A National Survey of Parole: Examining Trends in Current Practice

• In Event: Poster Session

Abstract

The United States is witnessing a transformation of its corrections system today. Nation-wide budget cuts, prison overcrowding, and an ongoing imperative to increase public safety and reduce recidivism has led many agencies to revisit their approach to offender management and supervision in community corrections. At the same time, a wealth of research has helped to identify the principles and strategies that must be in place in order for agencies to meaningfully affect offender change. The extent to which this research has infiltrated into routine practice, however, is yet unknown. This study seeks to examine current national trends in parole supervision practices. Specifically, we explore whether and how well the principles of risk, need, responsivity, and fidelity (i.e., empirically-supported foundations of offender intervention) are practiced in routine parole supervision. Administrative representatives from each of the 50 United States and a representative from the federal parole system will complete a brief on-line survey. Results from this study will have important implications for ongoing policy and practice for the community supervision of offenders on parole. They may also signal areas for improvement in research, practice, and bridging the researcher-practitioner divide.

Authors

• Alison Joan Farringer, University of Cincinnati

• Sarah M. Manchak, University of Cincinnati