Policy Panel: The Real Reform in Community Corrections: Changing Organizational Culture

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract

With the deincarceration experience and the relatively recent push throughout criminal justice agencies toward evidence-based or evidence-informed policies/practices, many U.S. probation and parole organizations are undertaking multiple reform efforts simultaneously. These often well-intentioned reforms face two primary challenges to changing correctional outcomes. First, probation/parole organizations often do not know or do now understand what, if any, evidence supports the policy/practice change. Second, deeply embedded organizational cultural issues present barriers to changing practice or successful implementation. In this panel, academic and policy researchers combine forces with a probation leader to discuss salient issues related to changing organizational culture in community corrections. Specifically, the presentations on this panel discuss the demands of constant efforts to change practice, the inadequacy of current data sources to understand and inform culture/change and the value of working in partnerships (academic-agency) to improve knowledge and outcomes. The panel will explore the state of infrastructure available to support massive changes that often require new technology or practices as well as new goals.

Sub Unit

• Policy Panels

Individual Presentations

• Change Fatigue: Organizational Culture in Probation Amidst Continual Reform and Change - Chris Hansen, Solano County Probation Department

• Making Research and Data Useful for Helping Community Corrections Organizations Change - Matthew DeMichele, Center for Justice, Safety and Resilience, RTI

• Research Practitioner Partnerships as Pathways to Understanding Culture and Improving Reform Implementation - Danielle S. Rudes, George Mason University; Jill Viglione, University of Texas at San Antonio

Chair

• Danielle S. Rudes, George Mason University

Discussant

• Faye S. Taxman, George Mason University