Transcript Applying EBP In The Field

Applying EBP In The Field
Midge Christianson, Director
6W Community Corrections
Montevideo, Minnesota
320-269-6513, extension 212
[email protected]
6W Community Corrections

4 counties
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3,000 square miles
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Community Corrections Act Agency
Incorporating EBP in the trenches:
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What has changed?

How did we change?
1970 - 2000
“THE LAY OF THE
LAND”
1974 Robert Martinson Study
“NOTHING WORKS”!
Study drove practices through the
1980’s and 1990’s

Focused on deterrence through
incarceration or “offender management
techniques”
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“Just desserts” and “crime control”
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What that looked like in 6WCC…..
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Many states developed determinate
sentencing guidelines during this time
Group of criminologists/researchers
continued to study offender change
Discovered we can predict risk of future
criminal behavior based on factors
 Discovered “what works” in changing
offender behavior
 Discovered what doesn’t work (stop it!)
 Discovered some practices INCREASE
the risk of criminal behavior – (stop that
too!)

EBP PRINCIPLES
Assess risk and criminogenic needs
 Enhance intrinsic motivation
 Target interventions
 Skill train with behavioral directed
practice
 Increase positive reinforcement
 Engage ongoing support in natural
communities
 Measure relevant practices
 Provide measurement feedback

PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE
ARE TWO DIFFERENT
THINGS!
PRACTICE

Changed WHO we supervise
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Changed HOW we supervise
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Change WHAT we supervise
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Changed HOW LONG we supervise
WHO
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Target interventions on medium and high
risk offenders
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Assess risk AND criminogenic needs
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Worked with Judiciary
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Eliminated supervision of low level offenses
– traffic, shoplifting, bad checks, juvenile
curfew and smoking

Resource focused – who do you want us to
spend our time on?

Judge Paul Nelson: “We’ve gotten rid of a
lot of supervised matters and the world
hasn’t come to and end”.
HOW

Target interventions on medium and high
risk offenders (supervision continuum)
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Enhance intrinsic motivation (motivational
interviewing, effective alliance)
Supervision Continuum

Target supervision resources on medium and
high risk offenders
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Risk assessment tools – Level of Service
Inventory Revised (Level of Service/Case
Management Inventory), Spousal Assault Risk
Assessment, Sex Offender Specific tools
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Administrative, group supervision, traditional
supervision, general enhanced supervision,
sex offender enhanced supervision
Low/Medium Low Risk
Very limited exposure to system
 Developed IN CONSULTATION with
Judiciary, Prosecution, Executive Board –
expectations agreed upon by all
 Misdemeanor DWI, misdemeanor
property
 No general probation conditions, monitor
special conditions only, then discharge
 Group supervision
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Medium High/High Risk
Specialized caseload for sex offenders and
general enhanced
 Lower caseload size to allow more faceto-face contact
 Progressive phases and a focus on
criminogenic needs/case planning (versus
surveillance)
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MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING
EFFECTIVE ALLIANCE
 MI: “A collaborative, person-centered
form of guiding to elicit and strengthen
motivation to change.”
 Effective Alliance – the quality of the
agent/offender relationship can positively
impact the outcome of probation and
recidivism. Crucial for agents to be able
to cultivate relationships with offenders
that maximize the likelihood of success.
WHAT
Target interventions on identified
criminogenic needs specific to each
offender that can be changed
 Skill train with directed practice –
cognitive skills group
 What has been proven to work rather
than what sounds, looks or feels good
 Focus the purpose of offender contact
more on criminogenic needs than
reviewing conditions of probation
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EXAMPLES
Information regarding risk assessment
score by domain/criminogenic needs in
PSI’s and violation reports,
recommendations tied to needs
 Removed “obey all laws” from general
conditions of probation. Judges specify IF
and WHAT TYPE of OBAL condition.
 No standard abstain/random testing
condition – based on identified risk per
assessment(s)
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EXAMPLES CONTINUED
Financial matters/monitoring moved to
Court Administration
 22 week Cognitive Skills Course
 Agents trained in Cognitive Skills
principles
 Content/quality of contacts is stressed,
not just quantity (weekly plans structure
40%-70% of time, agenda setting)
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HOW LONG
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Increase positive reinforcement (carrot
works better than the stick)
Worked with Judiciary and Prosecution to
develop standards and common
expectations
 Incentive of early discharge for all offense
types except sex offenses
 Reward offenders for compliance by
decreasing supervision level (phases on
enhanced caseloads; group supervision)
 Restructure Process – work with
offender to address issue rather than
violate
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CHALLENGES
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Last two EBP principles: Measurement
and Feedback/Modification
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Quality Assurance and Fidelity
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Keeping current on new research and EBP
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Resources