NCJ Number
46101
Date Published
1977
Length
22 pages
Annotation
ACTIVITIES OF THE INTENSIVE PROBATION UNIT (IPU), THE PRETRIAL SERVICES UNIT (PTU), AND THE JOB DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST (JDS), UNDERTAKEN PRIMARILY IN THE DULUTH, MINNESOTA AREA, ARE REPORTED.
Abstract
THE STAFF OPERATIONS OUTLINED ARE PART OF THE REGIONAL COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS PROJECT DESIGNED TO FACILITATE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN INTEGRATED AND COORDINATED REGIONAL CORRECTIONS SYSTEM. DURING THE PERIOD BETWEEN JANUARY 1976 AND JUNE 30, 1977, THE IPU SUPERVISED A TOTAL CASE LOAD OF APPROXIMATELY 215. DURING THE FINAL QUARTER OF THIS PERIOD, THE IPU COMPLETED 21 TO 25 INVESTIGATIONS ASSIGNED BY THE DISTRICT COURT. OF THE 24 INDIVIDUALS SENTENCED DURING THE QUARTER, 8 WERE COMMITTED TO PENAL INSTITUTIONS, AND 15 WERE PLACED ON PROBATION WITH CONDITIONS WHICH INCLUDED LOCAL INCARCERATION, CONFINEMENT/WORK RELEASE, CHEMICAL TREATMENT, AND STRAIGHT PROBATION. THE PSU IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPERVISED RELEASE EVALUATIONS OF FELONS AND MISDEMEANANTS. REFERRALS FOR EVALUATION ARE MADE PRIMARILY AT THE COUNTY COURT LEVEL. THE FELONY REFERRAL RATES WERE 72 PERCENT IN 1975, 76 PERCENT IN 1976, AND 84 PERCENT IN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF 1977. THE PROGRESSIVE INCREASE IN REFERRALS DENOTES A GREATER USE OF EVALUATION SERVICES BY THE COURTS. DURING THE FINAL QUARTER (JANUARY THROUGH JUNE 1977), THE PSU HANDLED 98 FELONY REFERRALS, 49 OF WHICH RESULTED IN SUPERVISED RELEASE. THIS IS A SLIGHTLY LOWER RELEASE RATE THAN IN 1976. THE DECLINE IN NUMBER OF RELEASES MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF MORE SERIOUS FELONY REFERRALS, AND THE INTRODUCTION OF SEVERAL NEW STAFF MEMBERS WHO MAY BE MORE CAUTIOUS IN THEIR RELEASE RECOMMENDATIONS THAN MORE EXPERIENCED STAFF MEMBERS. STAFF POLICY HAS BECOME MORE LENIENT REGARDING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RELEASE ON RECOGNIZANCE AS OPPOSED TO SUPERVISED RELEASE. DURING THE FINAL QUARTER, THE PSU EXPERIENCED A FAILURE RATE (E.G., FAILURE TO APPEAR FOR COURT, COMMISSION OF A NEW OFFENSE, OR VIOLATION OF RELEASE CONDITIONS) OF 9 PERCENT. TRANSFER OF PSU OFFICES TO THE COURT HOUSE HAS FACILITATED MORE EFFICIENT EVALUATION AND HAS PROVIDED GREATER PRIVACY FOR CLIENT CONTACT AND INTERVIEWING. THE JOB DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST IS MEMBER OF THE THE PSU STAFF. OBJECTIVES OF THE JDS INCLUDE LIAISON BETWEEN CLIENTS AND STATE AND LOCAL EMPLOYMENT OFFICES, PROMOTION OF EDUCATIONAL/VOCATIONAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AND JOB PLACEMENT, OFFENDER ADVOCACY, AND FACILITATION OF COMMUNICATION AMONG LOCAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE PERSONNEL, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE RESOURCES, AND THE COMMUNITY. SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE JDS ARE JOB AND MOTIVATIONAL COUNSELING, JOB INTERVIEW TRAINING, SCREENING, INDIVIDUAL TREATMENT PLANNING, TREATMENT AND/OR JOB PLACEMENT REFERRAL, AND FOLLOWUP. REFERRALS TO THE JDS FROM ALL COMPONENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. BECAUSE OF THE LARGE CASE LOAD, ADVOCACY AND REFERRAL TO EXISTING COMMUNITY RESOURCES ARE NECESSARILY A BASIC FUNCTION OF THE SPECIALIST. STATISTICAL DATA FOR THE IPU, PSU, AND JDS ARE INLCUDED. (JAP)