NCJ Number
241610
Date Published
March 2011
Length
44 pages
Annotation
Based on experiences in the juvenile probation reforms in Jefferson County, LA, and Los Angeles County, CA, under the pilot program of Models for Change juvenile justice reform, this Probation Review Guidebook intends to assist other jurisdictions that may be considering whether to undertake a juvenile probation review.
Abstract
The guidebook first addresses who should assume the leadership in the probation review, followed by a recommended design and work plan. The latter should evolve from discussions with probation leaders, with attention to their concerns and problematic issues. The priorities should be determined for review, along with strategies to be used. In both Jefferson Parish and Los Angeles County, the issues for review were organized into four elements: program planning and implementation, best practices and benchmarking, performance measurement and client outcomes, and intra- and interagency work processes. Within each of these elements, the statement of work describes the importance of the element to the jurisdiction, the questions that are to be answered, and the methods to be used. The methods used in the two jurisdictions are outlined. They include document review, key stakeholder interviews, employee survey, process mapping, meetings with the department director and assistant director, probation review team meetings, group interviews, focus groups, best practice analysis, and performance measures and outcomes development. The guidebook concludes with a discussion of the implementation of review recommendations. 11 references and appended supplementary information on tools to be used in the review