Community Supervision and Officer Stress: The Role of Stress in Implementing Person-Centered Communication Skills

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

Abstract

Concentrating on the “relationship” element of Person-Centered Supervision, this study
examines the role of stress in communication dynamics between officers and people on probation
or parole. Despite over two decades of researchers substantially expanding the knowledge base
on “what works” in community supervision, we have only seen modest gains in overall criminal
justice outcomes. Given that implementing new and advanced interventions rests on the
shoulders of officers, a deeper understanding of factors that influence their adoption of evidence-
based practices, such as person-centered communication skills, is critical to the effectiveness of
probation and parole agencies. To this end, we assess whether increased stress among officers is
associated with their likelihood of delivering the Enhanced Supervision Program (ESP), a
research-informed initiative for improving officer-supervisee relationships.

Authors

• Nicholas Powell, Georgia Department of Community Supervision

• Frances Chen, Georgia State University

• Tonya Van Deinse, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill