NCJ Number
118029
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 51 Issue: 3 Dated: (June 1989) Pages: 98-102
Date Published
1989
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The New York City Department of Probation has started an ambitious effort to provide more effective supervision of drug-abusing probationers.
Abstract
The department received a substantial budget increase to conduct the program. It recognized the need for careful supervision of the process of obtaining urine specimens. It acquired five buildings and created a new set of employees: technicians whose main responsibility is to take specimens. The policy for crack cocaine offenders consists of regular urinalysis and automatic violations for any positive results. The department also tries to place probationers in treatment, although drug treatment is hard to find in New York. The department has also changed its caseload management system by providing differential supervision based on a revised classification system that uses a computerized approach. Probation officers have received step-by-step guidelines for decisionmaking and can also make some exceptions on a case-by-case basis. The new plan will benefit both the probationers and the public. Photographs.