NCJ Number
73812
Journal
TEXAS JOURNAL OF CORRECTIONS Volume: 6 Issue: 5 Dated: (September/October 1980) Pages: 10-13
Date Published
1980
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article, written for probation officers, discusses how probation officers can develop the art and skill of intervening before a client's emotional crisis explodes into an insurmountable, irreversible problem.
Abstract
The Texas Dangerousness Project (TDP) and the complex issues involved in predicting behavior are discussed. The TDP examined 400 maximum security State hospital patients, committed by court order as incompetent to stand trial or as not guilty by reason of insanity. Findings provide a frame of reference for a discussion of how to identify signs of serious emotional problems in a probationer. The process involves categorizing probationers into high risk and low risk groups. This decision should be based upon information obtained from the probationer's presentence evaluation or other documents that give social history information. Factors which may suggest a high risk classification include (1) a history of past violent behavior; (2) a history of abuse of drugs or alcohol; (3) male sex; and age of 15 to 35 years. Other high-risk probationers are those who are not married, who live alone, who are unemployed, who have received excessive punishment as children, and who have attempted or seriously threatened to commit suicide, as well as probationers who have received mental health services as inpatients or outpatients. The second step in the process is to make an assessment of the probationer's present life situation, particularly the environment. Signs of a serious crisis include a broken relationship with a significant person, having a job in jeopardy, external evidence that a drug or alcohol problem may be out of control, and recent involvement in fights. In addition, the probation officer should assess the probationer's present internal state, or how the client presents himself or herself to the probation officer. Signs of serious internal stress include thoughts of suicide expressed directly or indirectly, complaints of depression, signs of serious delusions, and signs of serious hallucinations. The client should be involved in the assessment process. This involvement will help to develop greater rapport between the probation officer and the probationer.