The Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) supervises men and 

women on probation, parole, or supervised 

release in Washington, DC. The core of 

CSOSA’s mission is to increase public 

safety and prevent crime by reducing recidivism. To do this, CSOSA works to 

reduce rearrests, improve education levels, 

increase employment rates, and reduce 

drug use among the approximately 15,500 

offenders that CSOSA’s Community Supervision Officers (CSO’s) supervise on 

any given day. 

CSOSA has identified four Critical Success 

Factors necessary to encourage offender 

accountability and opportunities to develop 

skills and resources that contribute to 

crime-free and drug-free behavior. 

Risk & Needs Assessment 

CSOSA SCREENER 

& CASE PLANNING: CSOSA assesses each offender’s 

risk to the community 

and social needs. The 

results of the assessment comprise a supervision plan intended to guide the offender’s 

supervision process. 

Close Supervision 

HIGH LEVELS OF 

CONTACT: Offender 

risk level, determined 

b y t h e C S O S A 

screener, guides the 

frequency with which 

offenders must report 

to Community Supervision Officers. 

NEIGHBORHOOD-BASED SUPERVISION: In order to place Community Supervision Officers and facilities close to the 

neighborhoods where offenders live, 

CSOSA operates six field units, two community-based learning labs, and the Reentry & Sanctions Center, a residential substance abuse treatment preparation facility. 

C S O S A - L AW E NF O RCE M E N T 

PARTNERSHIPS: Community Supervision Officers and police officers (from the 

Metropolitan Police Department and the 

DC Housing Authority Police) routinely 

share information on high-risk offenders, 

conduct Accountability Tours – in which 

a CSO and a police officer visit offenders 

in the community, and host Mass Orientations — in which police and CSO’s meet with 

offenders just released. 

SURVEILLANCE DRUG TESTING: 

Frequent contact with CSO’s is supplemented 

by drug testing, ranging from twice weekly to 

once monthly. 

GRADUATED RESPONSES: Swift and 

certain sanctions for rule breaking are a key to 

successful supervision. Sanctions include 

increased in-person contacts, day reporting, 

electronic and Global Position System (GPS) 

monitoring, increased drug testing, community service, and short-term residential placement. 

REPORTING VIOLATIONS: New arrests 

and repeat violations of probation, parole, or 

supervised release conditions result in reports 

of alleged violations to the United States Parole Commission or the appropriate releasing 

authority. 

CSOSA MISSION & CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS

COURT SERVICES AND OFFENDER SUPERVISION AGENCY

for the District of Columbia 

CSOSA Fact Sheet 

For additional information, contact the CSOSA Office of Legislative, 

Intergovernmental and Public Affairs at (202) 220-5333. 

www.csosa.gov 

CSOSA Field Office at 25 K St NE. 
Treatment and 

Support Services 

S U B S T A N C E 

ABUSE TREATMENT: CSOSA 

assesses high-risk 

offenders’ addiction 

severity to make clinically appropriate 

treatment placements. 

The agency’s fiscal appropriation allows for 

CSOSA to meet 25% of the population’s 

addiction treatment need. CSOSA refers 

lower-risk offenders to the DC Department of 

Health, Addiction Prevention and Recovery 

Administration (APRA), the agency primarily responsibility for addressing the substance 

abuse treatment needs of eligible District 

residents. 

REENTRY AND SANCTIONS CENTER:

CSOSA opened its Reentry and Sanctions 

Center in February 2006. The Reentry and 

Sanctions Center provides offenders with a 

28-day assessment and treatment preparation 

program prior to placement in residential or 

outpatient programming. 

VIOLENCE REDUCTION PROGRAM: 

The Violence Reduction Program (VRP) is a 

three-phase treatment intervention for men, 

aged 18-35 with histories of violent, weapons, and/or drug distribution convictions. 

• Phase I: Assessment and Treatment 

Readiness 

• Phase II: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy 

• Phase III: Aftercare and Community 

Reintegration 

The goal of the Violence Reduction Program 

is to help offenders: 

• Develop non-violent approaches to conflict resolution 

• Increase problem-solving skills 

• Adopt communication styles that improve social skills 

• Establish an alternative peer network by 

promoting pro-social supports and accountability networks 

• Learn and apply skills to regulate anxiety 

EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT: The 

Vocational Opportunities for Training, Education, and Employment (VOTEE) unit assesses and responds to the individual educational and vocational needs of offenders. The 

unit also provides adult basic education and 

GED preparation courses at one of four 

learning labs staffed by CSOSA Learning 

Lab Specialists. In addition, VOTEE actively maintains partnerships with the State 

Education Agency, Adult Education Office 

in collaboration with the University of District of Columbia to provide literacy services. The DC Department of Employment 

Services provides employment training, and 

placement services. 

Partnerships 

COMMUNITY JUSTICE ADVISORY 

NETWORKS: 

CSOSA’s Community 

Relations Specialists 

maintain Community 

Justice Advisory Networks (CJAN’s), 

which are designed to 

resolve key public 

safety issues/concerns resulting in an improved quality of life throughout the District of Columbia. CJAN’s are comprised 

of residents and key stakeholders, such as 

Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners, 

faith based institutions, schools, civic organizations, businesses, nonprofit organizations, government agencies and local law 

enforcement entities. CJAN’s function 

within each of seven police districts 

throughout the city. 

CSOSA FAITH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP: The CSOSA Faith Community 

Partnership is designed to provide mentors 

for returning offenders and establish a network of faith-based institutions that may 

have housing, employment, substance 

abuse, or other resources that can benefit 

men and women returning from prison. 

MENTAL HEALTH: CSOSA refers 

offenders to contract psychologists for mental health screening to determine need for 

more in-depth psychological evaluation and 

treatment. The DC Department of Mental 

Health provides mental health psychological screening and evaluations, counseling, 

and community-based support services for 

offenders with diagnosed mental health 

disorders. 

ID & BENEFITS: CSOSA verifies an 

offender’s address to assist him or her in 

obtaining non-driver’s identification from 

the Department of Motor Vehicles. 

CSOSA also directs offenders to appropriate DC Department of Human Services 

offices to apply for social services or 

healthcare insurance for self and/or family. 

PHYSICAL HEALTH/DISABILITY: 

CSOSA does not provide any direct healthrelated services. The agency does counsel 

offenders to register for the DC Healthcare 

Alliance or Medicaid if they are eligible. 

DC Healthcare Alliance provides insurance 

coverage for residents who meet income 

requirements. DC Department of Health 

offers primary healthcare at neighborhood 

clinics operated by the DC Health and Hospital Public Benefit Corporation. 

COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM: 

CSOSA refers offenders with court-ordered 

community service requirements to nonprofit organizations that provide a wide 

range of services that benefit District of 

Columbia residents. CSOSA also enters 

agreements with non-profit organizations 

and civic groups that host one-time events 

intended to achieve community improvements, such as cleaning up and installing 

playground equipment in a park. The Community Service Program seeks to encourage 

a sense of investment in the community on 

the part of offenders while strengthening 

the community’s commitment to embrace 

all members of the society.

COURT SERVICES AND OFFENDER SUPERVISION AGENCY 

CSOSA offenders engage in community service