Community Supervision in Rural Context: An Examination of Officer Practices and Client Efficacy

• In Event: New Directions in Community Supervision Research: Research Practice Partnerships, Client and Staff Perceptions

Abstract

Community-based supervision is often viewed as a sensible sentencing strategy in lieu of incarceration. However, there is much to be learned about community-based corrections, particularly in oft-neglected rural communities with scarce resources. This study involves collection and analysis of survey data on probation/parole service provision and client experiences in several rural Pennsylvania counties. Using multivariate statistical analysis supplemented with qualitative interview data, we examine the effects of officer supervisory style (e.g., punitive/surveillance-oriented; therapeutic/rehabilitative; dual-role/synthetic) and officer use of core correctional practices on clients’ perceived “probation efficacy”—a measure indexing their beliefs that they can successfully navigate the terms of their sentence, while also recognizing circumstantial obstacles. We also examine whether these relationships vary across counties, thus addressing potential rural heterogeneity in community supervision practices and outcomes.

Authors

• Gwyneth Evans, Pennsylvania State University

• Pamela Wilcox, Pennsylvania State University