U.S. flag
        An official website of the United States government
          Here's how you know
        Here's how you knowDot gov**Official websites use .gov**
              
              A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
        Https**Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
              
              A **lock** (   A locked padlock
 ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.  **
Menu


    close

        
        
                        
  
          Home
      
    
              How NIC can help
      
                
  
          **I need Training or Courses**
               Free e-courses available 24/7
              
      
                
  
          NIC Training Programs
          In-person and blended trainings
      
    
              I need Technical Assistance
          Guidance, support, advice, assessment, and/or customized training
      
    
              I'm looking for Information Assistance
          NIC publications, DVDs, FAQs, and more
      
    
              **I need other assistance from NIC**
              
      
                
  
          NIC Helpdesk
      
    
              Connect with other Corrections Professionals
          NIC Community Forums
      
    
              Funding Opportunities
          Cooperative Agreements and more
      
    
              Resources
      
                
  
          **News and Events**
              
      
                
  
          Conferences
      
    
              NIC Events
      
    
              NIC News & Media Releases
      
    
              Subscribe to NIC's News & Announcements
          Emails with NIC's latest news and initiatives
      
    
              NIC Quarterly Newsletter Archive
      
    
              **Featured Resources**
              
      
                
  
          Resources for Corrections Professionals
          Resources about correctional topics
      
    
              Topics
          Focused areas of research for Corrections Professionals
      
    
              NIC's e-courses
      
    
              Hot Topics
          Answers to questions about NIC services & resources
      
    
              FAQs
          Frequently Asked Questions
      
    
              **NIC Library**
              
      
                
  
          Search the Library Collection
      
    
              Ask a Librarian
      
    
              Free eBooks
      
    
              Sign in to the EBSCOhost Research Platform
          Free research resources provided by NIC
      
    
              Webinars and Broadcasts
          Streaming Video of NIC Trainings
      
    
              US State Statistics
          Statistics Information about US Corrections
      
    
              About NIC
      
                
  
          **About the Agency**
              
      
                
  
          Mission
      
    
              Staff Directory
      
    
              Reports to the Nation
      
    
              Funding Opportunities
      
    
              History of NIC
      
    
              Advisory Board
      
    
              **Divisions**
              
      
                
  
          Academy Division
      
    
              Community Services Division
      
    
              Jails Division
      
    
              Prisons Division
      
    
              **Strategic Plan**
              
      
                
  
          Subscribe to NIC's News & Announcements
          Emails with NIC's latest news and initiativesMy Cart
                                
                          
        
                Log in Home
                                    Federal Probation

      

                    
          
    Federal Probation
Motivational Interviewing Training In Criminal Justice: Development of a Model Plan
      The utilization of motivational interviewing (MI) by probation officers is explained. MI “is a communication style that involves strategic use of questions and statements to help clients find their own reasons for change” (p. 61). Topics discussed include: evidence-based practice; role of the probation officer; MI in criminal justice; the eight stages of learning motivational interviewing; MI training-a model plan; and future directions.
    The Role of Program Design, Implementation, and Evaluation in Evidence-Based “Real World” Community Supervision
      The use of Strategy in Training Initiative in Community Supervision (STICS), a comprehensive model for community supervision, is discussed. Those individuals involved with community corrections and its increased effectiveness should read this article. It will explain how to transfer evidence-based practice into “real world” community supervision. Topics covered include: the emergence of the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model; the Strategic Training Initiative in Community Supervision-program design, implementation, and evaluation issues; and steps to bringing “what works” to the real world.
    Early Termination of Supervision: No Compromise to Community Safety
      The “effectiveness of early termination as a measure that permits probation offices to focus supervision resources on persons most likely to recidivate, without compromising the statutory purposes of probation and supervised release” is examined. There is only a 5.9% new arrest rate for offenders released early from supervision (early-term offenders) compared to a rate of 12.2% for full-term offenders.
    Reducing Recidivism Through Probation Supervision: What We Know and Don't Know From Four Decades of Research
      “This article is about the relationship between recidivism rates and supervision skills used by probation officers (or others who supervise offenders on community-based orders or parole). It focuses on routine day-to-day supervision rather than on intensive supervision programs or other specialized programs or interventions.” Issues discussed include: the impact of probation officer skills; and skills or practices that are consistently related to reduced recidivism-pro-social modeling and reinforcement, problem solving, the use of cognitive techniques, work-client relationship, and risk level of clients.
    7 Keys to "Make EBPs Stick": Lessons From the Field
      “Recent evidence to improve the implementation of evidence-based supervision has focused on new training initiatives for staff. While training of staff is important to advance skills and knowledge about these practices, training can be very limited. Organizational strategies are needed to sustain the effort in evidence-based supervision. This article focuses on seven strategies.”

Sections of this article include:

What is all the hoopla about?
	Strategies at the organizational level/completing the skill building-
	Strategy 1: Build capacity through an organizational plan and structure that supports and sustains the implementation of evidence-based practices and quality supervision;
	Strategy 2: Build capacity through revised Mission that focuses on the changes related to RNR supervision;
	Strategy 3: Build capacity by planning for change in key areas;
	Strategy 4: Build Resiliency through internal supports and learn the skills, practice the skills.;
	Strategy 5: Build Resiliency Through Improvements in Work Processes;
	Strategy 6: Collaborate with agencies toward a common goal of improving offender outcomes and promoting public safety; and
	Strategy 7: Build resiliency by altering offender involvement in key decisions; and conclusion.
    Changing Probation Officer Attitudes: Training Experience, Motivation, and Knowledge
      The impact of evidence-based training on the level of probation officers’ (POs) knowledge of “what works” in effective interventions and also on the POs’ attitudes about providing better service are examined. This study shows that “the training had an immediate effect on several indicators regarding knowledge of evidence-based correctional practices, belief in self-efficacy regarding offender change (on the part of probation officers), and an increasing awareness of the importance of core correctional practices and the effectiveness of the IBIS [Integrated Behavioral Intervention Strategies] skills ... these changes represent an attitudinal change on the part of the POs who were participating in the training.”
    A Review of Probation Home Visits: What Do We Know?
      "Although home visits are seen as a critical tool employed by probation officers, recent evidence demonstrates that home visits are rarely conducted, even for high-risk offenders who might benefit from them the most ... Because there are costs (such as probation officer time and safety risks) associated with conducting field work, we need to understand the role of home visits in modern probation agencies and determine best practices of how they should be implemented to meet intended goals. This article highlights the historical importance of home visits as a key element of probation and suggests future avenues to inform the field about their full potential and utility" (p. 32). Sections cover: a brief history of probation-from rehabilitation to crime control and back again; the role of home visits in supporting probation goals; expansion of probation to higher-risk offenders-retaining a role for home visits; and addressing gaps in our knowledge about home visits-officer and offender goals for home visits, opening the "black box" of home visits, impact of home visits on family and communities, dosage-how often and how many home visits are needed, and desistance among high-risk offenders.
    Policy Implications of Police-Probation/Parole Partnerships: A Review of the Empirical Literature
      This article examines the benefits and challenges of interagency collaboration between law enforcement and community corrections. "The primary assumption of these programs is that both entities possess distinct intelligence and resources that if combined should better address, prevent, or intervene in the violence perpetuated by this criminogenic population" (p. 2). Sections cover: history of police-probation/parole partnerships; research and evaluation on partnerships; problems associated with partnership; and seven recommendations for policy and practice on police-probation/parole partnerships.
    Addressing Responsivity Issues with Criminal Justice-Involved Native Americans
      Anyone working with Native American offenders should read this article. Its purpose is to "increase the level of understanding of correctional professionals about how the responsivity issues of Native American (NA) individuals can be effectively addressed. NA offenders are involved in criminal and juvenile justice systems handled by tribal, county, state, and federal agencies. As a result, there are several levels of justice practitioners, administrators, and policy makers that come into contact with NA supervisees at various stages of the criminal or juvenile justice system. This article focuses on how probation and parole officers (PPOs) are addressing responsivity factors of NA youth or adults on their caseloads throughout the supervision process" (p. 1). Sections of this publication include: risk, need, and responsivity approaches with Native American supervisees; methods; survey findings-general and specific responsivity; recommendations-three regarding research and development, risk and needs assessments, evaluation, three for recommendations for policy, and six practice recommendations; and conclusion.
    The Neglected "R" - Responsivity and the Federal Offender
      "Barriers that could impede the successful implementation of a supervision program (e.g., the responsivity principle) are frequently discussed under the risk, needs, and responsivity rubric, but have been historically under-researched. This paper describes an initial empirical investigation of the presence of responsivity factors among offenders under federal post-conviction supervision. From this analysis, we know that probation officers identified 28% of the nearly 20,000 offenders placed on federal supervision between November 2013 and March 2014 as having responsivity problems serious enough to constitute major barriers to supervision interventions. The most common responsivity factors identified are inadequate transportation and mental health. Offenders classified into the highest PCRA risk category were substantially more likely to have responsivity problems than their lower risk counterparts. These and other findings involving the presence of responsivity among federally supervised offenders will be further explored in this paper." Findings are presented for: presence of responsivity factors for offenders under federal supervision; relationship between responsivity factors and offender risk and supervision levels; investigating offenders identified with "other" responsivity factors; relationship between offender demographic characteristics and responsivity factors; and variation in the presence of responsivity across the federal judicial districts. Return to top

      About NIC

About the Agency
	Divisions
	Staff Directory
	Contact NIC

NIC Services

Training
	Technical Assistance
	Corrections Forums
	Subscribe to NIC News

Resources

Resources by Role
	Resources by Topic
	NIC News
	NIC Events
  
      Agency logo
              
                              National Institute of Corrections
        
                  NIC Legal Policies and DisclaimersNIC Privacy Policy and DisclaimersPlain Language PolicyAccessibility PolicyDOJ Links:Justice.govOpen GovernmentLegal Policies and DisclaimersInformation QualityPrivacy PolicySmall BusinessOffice of the Inspector GeneralBudget and PerformanceFOIANo FEAR Act DataVulnerability Disclosure PolicyVote.govHave a question about government services? Contact USA.govFollow NIC on X
the National institute of corrections governmental seal