Unsupervised Incentives: Receiving and Succeeding

• In Event: Person Centered Supervision: Where Research Meets Practice

Abstract

Related to the “time” element of Person-Centered Supervision, this research focuses on how and
when an individual is granted an unsupervised incentive on felony probation. Reoffending is
most likely to occur during the first 10-18 months of probation, and long supervision terms fail
to deliver better results. Additionally, incentives are more effective than sanctions at improving
outcomes. To this point, one of the most valued incentives among individuals serving probation
terms is reduced reporting requirements. Therefore, state statute deems that anyone who
completes two years of probation without issue is eligible for the incentive of no longer reporting
to an officer (i.e., Unsupervised Incentive). Further, transitioning low-risk individuals to a non-
reporting status allows community supervision agencies to focus their limited time and resources
on assisting clients with higher risk and higher needs. However, little is known about (1) what
factors impact who receives unsupervised incentives or (2) whether the timeliness of granting
unsupervised incentives impacts criminal justice outcomes. This study aims to fill these gaps
using longitudinal administrative data from the Georgia Department of Community Supervision
(DCS).

Authors

• William (Bill) Sabol, Georgia State University

• Bria Cross, Georgia Department of Community Supervision