1. Probation and Parole Professionals
Chapter 11
Probation and Parole Professionals

2. Introduction The PO role seems to be changing
There are serious concerns throughout the correctional community about whether POs are police officers or peace officers
PO work is increasingly specialized
Gangs are a pervasive part of society, therefore POs have to be familiar with affiliations
PO work is stressful

3. Probation and Parole: Risk/Needs Assessment
Assessing offender risk: brief history
Many risk assessment measures have been devised and used for determining probabilities of clients to engage in dangerous behaviors
These instruments allow corrections personnel to highlight client weaknesses
Criminologist and criminal justice scholars have become increasingly involved in devising risk assessment inventories
Dangerousness and risk are often used interchangeably
Needs assessment instruments also measure an offender’s social skills, health, well being, and emotional stability

4. Probation and Parole: Risk/Needs Assessment
Types of risk assessment instruments
Anamnestic prediction
Prediction of offender behavior according to past circumstances
Actuarial prediction
Prediction based on the characteristics of a class of offenders
Clinical prediction
Prediction based on predictor’s professional training and experience

5. Probation and Parole: Risk/Needs Assessment
The effectiveness of risk assessment devices
Presently efforts to predict offender behavior remain at best an unstable business
Two important questions in designing an instrument are:
Which factors are most relevant in prediction?
What weight should be given to each of these factors?

6. Probation and Parole: Risk/Needs Assessment
Some applications of risk/needs measures
Ohio’s goals and objectives
Provide for public protection
Provide appropriate continuum of sanctions
Provide safe, secure, and humane conditions
Recognize achievement of inmates with problems
Make the decision-making process more open

7. Probation and Parole: Risk/Needs Assessment
Selective incapacitation
Incarcerating certain offenders deemed high risks to public safety and not incarcerating other offenders determined to be low risks
Is designed to reduce crime by incarcerating only those most likely to recidivate
Obviously it is discriminatory and ethics and fairness of predictive sentencing are called into question
There are too many variables that can interfere with proper prediction of individual behavior

8. The Changing Probation/Parole Officer Role
The quality of PO personnel is increasing compared with past years
A belief is that more educated personnel may be better able to manage the stress associated with PO work
At the same time, those with higher education also have higher levels of job dissatisfaction
EM and home confinement is changing the qualifications of those who supervise offenders
Private enterprise in now entering the field

9. The Changing Probation/Parole Officer Role
Global positioning satellite systems: tracking offenders from outer space
Technological advancements have modified PO roles and how they do their jobs
With GPS, POs can track an offender on a computer and tell what street the offender is on, anywhere in the state
POs can also send instant messages to their clients and warn offenders
These cannot, however, detect other violations such as substance abuse

10. The Changing Probation/Parole Officer Role
Apprehension units
One fact faced by probation and parole agencies is that some proportion of their clients will abscond
All departments of corrections throughout the United States have apprehension units
Apprehension units are dedicated departments consisting of specialists who engage in offender tracking and apprehension
Their business is to find absconders and bring them back to their jurisdictions for punishment

11. The Changing Probation/Parole Officer Role
Gang units
In 2002, there were over 29,000 known gangs in the United States
Consisting of over 800,000 members
This has become a major problem for POs
As such gang units have been formed to learn more about gang affiliated clientele
PO agencies strive to enhance their knowledge of both street and prison gangs in order to more effectively supervise them

12. The Changing Probation/Parole Officer Role
Research units
An essential part of any probation or parole department is a research unit
These units compile extensive information about probationer and parolee characteristics as well as information about jail and prison populations
These units are essential to effective probation and parole program planning

13. Stress and Burnout in Probation/Parole Officer Role Performance
Stress is a nonspecific response to a perceived threat to an individual’s well being or self esteem
Each person will act differently to varying stressors
In-service training therefore is very important in helping officers to become aware of these stressor as well as symptoms of stress
Some stress is good, in moderate amounts it can enhance the learning and creative processes

14. Stress and Burnout in Probation/Parole Officer Role Performance
Burnout is one result of stress
It is a term used to describe work alienation, apathy, depersonalization, depression, and other job related complaints
There is no agreement as to how burnout should be defined
Maslach (1982) has identified at least 15 different connotations of the term

15. Stress and Burnout in Probation/Parole Officer Role Performance
Sources of Stress
Job dissatisfaction
Role conflict
Role ambiguity
Officer-client interactions
Excessive paperwork and performance pressures
Low self-esteem and public image
Job risks and liabilities

16. Stress and Burnout in Probation/Parole Officer Role Performance
Mitigating factors to alleviate stress and burnout
Incorporate features into PO training programs to make them more streetwise
This will help them be safer when conducting face-to-face interviews
This may include things like hand-to-hand combat training or other self-defense skills

17. Volunteers in Probation/Parole Work
Volunteers in probation or parole work
Any unpaid person who performs auxiliary, supplemental, augmentive, or any other work services
Examples:
Serving as tutors
Providing transportation to parenting sessions
Teaching hobby skills
Teaching computer and job search skills
Providing gifts around the holidays

18. Volunteers in Probation/Parole Work
Criticisms of volunteers in corrections
Pervasive volunteer naivete
Lack of long-term commitments
Do not work independently
Volunteers lack expertise and experience
Volunteers threaten job security
Some volunteers may be aiders and abetters

19. Paraprofessionals in Probation/Parole Work
Salaried assistants working with Professionals
Roles:
Depends on amount of training
Some assist mental health professionals in prisons
Some work with children
Used in mediation projects such as alternative dispute resolution

20. Volunteers in Probation/Parole Work
Legal liabilities - Volunteers and Paraprofessionals
The case of Hyland v. Wonder (1992)
Liability issues may include:
Negligent hiring
Negligent assignment
Negligent retention
Negligent entrustment
Negligent direction
Negligent supervision