Whither Fieldwork? The Role of Probation Officer Field Visits in Deterring and Detecting Non-Compliance

• In Event: Probation Supervision

Abstract

Although many probation/parole agencies trumpet the importance of the field visit as “the primary way to monitor offender behavior” (Sieh, 2003) and a “means to provide mentoring and direction to appropriate services” (Lindner, 1992), limited prior research has examined the usefulness of fieldwork in achieving these goals (Ahlin, Antunes & Tubman-Carbone, 2013). This study fills a void in the literature by examining over 4,000 field visits conducted by a large community corrections agency in the northeastern United States in 2010. The results suggest that the number of field visits conducted by probation officers has no significant effect on whether or not an offender will engage in a new crime or an act of technical non-compliance while being supervised. Additional analysis reveals that only a small percentage of the violations charged by probation officers during the year were detected in the course of field visits. These findings raise questions about the role of field visits in both deterring and detecting non-compliance. Further research will want to more closely examine the dynamics of the probation field visit and how field visits can best be used in conjunction with promising contemporary strategies designed to alter offender behavior and reduce criminal activity.

Author

• Joseph DaGrossa, Temple University