The findings of this study on “empathic supervision” intervention with probation parole officers (PPOs) illustrate that very low-cost psychological interventions targeting empathy in relationships can be cost effective and combat important societal outcomes in a lasting manner, reducing rates of violations and recidivism.
This study tests whether an “empathic supervision” intervention with probation parole officers (PPOs)—that aims to reduce collective blame against and promote empathy for the perspectives of adults on probation or parole (APPs)—can reduce rates of violations and recidivism. The findings illustrate that very low-cost psychological interventions that target empathy in relationships can be cost effective and combat important societal outcomes in a lasting manner. Incarceration is a pervasive issue in the United States that is enormously costly to families, communities, and society at large. The path from prison back to prison may depend on the relationship a person has with their PPO. If the relationship lacks appropriate care and trust, violations and recidivism (return to jail or prison) may be more likely to occur. The intervention highlights the unreasonable expectation that all APPs will reoffend (collective blame) and the benefits of empathy—valuing APPs’ perspectives. Using both within-subject (monthly official records for 10 mo) and between-subject (treatment versus control) comparisons in a longitudinal study with PPOs in a large US city (NPPOs = 216; NAPPs=∼20,478), we find that the empathic supervision intervention reduced collective blame against APPs 10 mo postintervention and reduced between-subject violations and recidivism, a 13% reduction that would translate to less taxpayer costs if scaled. (Published Abstract Provided)