Core Correctional Practices in Community Supervision: An Evaluation of a Policy Mandate to Increase Probation Officer Use of Skills

• DOI: 10.1177/0306624X20981045
• Published date: 01 June 2021
• Author: Ryan M. Labrecque,Jill Viglione
• Date: 01 June 2021
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X20981045

International Journal of

Offender Therapy and

Comparative Criminology

2021, Vol. 65(8) 858 –881

© The Author(s) 2020

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DOI: 10.1177/0306624X20981045

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Article

Core Correctional Practices

in Community Supervision:

An Evaluation of a Policy

Mandate to Increase

Probation Officer Use of Skills

Jill Viglione1 and Ryan M. Labrecque1

Abstract

Community supervision officer training programs aim to translate core correctional

practices into routine practice. These training programs emphasize skill-building

designed to shift supervision strategies from law enforcement/compliance-oriented

to a focus on promoting and supporting behavior change. Despite evidence of their

effectiveness, research finds trained officers use newly learned skills infrequently. The

current study examined the impact of a policy, implemented post-training, designed

to encourage trained officers to use skills emphasized by the Staff Training Aimed at

Reducing Rearrest (STARR) training program more frequently. The current study

examined the effectiveness of this policy on the frequency and type of skills used by

officers in their interactions with individuals on their caseload. Analyses suggested

the policy mandate was effective in increasing skill use, however officers still used

trained skills in less than half of their interactions. Implications and considerations for

increasing the use of skills are discussed.

Keywords

correctional training program, evidence-based practice implementation, organizational

change, STARR, probation

A large body of research cites the existence of competing goals of rehabilitation and

punishment in correctional work (Klockars, 1972; Paparozzi & Gendreau, 2005;

1University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA

Corresponding Author:

Jill Viglione, Department of Criminal Justice, University of Central Florida, 12805 Pegasus Drive, HPA 1,

Room 330A, Orlando, FL 32816-1600, USA.

Email: jill.viglione@ucf.edu

981045IJOXXX10.1177/0306624X20981045International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative CriminologyViglione and Labrecque

research-article2020

Viglione and Labrecque 859

Skeem & Manchak, 2008). While originally implemented with an emphasis on social

support, community corrections agencies evolved to focus on compliance and law

enforcement responsibilities (Cullen & Gilbert, 1982; Taxman, 2002). Over the last

several decades, however, there has been increasing attention toward the ineffective-

ness of this punitively oriented system (Bonta et al., 2008) coupled with tight budgets

and an over-burdened correctional system (Nagin et al., 2009). As a result, researchers

and stakeholders began to emphasize the use of evidence-based practices (EBPs) or

services that are supported by scientific research to improve outcomes (Latessa et al.,

2020; MacKenzie, 2006; Sherman et al., 1998).

Research on EBPs in community corrections settings seeks to better align practices

with interventions that are scientifically validated to improve supervision outcomes

(Andrews et al., 1990; Bonta & Andrews, 2017; Dowden & Andrews, 2004; Gendreau,

1996). The use of best practices aims to shift the pendulum toward the rehabilitation

goal of supervision and encourage practitioners to make decision that result in the pro-

vision of interventions for the appropriate populations, targeting the appropriate risk

factors, and applied in the most effective ways (Andrews et al., 1990; Cullen &

Gendreau, 2000). While supported by meta-analytic evidence (Andrews et al., 1990;

Andrews & Dowden, 2006; Bonta & Andrews, 2017, Lipsey & Cullen, 2007), imple-

mentation of EBPs in correctional settings is challenging (e.g., Bonta et al., 2008;

Viglione et al., 2015; Viglione, 2017). This is not surprising given the culture change

required to fully embrace EBPs in traditionally authoritarian environments.

In response to the well-documented implementation challenges, researchers have

developed community supervision officer training programs designed to help translate

EBPs into routine practice (Chadwick et al., 2015; Gleicher et al., 2013). These train-

ing programs emphasize the development of knowledge and skill-building in several

key areas designed to shift supervision strategies from law enforcement/compliance-

oriented to a focus on promoting and supporting behavior change. Despite evidence of

their effectiveness and ability to increase the application of the principles of effective

intervention in practice (Bonta et al., 2011; Robinson et al., 2011; Smith et al., 2012),

research finds that trained officers still use these practices at best 58% of the time

(Bonta et al., 2011), with some studies noting use as low as 44% (Robinson et al.,

2011). However, there has been very little examination of strategies agencies have

implemented other than training and coaching (Labrecque & Smith, 2017) to increase

the frequency of skill use. The current study sought to add to this body of research by

examining the impact of a policy, implemented post-training, designed to encourage

trained officers to use skills emphasized by the Staff Training Aimed at Reducing

Rearrest (STARR) training program more frequently. The current study examined the

effectiveness of this policy on the frequency and type of skills used by officers in their

interactions with individuals on their caseload.

Evidence-Based Community Supervision Practices

Based on the general personality and cognitive learning (GPCSL) model of criminal

behavior, researchers developed principles of effective intervention to outline