However, while this information is important and may satisfy community supervision standards, its value for management purposes is limited. The amount of time expended in the offender's supervision effort is important for management purposes. Thus, while the ratio may be acceptable, the fact is that the JPC may be overextended and may not be providing adequate supervision to the juvenile sex offender because of the time requirement. On the other hand, the JPC could also be underutilized. Juvenile probation counselors do not document time spent by case.
Supervision requires a certain frequency of contact with the juvenile sex offender.
However, it is audit staff's opinion that documentation of time spent per case is more important and useful for management purposes than the frequency of contact. It is especially useful in developing standards for staffing purposes. It might also be useful in dispelling possible allegations of inequitable attention spent by probation counselors on juvenile sex offenders based on race, sex, age, etc. Procedures for monitoring staff performance were found to be adequate. For example, procedures were included for Sex Offender Unit Supervisor review of social files and review of the appropriateness of referral to the Sex Offender Unit.