EVALUATION OF RESEARCH FINDINGS ON THE WORKLOAD UNIT FOR PROBATION AND PAROLE OFFICERS (FROM CONFERENCE ON CORRECTIONS, 1978, BY VERNON FOX - SEE NCJ-59701)

• NCJ Number: 59711
• Author(s): K M SAFAR
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: Ctr for Professional Development and Public Service; Florida State University
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

RESEARCH INITIATED IN CALIFORNIA TO EVALUATE THE WORKLOAD OF PROBATION AND PAROLE OFFICERS INVOLVED SPECIAL INTENSIVE PAROLE UNIT, NARCOTIC TREATMENT AND CONTROL, AND OFFICER TRAINING PROJECTS EXAMINATION.

Abstract

THE CALIFORNIA SPECIAL INTENSIVE PAROLE UNIT STUDY, BEGUN IN 1953, WAS CONDUCTED OVER A 10-YEAR PERIOD IN WHICH ADULT PAROLEES WERE ASSIGNED TO VARYING CASELOAD SIZES. THE ONLY VARIABLE RELATED TO PAROLE OUTCOME AFTER FOUR PHASES OF THE PROJECT WAS APPARENTLY THE AMOUNT OF TIME OFFICERS DEVOTED TO SUPERVISION. FURTHERMORE, A 15-MAN CASELOAD PERFORMED NO BETTER THAN A 30-MAN CASELOAD. THE NARCOTIC TREATMENT AND CONTROL PROJECT, CONDUCTED BETWEEN 1959 AND 1964 AS AN OFFSHOOT OF THE SPECIAL PAROLE PROJECT, TESTED 15-MAN AND 45-MAN CASELOADS VERSUS A 70-MAN CASELOAD. THE MAJOR FINDING WAS THAT SMALLER CASELOADS PERFORMED BETTER THAN THE LARGER CASELOAD, WITH NO DIFFERENCE NOTED BETWEEN 15-MAN AND 45-MAN CASELOADS. IN 1959, THE PAROLE WORK UNIT PROGRAM OF THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS ATTEMPTED TO INTRODUCE INNOVATIVE CONCEPTS INTO CASELOAD MANAGEMENT. INCREASED EMPHASIS WAS GIVEN TO THE SUPERVISION OF EACH PAROLEE IN ACCORDANCE WITH NEEDS AND TO ALLOWING OFFICERS SUFFICIENT TIME TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR ASSIGNED TASKS. PAROLEES WERE CLASSIFIED AS SPECIAL (DIFFICULT CASES), REGULAR (AVERAGE CASES), AND CONDITIONAL (PAROLEES REQUIRING MINIMAL SUPERVISION). IN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF THE PROJECT, NO MAJOR DIFFERENCES IN CASELOAD SIZE WERE OBSERVED. THE WORK UNIT PROGRAM WAS MORE SUCCESSFUL DURING THE LAST HALF OF ITS OPERATION IN ATTAINING BETTER PAROLEE PERFORMANCE. THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY PROBATION DEPARTMENT CONDUCTED A RESEARCH EFFORT THAT INVOLVED TESTING PROBATION SERVICES. OFFICERS PARTICIPATING IN THE RESEARCH EFFORT WERE TRAINED IN CASE WORK DYNAMICS, CASELOAD DYNAMICS, AND RECORDING TECHNIQUES. THE RESULTS WERE ENCOURAGING. A SUBSEQUENT RESEARCH PROGRAM CONDUCTED BY LOS ANGELES COUNTY WITH A SMALL CASELOAD UNIT INDICATED THAT YOUNG GIRLS STAYED OUT OF DETENTION LONGER, WERE SENT BACK TO JUVENILE HALLS LESS FREQUENTLY, STAYED IN JUVENILE HALLS FOR SHORTER PERIODS OF TIME WHEN SENT BACK, AND WERE SENT TO THE CALIFORNIA YOUTH AUTHORITY LESS FREQUENTLY. OTHER PROJECTS INCLUDED A 35-MAN WORKLOAD UNIT WITH INTENSIVE, REGULAR, AND MINIMAL SUPERVISION WHICH WAS SUCCESSFUL AND A 5-YEAR PROJECT IN SAN FRANCISCO TO EXAMINE THE RESULT OF REDUCED CASELOAD ON PROBATION AND PAROLE OUTCOMES. THE MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE SAN FRANCISCO PROJECT WAS DEMONSTRATING THAT IT IS FEASIBLE FOR A SINGLE PROBATION OFFICER TO HANDLE A CASELOAD OF NEARLY 300 SELECTED OFFENDERS. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)