No Place like Home? Investigating Home Visits as an Element of Parole Supervision Practice

• In Event: Parole Practices and Reentry

Abstract

With incarceration a costly and potentially ineffective endeavor, scholars and policy makers alike are asking critical questions about how to structure community based supervision. Evidence suggests that increasing the number of contacts between community corrections officers and offenders, without attention to the character of these contacts, does little to improve offender outcomes. Home visits are a central aspect of parole supervision, yet surprisingly little research has been conducted about the determinants of visitation or the potential effectiveness of such visits. These contacts may provide an opportunity for influencing offenders’ adjustment in the community, particularly if they can be used to leverage support from family members. Conversely, they may be unnecessarily intrusive and alienating for parolees, with potentially counterproductive consequences. This paper analyses data on New Jersey parole officer contacts with parolees to better understand how home visits are used as a feature of parole supervision in the state, and contemplates their potential for influencing parolee outcomes .

Authors

• Johnna Christian, Rutgers University

• Michael Ostermann, Rutgers University

• Joel Miller, Rutgers University