A Quasi-Experimental Evaluation of a Warrant Unit in Community Corrections

• In Event: Applications of Analytics to Community Corrections in Washington, DC

Abstract

On October 1, 2011, the independent federal agency providing both probation and post-incarceration supervision to the District of Columbia, established a warrants team. This team, was charged with pursuing the closure of warrants issued against offenders under the agency's supervision. The warrant team employs a combination of desk-based investigation strategies (e.g., identifying and tracing leads related to the offenders' whereabouts in law enforcement and government databases, telephone contacts with known or suspected associates) and field work (e.g., field contacts with suspected associates, cooperation with other law enforcement agencies, and surveillance). This study uses a quasi-experimental design to examine the effect the warrant team has had on: (1) the length of time between warrant issuance and closure, (2) the type of closure (e.g., executed, quashed, rescinded), and (3) the response of the warrant-issuing authorities (e.g., revocation to incarceration, revocation to supervision) to warrant executions.

Author

• Mark Coggeshall, Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency