsa.gov/gains-center 
SAMHSA’s GAINS Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation helps to expand community services for adults who are in the criminal justice system and experiencing a mental and/or substance use disorder. SAMHSA’s GAINS Center provides technical assistance and support to the following:

• Professionals working in the fields of behavioral health and criminal justice
• States and communities across the country who are working to achieve integrated systems of mental health and substance use services

The GAINS Center provides information and skills training to help individuals and organizations at the local, state, regional, and national levels implement effective, integrated programming that will transform the criminal justice and behavioral health systems.

Washington State Institute of Public Policy - https://www.wsipp.wa.gov/ 
The Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) is a nonpartisan public research group located in Olympia, the hub of Washington State government. WSIPP is a team of multidisciplinary researchers who conduct applied policy research for the state legislature in a creative and collaborative environment. WSIPP is strongly committed to the core values of nonpartisanship, quality, and impartiality. Created in 1983, WSIPP has become nationally and internationally recognized for the design, depth, and quality of its research reports and benefit-cost analyses.

What Works in Reentry Clearinghouse - https://whatworks.csgjusticecenter.org/ 
The What Works in Reentry Clearinghouse is a “one-stop shop” for research on the effectiveness of a wide variety of reentry programs and practices. What Works now features programs rated by the National Institute of Justice’s CrimeSolutions.gov, a website that presents programs that have undergone rigorous evaluations and meta-analyses. CrimeSolutions.gov assesses the strength of the evidence about whether these programs achieve criminal justice, juvenile justice, or crime victim services outcomes in order to inform practitioners and policy makers about what works, what doesn’t, and what’s promising.

Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development - https://www.blueprintsprograms.org/
The Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development mission is to provide a comprehensive registry of scientifically proven and scalable interventions that prevent or reduce the likelihood of antisocial behavior and promote a healthy course of youth development and adult maturity. We also advocate for evidence-based interventions locally and nationally and produce publications on the importance of adopting high-scientific standards when evaluating what works in social and crime prevention interventions.

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Model Programs - https://www.ojjdp.gov/mpg/ 
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s (OJJDP’s) Model Programs Guide (MPG) contains information about evidence-based juvenile justice and youth prevention, intervention, and reentry programs. It is a resource for practitioners and communities about what works, what is promising, and what does not work in juvenile justice, delinquency prevention, and child protection and safety.

Risk Assessment Tool Helps Probation Officers
The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts developed the Post Conviction Risk Assessment (PCRA) tool to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of post-conviction supervision. PCRA helps probation officers identify which persons to target for correctional interventions, what characteristics or needs will mitigate future criminal behavior, and how best to deliver supervision and treatment. The PCRA tool is an evidence-based practice (EBP) that guides an officer's decision about what level of risk an offender poses and what interventions would be best to reduce recidivism rates. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-nGDKgdTi4

Successful Parole and Probation Practices
This video is part of a television show produced by the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency and the Office of Cable Television in Washington, DC. In this video, the program interviewed four directors of state parole and probation agencies to discuss best practices as it applies to their state or counterparts nationally. 
https://media.csosa.gov/podcast/video/category/probation/

What Works: Evidence-Based Practices in Community Corrections
This video is part of the “DC Public Safety” television series and provides an overview of “what works” in community corrections through an examination of research-based practices. You will need to scroll down the page to find the video.
https://media.csosa.gov/podcast/video/category/probation/

Edward Latessa (7 short videos): Solutions in Corrections: Using Evidence-Based Knowledge
Produced by the National Institute of Justice. 
"Key Principles of Reducing Recidivism" Edward Latessa, Ph.D., Director, School of Criminal Justice, University of Cincinnati. This interview followed the presentation "Solutions in Corrections: Using Evidence-Based Knowledge" given as part of NIJ's Research for the Real World Seminar Series. The content presented in these videos results from NIJ-funded research, development and evaluation projects. The content is not intended to create, does not create, and may not be relied upon to create any rights, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law by any party in any matter civil or criminal. Opinions or points of view expressed in these videos represent those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Any products and manufacturers discussed in these videos are presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or enforcement by the U.S. Department of Justice. [description provided by Department of Justice, 2011]
https://youtu.be/Sv3p4IijkAI?list=PLUOQSTnnJJfvoraDTiltkktqI5jZ8MBdM

EBP Course 2 - Risk Assessment and Classification: Fundamentals for Criminal Justice Professionals. 
This is course two in NIC’s six-course Evidence Based Practices in a Correctional Setting program. The main purpose of this course is to introduce you to actuarial risk assessments and describe how they are utilized as a tool within criminal justice professions. NIC offers this course free of charge. 
Click here to create your account and log in.

Webinar:  Addressing Responsivity Issues for American Indian/Alaska Native Individuals on Community Supervision 
The responsivity principle suggests that an individual's characteristics affect how he or she responds to treatment and interventions. Characteristics such as learning style, personality, culture, gender, education level, etc. should play an important part in choosing which services and interventions a justice-involved individual is assigned to. In this era where practitioners are encouraged to incorporate strategies and practices that are “evidence-based,” we should be cautious not to discount indigenous, tribal or culture-based interventions that could work more effectively with American Indian/Alaska Native populations, even though they have not been evaluated and labeled as “evidence-based.” 
https://appa.academy.reliaslearning.com/Addressing-Responsivity-Issues-for-American-Indian-Alaska-Native-Individuals-on-Community-Supervisi-.aspx

Bougue, Brad, Bill Woodward, Nancy M Campbell, Elyse Clawson, and Dorothy Faust. “Implementing Evidence-Based Practice in Community Corrections: The Principles of Effective Intervention.” National Institute of Corrections. Crime and Justice Institute (CJI) (Boston MA), 2004. https://nicic.gov/implementing-evidence-based-practice-community-corrections-principles-effective-intervention 
Research supports several principles for effective offender interventions. NIC highlights eight principles in its "Evidence-Based Policy and Practice" initiative. They are listed below in developmental sequence.

Polaschek, Devon L L. “An Appraisal of the Risk'-Need-Responsivity (RNR) Model of Offender Rehabilitation and Its Application in Correctional Treatment.” Semantic Scholar. Legal and Criminological Psychology v. 17, pp. 1-17., 2012. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230492408_An_appraisal_of_the_Risk-Need-Responsivity_RNR_model_of_offender_rehabilitation_and_its_application_in_correctional_treatment 
The RNR (risk-need-responsivity) model is evaluated. This article discusses: what the RNR model is; contextualizing the RNR model as a rehabilitation framework; model appraisal criteria; strengths; weaknesses; knowledge transfer issues; and future directions. '[A]lthough the RNR model's empirical validity and practical utility justify its place as the dominant model, it is not the 'last word' on offender rehabilitation; there is much work still to be done' (p. 1). (NIC Information Center has a copy)

Looman, Jan, and Jeffrey Abracen. “The Risk Need Responsivity Model of Offender Rehabilitation: Is There Really a Need For a Paradigm Shift?” American Psychological Association. International Journal of Behavioral Consultation and Therapy, 2013. https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2014-12592-007.html 
The current paper critically reviews the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) and Good Lives Model (GLM) approaches to correctional treatment. Research, or the lack thereof, is discussed in terms of whether there is a need for a new model of offender rehabilitation. We argue that although there is a wealth of research in support of RNR approaches, there is presently very little available research demonstrating the efficacy of the GLM in terms of the impact that programs based on this model of rehabilitation have on observed rates of recidivism among offender populations. 

Desmarais, Sarah, and Jay Singh. “Risk Assessment Instruments Validated and Implemented in Correctional Settings in the United States.” Justice Center. Council for State Governments, March 27, 2013.https://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Risk-Assessment-Instruments-Validated-and-Implemented-in-Correctional-Settings-in-the-United-States.pdf 
A report designed to provide foundational knowledge and a working framework of risk assessment instruments for criminal justice and social service agencies, practitioners, and policymakers. 

“Risk and Needs Assessment.” APPA (American Probation and Parole Association). The Council of State Governments, March 2015. https://www.appa-net.org/eweb/Dynamicpage.aspx?webcode=IB_IssuePaper&wps_key=59dd054a-36d3-464c-ba97-bd8b032d12ea 
A statement enacted in March 2015 by the American Probation and Parole Association regarding the use of risk and needs assessments to predicate recidivism.

Picard-Fritsche, Sarah, Michael Rempel, Jennifer A Tallon, Julian Adler, and Natalie Reyes. “Demystifying Risk Assessment: Key Principles and Controversies 2017.” Innovating Justice. Center for Court Innovation, March 2017.https://www.innovatingjustice.org/sites/default/files/documents/Monograph_March2017_Demystifying%20Risk%20Assessment_1.pdf 
This paper explains the science underlying risk-based decision-making and explores both the promise and controversies associated with the increasing application of “big data” to the field of criminal justice. While the technology has contributed to important policy reforms, such as the diversion of low-risk groups from jail and prison, debate has arisen over the potential for risk assessments to reproduce existing racial biases, the lack of transparency of some proprietary tools, and the challenge of applying classifications based on group behavior to individual cases. Along with identifying an emerging professional consensus that the careful and ethical implementation of risk assessment tools can improve outcomes, the paper closes with a series of best practices urging jurisdictions to adopt a localized, collaborative approach.

James, Nathan. “Risk and Needs Assessment in the Federal Prison System.” Congressional Research Service Reports. Congressional Research Service, July 10, 2018. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/details?prodcode=R44087 
This document provides a high-level overview of risk and needs assessment and can be used to form talking points or used as a handout for students to improve their understanding of the risk and needs principle, the types of instruments that can be used, and what they do. It was prepared for members of committees of Congress by the Congressional Research Services. 

Viglione, Jill. “The Risk-Need-Responsivity Model: How Do Probation Officers Implement the Principles of Effective Intervention?” SAGE Journals. Criminal Justice and Behavior, May 2019. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0093854818807505 
The advancement of evidence-based practices (EBP) and the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model suggests several key practices for probation agencies, including validated risk and needs assessments and appropriate treatment matching. Despite evidence supporting use of practices aligned with the RNR model to improve offender outcomes, research identifies significant implementation challenges in probation practice. Using 1,084 hours of ethnographic data, the current study sought to examine how probation staff implemented best practices aligned with the risk, need, and responsivity principles. Analyses suggest probation staff supervision practices misaligned with research evidence on RNR and associated agency trainings. Probation officers rarely used the risk and needs assessment to inform supervision decisions, creation of case plans, and referrals to treatment programs. Findings highlight the challenges associated with moving evidence on the RNR model to routine probation practice. Implications for policy and research are discussed, including a focus on perceived liability and implementation of best practices.

Marlowe, Douglas. “The Most Carefully Studied, Yet Least Understood, Terms in the Criminal Justice Lexicon: Risk, Need, Responsivity.” Policy Research Associates. SAMHSA Gains Center, October 14, 2021. https://www.prainc.com/risk-need-responsitivity/ 
Despite compelling evidence validating these RNR principles, many behavioral health and criminal justice professionals misconstrue the concepts of risk, need, and responsivity, leading them to deliver the wrong services to the wrong persons and in the wrong order. Even with the best of intentions to follow evidence-based practices, many programs inadvertently waste precious resources, frustrate consumers, and deliver lackluster results. To enhance program effectiveness and efficiency, it is necessary to translate these research-based principles into terms that are familiar to many practitioners, to help them select the most appropriate interventions under the right circumstances. [To aid in this process, a glossary of technical terms used in this article is provided in Table 1].

Ramezani, Niloofar, Avi Bhati, Amy Murphy, Douglas Routh, and Faye S. Taxman. “Assessing the Reliability and Validity of the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) Program Tool - Health & Justice.” BioMed Central. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, July 7, 2022. https://healthandjusticejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40352-022-00182-w. 
This article discusses fidelity scales from the RNR Program Tool and provides guidance on the importance of tool development processes to ensure accurate, valid, and reliable scales. The purpose of the RNR Program Tool is to create a modern, online tool integrating both the empirical (research) literature on effective practices and clinical standards on quality programming. This process minimizes the need for consultants by giving program administrators the ability to gather information on their programs, score them, and receive instant and targeted feedback with recommendations for improvement to assess their programs against empirical standards in the field. Furthermore, it provides a standardized tool that administrators can use to examine what type of individuals fare better in their programs. The provided targeted feedback can give the programs the ability to seek technical assistance or guidance in specific areas that can strategically strengthen their program.

• Alarid, L. F. (2015). Community-based corrections (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.
• Bayens, G., & Smykla, J. (2012). Probation, parole, and community-based corrections: Supervision, treatment, and evidence-based practices (1st ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
• Champion, D. J. (2007). Probation, parole and community corrections (6th ed.). Prentice Hall.
• Hanser, R. D. (2013). Community corrections (2nd ed.). Sage.
• Latessa, E. J., & Smith, P. (2015). Corrections in the community (6th ed.). Routledge.

Youth.gov 
Includes a section on positive youth development that has information on protective factors for juveniles. 
https://youth.gov/youth-topics/positive-youth-development

Family & Youth Services Bureau 
Includes a section on positive youth development.
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/fysb/positive-youth-development
https://opa.hhs.gov/adolescent-health?resources-and-training/adolescent-health-library/positive-youth-development-health-resources-and-publications/index.html

Office of Adolescent Health (within the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services) 
The Office of Adolescent Health has identified a comprehensive range of federal resources on positive youth development.
https://opa.hhs.gov

Surviving the Trenches: The Impact of Trauma Exposure on Corrections Professionals
Webinar broadcast: February 17, 2016.  Research suggests that constant exposure to disturbing aspects of human behavior and the pain and suffering of others can come with a price for professionals. This webinar examines secondary trauma and compassion fatigue as experienced by corrections professionals. It brings together the latest research on the physiological impact of trauma exposure with simple, realistic techniques that can mitigate the negative effects, improve personal well-being, and enhance professional longevity. 
http://appa.academy.reliaslearning.com/Surviving-the-Trenches-The-Impact-of-Trauma-Exposure-on-Corrections-Professionals--APPA-STITECP-JG.aspx

Adolescent Brain Development: Research Implications for Community Corrections
This is a recording of a webinar presented by Charlene Rhyne, PhD., Abbey Stamp, LCSW, Barbara Fletcher and Izzy Lefebvre on the subject of adolescent brain development and research implications for community corrections, brought to you by the APPA Research Committee. 
https://appa.academy.reliaslearning.com/Adolescent-Brain-Development-Research-Implications-for-Community-Corrections--CC-ABDRICC-CORR-APPA.aspx

Green, Amy E., et al. "Predicting Delinquency in Adolescence and Young Adulthood: A Longitudinal Analysis of Early Risk Factors." Youth Violence & Juvenile Justice 6, no. 4. 
This study examined the ability of early risk factors to predict delinquency referrals. Significant risk factors included externalizing behaviors, prenatal smoking, parent marital status, and mother's education. Students with three or more risk factors had eight times the number of delinquency referrals than those with no identified risk factors.

Taxman, Faye S. “Tools of the Trade: A Guide to Incorporating Science Into Practice.” National Institute of Corrections . Maryland Dept. of Public Safety and Correctional Services, National Institute of Corrections (NIC) (Washington DC), 2004. https://nicic.gov/tools-trade-guide-incorporating-science-practice 
The application of evidence-based research findings to the practice of offender supervision is explained. Sections of this manual include: introduction -- supervision as a behavioral management process to reduce recidivism; behavior and change; assessment and planning; communication tools; information tools; incentives to shape offender behavior; service tools; offender types; and guiding principles.

Gifford-Smith, Mary, Kenneth A Dodge, Thomas J. Dishion, and Joan McCord. “Peer Influence in Children and Adolescents: Crossing the Bridge from Developmental to Intervention Science,” Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology 33, no. 3 (2005): 255–265. 
Considerable evidence supports the hypothesis that peer relationships influence the growth of problem behavior in youth. Developmental research consistently documents the high levels of covariation between peer and youth deviance, even controlling for selection effects. Ironically, the most common public interventions for deviant youth involve segregation from mainstream peers and aggregation into settings with other deviant youth. Developmental research on peer influence suggests that desired positive effects of group interventions in education, mental health, juvenile justice, and community programming may be offset by deviant peer influences in these settings. Given the public health policy issues raised by these findings, there is a need to better understand the conditions under which these peer contagion effects are most pronounced with respect to intervention foci and context, the child's developmental level, and specific strategies for managing youth behavior in groups.

Taxman, Faye. “Reentry and Supervision: One is Impossible Without the Other,” Corrections Today, April 2007, 69, 2: 98-101,105. 
The article focuses on the use of the supervision process to help an offender become a productive citizen. It cites the similarities between case management and supervision. It details the model of supervision that is focused on facilitating offender change. It mentions the selection criteria that have been used for the Proactive Community Supervision (PCS) project.

“The Science of Adolescent Risk-Taking: Workshop Report.” National Library of Medicine. Institute of Medicine (US) and National Research Council (US) Committee on the Science of Adolescence, 2011. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53409/ 
The workshop discussions of biobehavioral and psychological perspectives on adolescent risk behavior alluded repeatedly to the importance of the cultural and social contexts in which young people develop. Presenters described research on the ways family, peers, schools, communities, and media and technology influence adolescent behavior and risk-taking. 

Bourgon, Guy, Leticia Gutierrez, Jennifer Ashton, and Public Safety Canada. “The Evolution of Community Supervision Practice: The Transformation from Case Manager to Change Agent.” United States Courts. The Journal of the American Probation and Parole Association: Perspectives, 36(3), 64-81, 2012. https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/76_2_6_0.pdf 
With the introduction of risk and need assessments into routine practice, Community Supervision Officers are now required to administer and score these instruments. Not only must Community Supervision Officers communicate this risk/need information to other criminal justice professionals, but they are asked to utilize this information for classification purposes and to interpret the information to develop case-management plans. Officers are also asked to make efforts to maximize offender compliance, plan and manage the client’s rehabilitative services, and are often expected to facilitate positive prosocial changes in the clients that they work with.

“The Potential of Community Corrections to Improve Safety and Reduce Incarceration.” Vera Institute of Justice. Center on Sentencing and Corrections, July 2013. https://www.vera.org/publications/the-potential-of-community-corrections-to-improve-safety-and-reduce-incarceration-configure. 
As the size and cost of jails and prisons have grown, so too has the awareness that public investment in incarceration has not yielded the expected return in public safety. This creates an opportunity to reexamine the wisdom of our reliance on institutional corrections—incarceration in prisons or jails—and to reconsider the role of community-based corrections, which encompasses probation, parole, and pretrial supervision. However, it could also be an opportunity wasted if care is not taken to bolster the existing capacity of community corrections. With this report, Vera’s Center on Sentencing and Corrections provides an overview of the state of community corrections, the transformational practices emerging in the field (including those in need of further research), and recommendations to policymakers on realizing the full value of community supervision to taxpayers and communities.

“The Potential of Community Corrections to Improve Safety and Reduce Incarceration.” The Vera Institute of Justice. The Center on Sentencing and Corrections, July 2013. https://www.prisonpolicy.org/scans/vera/potential-of-community-corrections.pdf. 
As the size and cost of jails and prisons have grown, so too has the awareness that public investment in incarceration has not yielded the expected return on public safety. Today, in the United States, an opportunity exists to reexamine the wisdom of our reliance on institutional corrections—incarceration in prisons or jails—and to reconsider the role of community-based corrections, which encompasses probation, parole, and pretrial supervision. However, it could also be an opportunity wasted if care is not taken to bolster the existing capacity of community corrections.

Schiraldi, Vincent, Bruce Western, and Kendra Bradner. “New Thinking in Community Corrections.” Office of Justice Programs. HARVARD Kennedy School Program in Criminal Justice Policy and Management, 2015. https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/248900.pdf 
This paper raises important questions about the criminal justice system’s response to young adults. Recent advances in behavior and neuroscience research confirm that brain development continues well into a person’s 20s, meaning that young adults have more psychosocial similarities to children than to older adults. This developmental distinction should help inform the justice system’s response to criminal behavior among this age group. 

“Behavior Management of Justice-Involved Individuals: Contemporary Research and State-of-the-Art Policy and Practice.” National Institute of Corrections. Center for Effective Public Policy (CEPP) (Silver Spring MD), National Institute of Corrections (NIC) (Washington DC), 2015. https://nicic.gov/behavior-management-justice-involved-individuals-contemporary-research-and-state-art-policy-and 
There remains an endless “revolving door” of individuals who are placed on community supervision, engage in further problematic behavior, and return to correctional facilities to likely repeat the cycle again. This paper provides a policy and practice framework to support the development of effective behavior management systems that will increase the compliance and prosocial behavior of justice-involved individuals both during and following their community supervision. [Abstract from Introduction] 

Case Study: How Joe was Affected by His Officer

Community corrections officers can have a significant influence on outcomes by the ways in which they interact with individuals on supervision. Much of the leading training models teach officers the proper skillset using cognitive-behavioral techniques that, when used properly, encourage both short- and long-term prosocial change among individuals under supervision. Here is one case study that explains this process in practice. Note the terms that are highlighted as references to this and other learning domains on this website.

Joe is a 32-year-old, white man who lives in a rural part of Arizona. A couple of years ago, after losing his manufacturing job, he started using various pain killers on a regular basis, coupled with his continued alcohol use. He started stealing from friends and family members. Eventually, he was arrested on theft and drug charges and placed on probation for a period of two years. That’s when he first met Cliff, his probation officer. In their first couple of meetings together, Cliff laid out exactly what Joe had to do in order to get off probation: abide by his terms, attend drug treatment, and maintain employment, among others. At first, Joe didn’t like of any of what Cliff had explained to him. He didn’t think he needed treatment at all; he just got caught up with life by losing his job. He thought he could get back on his feet in no time. After a few months of being on probation, Joe kept using drugs, had a positive drug screen, and missed one treatment session. Cliff immediately addressed this with Joe in a constructive manner. Joe was expecting Cliff to berate him about his violations and possibly throw him in jail. However, Cliff gave Joe an opportunity to provide his side of the story of what’s going on in his life. Through that interaction, Joe realized that maybe he did need some help; much more than he realized before. Over the next several meetings with Cliff, which seem to generally be about 30 minutes each time, Joe actually began look forward to talking with Cliff. They talked about his progress, his problem areas, and ways that he still needed help. In Joe’s mind, Cliff was always firm, consistent, and always held him accountable, but he was also supportive and compassionate. After about six months, Joe became sober and found a good job that paid the bills and kept him out of trouble. What Joe didn’t know about Cliff is that he was trained in a particular program that provided him with the skills to enhance the quality of his interactions with probationers and encourage positive behavioral changes among probationers. It certainly seemed to be working, because Joe was on his path to becoming a changed man…in a good way.

“Motivational Interviewing (with a Criminal Justice Focus) Annotated Bibliography.” National Institute of Corrections. National Institute of Corrections. Information Center (NICIC) (Aurora CO), 2016. https://nicic.gov/motivational-interviewing-criminal-justice-focus-annotated-bibliography. 
Motivational Interviewing (MI) was introduced to the field of corrections in the 1990s through the Evidence-based Practices (EBP) Model as a method for enhancing intrinsic motivation. Since that time, agencies throughout the U.S., in all criminal justice settings, have—to a greater or lesser degree—explored if, when, and how to implement this approach to communicating, building rapport, and tapping into the internal motivation of the clients and staff members they work with. This annotated bibliography contains the written resources pertaining specifically to the criminal justice field. In addition, certain documents considered seminal to the training, implementation, evaluation, coaching, and quality assurance of MI skills are included.

Bush, Jack, Barry Glick, and Juliana Taymans. “Thinking for a Change 4.0 | National Institute of Corrections.” Thinking for a change 4.0. National Institute of Corrections, 2016. https://nicic.gov/thinking-change-40 
The program is designed to be provided to justice-involved adults and youth, males and females. It is intended for groups of eight to twelve and should be delivered only by trained facilitators. Due to its integrated structure, T4C is a closed group, meaning members need to start at the beginning of a cycle, and may not join the group mid-stream (lesson five is a logical cut-off point for new group members).

Byrne, James. “An Examination of the Impact of Criminological Theory on Community Corrections Practice.” ResearchGate. Federal Probation, December 2016. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313821665_An_Examination_of_the_Impact_of_Criminological_Theory_on_Community_Corrections_Practice 
CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES ABOUT why people commit crime are used—and mis-used—every day by legislative policy makers and community corrections managers when they develop new initiatives, sanctions, and programs; and these theories are also being applied—and misapplied—by line community corrections officers in the workplace as they classify, supervise, counsel, and control offenders placed on their caseloads. The purpose of this article is to provide a brief overview of the major theories of crime causation and then to consider the implications of these criminological theories for current and future community corrections practice. Four distinct groups of theories will be examined: classical theories, biological theories, psychological theories, and sociological theories of crime causation. While the underlying assumptions of classical criminology have been used to justify a wide range of sentencing and corrections policies and practices over the past several decades, it is also possible to identify the influence of other theories of crime causation on corrections policies and practices during this same period. As we examine each group of theories, we consider how—and why—the basic functions of probation and parole officers change based on the theory of crime causation under review. When considering the link between theory and practice, it is important to remember the following basic truth: Criminologists disagree about both the causes and solutions to our crime problem.

Chavira, Dina, Roberto Lopez-Tamayo, and Leonard A Jason. “Factors Associated with Community Corrections Involvement among Formerly Incarcerated People in Recovery.” Criminal justice policy review. U.S. National Library of Medicine, December 2018. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6366846/ 
The current study examined whether current community supervision status was associated with differences in demographic characteristics, lifetime substance use patterns, and criminal history among a sample of formerly incarcerated individuals with a history of substance use problems. Results of multivariate analyses revealed participants on community supervision were more likely to have graduated from high school or earned a GED (OR = 1.60; 95% CI [0.15, 17.24]) and were less likely to have a history of psychiatric hospitalization (OR = .88; 95% CI = [0.08, 9.35]). These characteristics may be proxies for social and emotional functioning that influence eligibility for community supervision. Despite these apparent advantages, the community supervision group did not significantly differ from the formerly incarcerated group without current justice involvement on lifetime substance use patterns or criminal history, suggesting formerly incarcerated individuals with substance use disorders may require more intensive interventions to promote existing strengths.

Chavira, D. “Too Big to Succeed: The Impact of the Growth of Community Corrections and What Should Be Done about It.” Columbia University Justice Lab, January 29, 2018. https://justicelab.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/Too_Big_to_Succeed_Report_FINAL.pdf 
The recent sentencing of Philadelphia rap artist Meek Mill to two to four years in prison for probation violations committed a decade after his original offense has brought the subject of America’s expansive community supervision apparatus and its contribution to mass incarceration into the public spotlight (NBC News 2017; Jay-Z 2017). Founded as either an up-front diversion from incarceration (probation) or a back-end release valve to prison crowding (parole), community corrections in America has grown far beyond what its founders could have imagined with a profound, unintended impact on incarceration. With nearly five million adults under community corrections supervision in America (more than double the number in prison and jail), probation and parole have become a substantial contributor to our nation’s mass incarceration dilemma as well as a deprivation of liberty in their own right (Kaeble and Bonczar 2016; Kaeble and Glaze 2016). The almost fourfold expansion of community corrections since 1980 without a concomitant increase in resources has strained many of the nation’s thousands of community supervision departments, rendering some of them too big to succeed, often unnecessarily depriving clients of their liberty without improving public safety (Bureau of Justice Statistics 1995; Kaeble and Bonczar 2016; Pew Center on the States 2009; Klingele 2013; Doherty 2016).

Dierkhising, Carly B, and Shawn C Marsh. “A Trauma Primer for Juvenile Probation and Juvenile Detention Staff.” National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention, October 24, 2019. https://www.ncjfcj.org/publications/a-trauma-primer-for-juvenile-probation-and-juvenile-detention-staff/.

Juvenile justice probation and detention workers play an important role in helping system-involved youth and families navigate justice and social service systems; achieving goals of accountability, competency, and community safety; and promoting safety, self-determination, and social connectedness as conditions of healing. In doing this work, juvenile probation and detention staff are also uniquely poised to serve a critical social support function for vulnerable youth and families. Although much work remains to be done to elucidate the key policies and procedures associated with a true “trauma-informed” justice system, the tips offered here provide juvenile justice staff a foundation for understanding the basic dynamics of trauma, recognizing trauma reactions, and maintaining self-care. This brief presents definitions of key concepts, overviews how children respond to trauma, and offers tips for juvenile probation and detention staff seeking to be more trauma-informed in their work.

“Publications About Brain Anatomy and Physiology.” National Institute of Mental Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2020. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/imaging-listing 
This science education activity book intended for children ages 8-12 years old helps kids learn facts about the brain through games and puzzles about brain science and research. This activity book can be downloaded and printed. This fact sheet outlines how a teenager’s brain grows, matures, and adapts to the world. It also presents information on the teen brain’s resiliency, vulnerability to stress and mental health problems, and sleep patterns in teens.

1. Latessa, Edward, and Myrinda Schweitzer. “Community Supervision And Violent Offenders: What The Research Tells Us And How T Ells Us And How To Improve Outcomes.” Marquette Law Review. Journals at Marquette Law Scholarly Commons, 2020. https://scholarship.law.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5445&context=mulr. 
This article explores the supervision of violent offenders in the community and reviews the research on effective (and ineffective) practices. Included is a discussion of the scope and diversity of violent offenses, a review of the research related to intermediate sanctions such as intensive supervision and electronic monitoring, as well as the application of the Risk, Need and Responsivity model to community supervision. Finally, the challenges of translating research into practice is discussed along with recommendations on how we can improve community supervision.

Schaefer, Lacey, Gemma C. Williams, and Tenille Ford. “Social Supports for Community Corrections Clients: Risk Factors or Protective Factors?” Journal of Qualitative Criminal Justice & Criminology, September 20, 2021. https://www.qualitativecriminology.com/pub/665q4gmk/release/1. 
The significance of social supports throughout an individual’s life-course has been widely documented. However, there is ambiguity about whether social supports are likely to encourage or discourage reoffending. The current study qualitatively examines the kinds of support offered to a sample of probationers and parolees by their social support networks through a thematic analysis of transcripts gained from semi-structured interviews with 15 clients and 16 of their “PoPPs” (parents/partners/peers of probationers and parolees). Results indicate that there are several forms of support provided by correctional clients’ loved ones. These forms of support were well-received by the clients who considered them beneficial, although the findings demonstrate that social supports are not universally prosocial, and that some forms of support may be criminogenic rather than protective factors.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy
"One form of psychotherapy stands out in the criminal justice system. Cognitive behavioral therapy reduces recidivism in both juveniles and adults. The therapy assumes that most people can become conscious of their own thoughts and behaviors and then make positive changes to them. A person's thoughts are often the result of experience, and behavior is often influenced and prompted by these thoughts. In addition, thoughts may sometimes become distorted and fail to reflect reality accurately. Cognitive behavioral therapy has been found to be effective with juvenile and adult offenders; substance abusing and violent offenders; and probationers, prisoners and parolees. It is effective in various criminal justice settings, both in institutions and in the community, and addresses a host of problems associated with criminal behavior. For instance, in most cognitive behavioral therapy programs, offenders improve their social skills, means-ends problem solving, critical reasoning, moral reasoning, cognitive style, self-control, impulse management and self-efficacy" (NIJ Journal No. 265, April 2010, p. 22).  The resources on this page have been hand-picked by the NIC Information Center team. 

https://nicic.gov/projects/cognitive-behavioral-therapy

The Mysterious Workings of the Adolescent Brain 

Ted Talks video featuring Sarah-Jayne Blakemore.
Why do teenagers seem so much more impulsive, so much less self-aware than grown-ups? Cognitive neuroscientist Sarah-Jayne Blakemore compares the prefrontal cortex in adolescents to that of adults, to show us how typically "teenage" behavior is caused by the growing and developing brain.[Abstract taken from TED Talks]
https://www.ted.com/talks/sarah_jayne_blakemore_the_mysterious_workings_...

Correctional Practitioners as “Agents of Change,” Edward Latessa 
In this interview, Edward Latessa, Ph.D., Director of the School of Criminal Justice at the University of Cincinnati, discusses the skills and competencies needed for correctional staff—particularly probation and parole officers and case workers—to be agents of change. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJip3q3apa0

Probation and Parole Agents 
This is a YouTube video in which officers talk about what it’s like to work as a probation and parole agent for the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPnRbAUXBe0

Walk in My Shoes: Probation/Parole Officer, Allison Stahl 
This YouTube video shows aspects of working as a probation/parole officer in Durham County, North Carolina.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVHEx7bJZnU

The Challenge of Parole and Probation from an Officer’s Perspective 
This podcast produced by DC Public Safety Radio focuses on the joys and difficulties of being a parole and probation agent (what they call Community Supervision Officers in Washington, D.C.). 
https://media.csosa.gov/podcast/transcripts/challenge-parole-probation-o...

“Criminal Justice System Flowchart.” Bureau of Justice Statistics. http://www.bjs.gov/content/largechart.cfm 
The flowchart of the events in the criminal justice system (shown in the diagram) updates the original chart prepared by the President's Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice in 1967. The chart summarizes the most common events in the criminal and juvenile justice systems including entry into the criminal justice system, prosecution and pretrial services, adjudication, sentencing and sanctions, and corrections. A discussion of the events in the criminal justice system follows.

Miller, Joel. “Contemporary Modes of Probation Officer Supervision: The Triumph of the ‘Synthetic’ Officer?” Taylor & Francis. Justice Quarterly Volume 32 - Issue 2, March 12, 2013. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07418825.2013.770546?journalCode=rjqy20.  
This article considers the continued relevance of law enforcement and social worker roles to probation officer practice, a central motif in community corrections scholarship. It also considers how these traditional functions are integrated into community-oriented supervision practices, increasingly emphasized in policy circles. Using Latent Class Analysis of data from a national community corrections survey, a four-class typology of probation officers was developed, based on their supervision practices. While classes vary according to the intensity of supervision, particularly in the engagement of third parties (family, community, and the police), there are no classes that correspond either to law enforcers or to social workers. Rather, officer classes are all “synthetic”—combining law enforcement and social work functions together in the same strategy. The analysis identifies a number of predictors of membership in more intensive supervision classes. These relate to ideological orientations, caseload characteristics, officer demographics, and agency progressiveness.

Lovins, Brian, Francis T. Cullen, Edward L. Latessa, and Cheryl Lero Jonson. “Probation Officer as a Coach: Building a New Professional Identity.” United States Courts. Federal Probation 82. no. 1(2018): 13-19, June 2018. https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/82_1_2_0.pdf 
The rapid and intractable growth of community supervision populations in a decades-long punitive era undermined the traditional rehabilitative ideal and ushered in competing visions of what constituted appropriate supervision (Phelps, in press; Simon, 1993). Although allegiance to human service supervision never vanished, many jurisdictions deemphasized behavior change through treatment in favor of risk management through a range of control- or deterrence-oriented approaches. These included the trumpeting of such practices as intensive supervision, drug testing, electronic monitoring, and, more recently, swift-certain-fair probation. With only occasional exceptions, these practices have proven to be ineffective or, at best, inconsistently and modestly successful (Cullen & Jonson, 2017; Cullen, Pratt, Turanovic, & Butler, in press; Petersilia & Turner, 1993; Schaefer, Cullen, & Eck, 2016)

Ramezani, Niloofar, Bhati, Avi, Murphy, Amy, Routh, Douglas, and Faye S. Taxman. "Reinventing Community Corrections." Health and Justice Journal. June 9, 2022. https://healthandjusticejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40352-022-00182-w. 
This article discusses fidelity scales from the RNR Program Tool and provides guidance on the importance of tool development processes to ensure accurate, valid, and reliable scales. The purpose of the RNR Program Tool is to create a modern, online tool integrating both the empirical (research) literature on effective practices and clinical standards on quality programming. This process minimizes the need for consultants by giving program administrators the ability to gather information on their programs, score them, and receive instant and targeted feedback with recommendations for improvement to assess their programs against empirical standards in the field. Furthermore, it provides a standardized tool that administrators can use to examine what type of individuals fare better in their programs. The provided targeted feedback can give the programs the ability to seek technical assistance or guidance in specific areas that can strategically strengthen their program.

• Alarid, L. F. (2016). Community-based corrections (11^th ed.). Cengage Learning.
• Barton-Bellesa, S. M., & Hanser, R. D. (2011). Community-based corrections: A text/reader. Sage.
• Bayens, G., & Smykla, J. (2012). Probation, parole, and community-based corrections: Supervision, treatment, and evidence-based practices (1^st ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
• Champion, D. J. (2007). Probation, parole and community corrections (6^th ed.). Prentice Hall.
• Hanser, R. D. (2013). Community corrections (2^nd ed.). Sage.
• Hemmens, C. Belbot, B., & Bennett, K. (2013). Significant cases in corrections (2^nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
• Latessa, E. J., & Smith, P. (2015). Corrections in the community (6^th ed.). Routledge.
• Lutze, F. (2013). Professional lives of community corrections officers: The invisible side of reentry. Sage.
• Taxman, F. S., & Belenko, S. (2012). Implementing evidence-based practices in community corrections and addiction treatment.  Springer.

National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies.https://napsa.memberclicks.net/home 
The National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies’ (NAPSA) mission is to promote pretrial justice and public safety through rational pretrial decision making and practices informed by evidence. NAPSA’s core values include learning; transparency and open communications; objective standards; collaboration; dignity; respect; and professional integrity. NAPSA’s core strategic approach is to provide evidence based standards and education to individuals and agencies.

“Promising Victim-Related Practices in Probation and Parole.” The Role of Community Supervision in the Criminal Justice Process. Council of State Government/American Probation and Parole Association, n.d.. https://www.appa-net.org/eWeb/docs/APPA/pubs/PVRPPP.pdf 
According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, 18.7 million people were victimized by a violent or property crime in 2010. Approximately 29 percent of individuals victimized by violence that year—or more than 1 million people—sustained an injury as a result of the crime committed against them (Truman, 2011). As a direct result of these crimes, victims suffer untold losses from property theft and damage, cash losses, medical expenses, and lost pay due to injuries or activities related to the crime.

• Olmsted County Community Corrections' Approach to Probation
  02/28/2020, 8 minutes

  Community Corrections has been on a journey to transform our practice of probation and parole. We interviewed parole officers as well as clients of DFO Community Corrections to get stories about their experiences. This short video shows the impact Olmsted County is making.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60TbR7isTRM&feature=youtu.be

• Dr. Brian Lovins: Probation Coaches on Criminal Justice Office Hours.
  10/17/2018, 33 minutes

  Dr. Lovins is the Assistant Director for Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department. In this 33 minute podcast from the University of Cincinnati, he discusses changing the role of probation officers from that of a referee to a coach and the impact that could have on criminal justice outcomes. 
  https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/criminal-justice/dr-brian-lovins-probation-7Z9Y8gt4avJ/

• PBS NewsHour: A personalized approach to probation saved Arizona $461 million
  04/07/2018, 8 minutes

  Maricopa County Adult Probation Department is a leader in probation reform, in this video  probation officers are engaging with offenders providing a supportive, individualized approach to community supervision.
  https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/a-personalized-approach-to-probation-s...

• The Difference Between Probation and Parole.

  This YouTube video was produced by Lawinfo.com. It briefly discusses the difference between probation and parole.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXUZhaWdc3c 

Skills for Tribal Pretrial Services Practitioners: Interviewing Techniques
Developed by the American Probation and Parole Association, this online self-paced training course provides tribal community corrections professionals with an overview of the interview process, key interviewing skills, and ethical responsibilities of the pretrial interviewer. 
https://appa.academy.reliaslearning.com/Skills-for-Tribal-Pretrial-Services-Practitioners-Interviewing-Techniques--APPA-STPSPIT-G.aspx

The NIC Learn Center has classes on writing and grammar, computer skills, communication, project management, and corrections topics. All that it needed is to create a free account.
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Labrecque, Ryan M, Myrinda Schweitzer, and Paula Smith. “Exploring the Perceptions of the Offender-Officer Relationship in a Community Supervision Setting.” Academic and Business Research Institute. Journal of Criminal Justice Research. http://www.aabri.com/manuscripts/121424.pdf 
This study explores the impact of the Effective Practices in Community Supervision (EPICS) model on offender perceptions of their collaborative working relationships with supervising probation or parole officers. The data in this study was collected as part of an EPICS project at the University of Cincinnati. The results examine the nature and quality of offender perceptions of their probation or parole officers based on officer training status (i.e., trained versus untrained officers) and officer adherence to the EPICS model (i.e., high-fidelity versus low-fidelity officers). The results also examine the influence of offender perceptions on the likelihood of rearrest. Policy implications and recommendations for future research are outlined.

“Tips for Building Rapport.” American Probation and Parole Association, 2015. Tips for Building Rapport PDF 
Handout created by the American Probation and Parole Association. This brief handout provides tips to influence and guide probationers to comply with their supervision.

Pittaro, Michael. “9 Soft Skills Every Criminal Justice Professional Needs.” Corrections1. In Public Safety, September 24, 2018. https://www.corrections1.com/american-military-university/articles/9-soft-skills-every-criminal-justice-professional-needs-D8HR9La3uzDI8Y8L/ 
Soft skills encompass personal characteristics and traits. They are the intangible skills, which are challenging to quantify and measure, but something that criminal justice employers, myself included, seek out in candidates. Unfortunately, soft skills are largely lacking and overlooked within the criminal justice profession, particularly within law enforcement and corrections.

Walters, Scott T, Michael D Clark, Ray Gingerich, and Melissa Meltzer. “Motivating Offenders to Change: A Guide for Probation and Parole.” National Institute of Corrections, July 21, 2022. https://nicic.gov/motivating-offenders-change-guide-probation-and-parole 
This publication "provides probation and parole officers and other correctional professionals with both a solid grounding in the principles behind MI [motivational interviewing] and a practical guide for applying these principles in their everyday dealings with offenders" (p.2). Seven chapters are contained in this guide: how MI fits in with evidence-based practice; how and why people change; the motivational interviewing style; preparing for change; building motivation for change; navigating through tough times--working with deception, violations, and sanctions; and from start to finish--putting MI into practice.

Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers
This web site provides resources for those seeking information on motivational interviewing.  It is hosted by the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), an international organization committed to promoting high-quality MI practice and training. 
https://motivationalinterviewing.org/

Motivational Interviewing in Corrections, National Institute of Corrections
This podcast was produced by DC Public Safety Radio.  The program interviews Bradford Bogue, Director of Justice System Assessment and Training and a motivational interviewer trainer since 1993, and Anjali Nandi, Program Director of the Center for Change. She has been a member of the International Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers since 2003. 
https://media.csosa.gov/podcast/audio/?s=motivational+interviewing