NCJ Number
208522
Date Published
2004
Length
100 pages
Annotation
This manual provides guidance for incorporating behavior management concepts into the primary responsibilities of community supervision staff.
Abstract
The central role of community supervision has been an issue of contention for 150 years. Is community supervision law enforcement work or social work? This manual argues that the central role of community supervision is to reduce recidivism and as such, community supervision should incorporate principles of behavior management to form a hybrid model of community supervision that falls somewhere between law enforcement and social work. The behavior management model provides community supervision staff with a comprehensive set of tools to change offender attitudes and behaviors. Behavior management works by motivating offenders to change, helps them acquire skills necessary to be pro-social members of the community, and ensures compliance with goal-oriented supervision requirements. Behavior management tools are grounded in recent empirical research of “what works” in the field of corrections. The manual discusses the research related to criminal behavior and change and summarizes how to apply the behavior management model to the field of community supervision. Core components of the behavior management model are: (1) assessments of risk and needs in order to develop the case plan; (2) the case plan is a behavioral contract where the offender develops the change; (3) behavioral expectations lead to consequences and rewards; and (4) rapport between supervision staff and offender is key to the behavior change process. Each chapter is easy to read and contains a review of the core concepts and exercise worksheets. A discussion of the offender types in the last section assists staff in preparing practice guidelines for each type of offender, with corresponding quarterly goals and objectives for the offender to achieve. References