NCJ Number
225197
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 72 Issue: 2 Dated: September 2008 Pages: 77-79
Date Published
September 2008
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article describes how the role of Federal probation officers in the Northern District of Iowa has evolved over the past 2 years under the implementation of evidence-based practices designed to reduce clients’ recidivism and therefore increase public protection.
Abstract
The shift to evidence-based practices has involved the use of tools that have proven their value in assisting probation/parole clients to undergo positive changes that reduce their recidivism. These tools include the use of risk/needs assessments, a focus on targeted cognitive-behavioral treatment programming, a structure of services for reentry, and the use of “motivational interviewing” (MI) in order to increase clients’ motivation to change their criminal behaviors. Officers in the Northern District of Iowa have learned that when they use evidence-based scientific research to assess a client’s needs and then focus efforts on one or two main objectives, positive changes occur in clients’ lives. Probation work has become more aligned with science by putting into practice what scientific research has shown to be effective in achieving positive behavioral changes. The information gained from the assessment process guides supervision strategies by matching evidence-based treatment modalities and programs to individual needs. This logical and sequential case-management approach provides clients with an opportunity to realize their potential for positive change in a targeted, productive manner, as they examine the impact of their behavior on their families, neighborhoods, and communities. One of the most significant shifts in methodology and practice has been the implementation of MI. By using the principles and practices of MI, officers have found that clients’ motivation to change, one of the primary prerequisites for change actually occurring, has increased. The overall effort is based on training officers to be goal-oriented, empathetic, understanding, and skilled in encouraging clients to commit to positive change. 5 references