What Factors Contribute to Differential Perceptions Toward Evidence-Based Practices? An Examination of Officer Role Orientation, Job Satisfaction, Confidence, and Skill Proficiency

• Published date: 01 May 2024
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/00938548241230085
• Author: Tamara Kang Balzarini,Jennifer Eno Louden
• Date: 01 May 2024

CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND BEHAVIOR, 2024, Vol. 51, No. 5, May 2024, 687 –706.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548241230085

Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions

© 2024 International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology

687

WHAT FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO

DIFFERENTIAL PERCEPTIONS TOWARD

EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES?

An Examination of Officer Role Orientation, Job

Satisfaction, Confidence, and Skill Proficiency

TAMARA KANG BALZARINI

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

JENNIFER ENO LOUDEN

The University of Texas at El Paso

Training probation officers on evidence-based practices (EBPs) is vital to ensuring that community supervision is maximally

effective at reducing recidivism. However, after training, probation officers often have differential perceptions regarding

EBPs. Thus, this study surveyed 90 adult probation officers after they participated in a training based on the Risk-Need-

Responsivity model and Core Correctional Practices and examined whether their role orientation, job satisfaction, and con-

fidence and skill proficiency using EBPs predicted their perceptions regarding the EBPs’ ease of use, usefulness, and

perceived success at reducing recidivism on their caseload. Regression analyses revealed that all predictors accounted for

variability in officers’ perceptions regarding the perceived success of using EBPs, explaining 41.2% of the variance, but job

satisfaction (ΔR2= .18) and officer role orientation (ΔR2= .10) were most critical, solely explaining 28.5% of the variance.

We conclude by providing recommendations for improving probation officers’ perceptions of EBPs.

Keywords: perceptions; probation officer; evidence-based practices; risk-need-responsivity; core correctional practices

The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that direct expenditures for corrections alone

exceeds US$80 billion each year (Hyland, 2019). The financial burden of mass incar-

ceration is caused by the notorious revolving door, as many who are released are rearrested

(Baillargeon et al., 2009; Gunnison & Helfgott, 2019); in a 9-year follow-up study, 83% of

AUTHORS’ NOTE: The authors thank all the officers who made time in their schedules to complete the sur-

vey. We know the officers are very busy with large caseloads, and we appreciate them spending the time to

contribute to this research. Second, we thank our collaborator at the agency, Dr. Patrick Kennealy, who

assisted in initiating and maintaining the partnership with the participating agency and for coordinating data

collection efforts by passing out the surveys to the officers after the last day of training. The authors have no

conflicts of interest.Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Tamara Kang Balzarini,

School of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL

62901; e-mail: tamara.kang@siu.edu.

1230085CJBXXX10.1177/00938548241230085Criminal Justice and BehaviorBalzarini, Eno Louden / Officer Perceptions of Evidence-Based Practices

research-article2024

688 CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND BEHAVIOR

people released from state prisons were rearrested (Alper et al., 2018). Community supervi-

sion is a viable alternative that reduces the costs associated with mass incarceration but can

also serve a rehabilitative function through the implementation of evidence-based practices

(EBPs). EBPs are defined as interventions, programs, and techniques that empirical research

has found if implemented, reduce recidivism (Ingel et al., 2022). Training probation officers

on EBPs is essential for reducing recidivism, thereby increasing public safety and reducing

taxpayer burden (Bonta, 2023; Gendreau & Goggin, 2014; Latessa, 2006).

There are evidence-based training programs designed to teach probation officers action-

able skills that are rooted in the Risk-Needs-Responsivity Model (RNR; Bonta & Andrews,

2017) and Core Correctional Practices (CCP; Dowden & Andrews, 2004) and stem from the

General Personality and Cognitive Social Learning Approach (GPCSL). Multiple studies

have demonstrated that officers who used EBPs based on the RNR model and CCP saw a

reduction of recidivism on their own caseload (e.g., Bonta, 2023; Robinson et al., 2012). As

a result, evidence-based trainings for officers have the potential to improve correctional

practice, yet not every officer that participates in training has positive perceptions of EBPs

(e.g., Guy et al., 2014; Miller & Maloney, 2013; Shook & Sarri, 2007; Viglione, 2019).

Prior research suggests that implementation of EBPs is complex, and a number of factors

impact the differential perceptions and use of EBPs (e.g., attitudes toward EBPs, organiza-

tional climate, knowledge of EBPs, person-organizational fit; for example, Blasko et al.,

2019; Debus-Sherrill et al., 2023; Viglione, 2019). Consequently, it is critical to examine

what factors contribute to officers’ perceptions of EBPs’ posttraining to increase the likeli-

hood that officers will put the skills from these training programs into practice.

GPCSL, THE RISK-NEED RESPONSIVITY MODEL, AND CORE CORRECTIONAL

PRACTICES

GPCSL outlines specific personal and social variable that interact with environment fac-

tors to influence an individual’s propensity of criminal behavior and is at the heart of why

the RNR model is effective (Bonta & Andrews, 2017). The RNR model’s core principles

focus on matching the treatment intensity with the risk level (Risk Principle), focusing

supervision on needs that are predictive of recidivism (Need Principle), utilizing behav-

ioral, social learning, and cognitive strategies to assist probation clients in building skills

(General Responsivity), and tailoring interventions to be consistent with the individual’s

learning style and characteristics (Specific Responsivity, Bonta & Andrews, 2017). Officers

have the best chance of reducing recidivism among probation clients by following the

guidelines set forth by the RNR model during supervision sessions (Bonta, 2023; Dowden

& Andrews, 2004; Joplin et al., 2004). For example, probation officers who target crimino-

genic needs from the Need Principle have fewer clients on their caseload that reoffend in the

community (Bonta, 2023; Robinson et al., 2012).

CCP aligns with the RNR model’s organizational principles and consists of five compo-

nents: (a) effective use of authority, (b) appropriate modeling and reinforcement, (c) prob-

lem-solving, (d) effective use of community services, and (e) the quality of interpersonal

relationships. CCP advises that recidivism reduction is most likely when the officer is clear,

focused, specific, and direct by identifying clear goals, creating a realistic implementation

plan, and utilizing a firm but fair approach to expectations and consequences (Bonta &

Andrews, 2017; Dowden & Andrews, 2004). Officers are advised to model behaviors,