Coconino County Online Probation Education Program – Evaluating the Impact of Virtual Probation Services and Mentoring in Arizona’s Largest County

• In Event: Evidence-Based Community Corrections

Abstract

Coconino County, the largest in Arizona by land area, is home to the college town of Flagstaff, vast mountain regions, as well as a number of federally-recognized American Indian tribes spread across its 18,661 square miles. With an adult probation population of roughly 1,100 supervised persons per month, the geographic diversity present in Coconino County provides for a number of challenges when considering access to services and the distance required to satisfy in-person technical supervision requirements. Additionally, the supervised population faces barriers to successful completion of supervision, including high rates of offenders on supervision for DUI or drug offenses and a roughly 50% unemployment rate among the supervised population. The Coconino County Online Probation Education Program (COPE) was developed in an effort to alleviate these issues, offering virtual office visits, remote cognitive-behavioral treatment, educational modules, and mentoring services at a series of rural sites in an effort to reduce recidivism. This presentation will discuss preliminary process and impact evaluation findings, as well as lessons learned and possible considerations for future adaptations.

Authors

• Carlena Orosco, Arizona Criminal Justice Commission

• Catie Clark, Arizona Criminal Justice Commission