From Referee to Coach: Exploring Probation Officer Support for a New Model

• In Event: Poster Session 1

Abstract

High incarceration rates and a focus on compliance have characterized community supervision for decades. This study explores a promising shift: the organizational coaching model (OCM), which aims to reduce revocations through a coaching approach to supervision and an emphasis on client support and rehabilitation. While the focus of the model is on changing the organizational culture, successful implementation hinges on officer buy-in. Using survey data collected as part of a federally funded cooperative agreement to implement and evaluate the model across three diverse community supervision departments in the United States, the current study examines predictors of officer support for the OCM. The analysis will examine attitudes towards coaching, job satisfaction, and organizational culture. It is expected that officers who embrace a social work orientation towards community supervision will be more likely to be supportive of the coaching model but that this relationship is mediated by organizational trust. This research holds significance for jurisdictions seeking to reform their probation and parole practices. Our findings will guide policymakers and program administrators aiming to create a more supportive probation system. By understanding officer perspectives, we can promote successful implementation and ultimately improve public safety and outcomes for those under supervision.

Authors

• Elia Del Carmen Solano-Patricio, John Jay College of Criminal Justice / CUNY Graduate Center

• Tianna Fulp, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

• Debi Koetzle, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

• Shelley Johnson, University of North Carolina at Charlotte