Probation & Parole - Officers
Secondary Trauma: The Personal Impact of Working with Criminal Offenders
This is a great article explaining how and why community corrections officers experience traumatic stress on the job and related efforts to address this problem. Sections cover: stress-it comes with the job; number of primary traumatic incidents for officers-28% experience four or more incidents; secondary (indirect ) traumatic stress (STS) or compassion fatigue--symptoms and number experienced-44% of 3-4 symptoms; vicarious traumatization (VT) due to empathetic encounters with victimized individuals and number of incidents experienced-56% of 4 or more; corrections fatigue-symptoms...
The Changing Relationship Between Ex-Criminals and Their Parole Officers
"Oftentimes, parole and probation officers are the only positive role models offenders have. About a decade ago, criminologists began asking if parole and probation visits were a missed opportunity for law enforcement. What if officers developed a more supportive relationship with offenders? What if they demonstrated to clients that they weren’t just checking boxes and delivering sanctions? The working theory was that given some personal attention, offenders might be more receptive to advice about resolving conflicts and avoiding crime. Amid...
Working with Victims of Crime: An Integrated Approach for Community Supervision Professionals
This Guide provides a comprehensive overview of available information on victims' rights and services. It is informed by the foundational work of many advocates, academics and community corrections professionals. While the Guide will outline specific tools and resources to inform your work, it is worth noting that there is no one size fits all approach that will work across all scenarios. There may be information in the Guide that will require you to self-reflect on your practice as it relates...
The Mental Health of Community Correctional Officers: Supervising Persons with Serious Mental Illness
Few studies have investigated factors that contribute to the mental health of probation and parole officers (PPOs). Addressing the needs of supervises with serious mental illness (SMI) can create unique challenges for PPOs, which in turn may increase job-related stress and impact PPOs’ mental health. Using statewide survey data from 795 PPOs, we examine whether the number of supervises with SMI on an officer’s caseload is associated with depressive symptoms reported by PPOs and whether this relationship is mediated by...
845 Life: Female Probation Officers Relish a Risky Job (2017)
An article about the female probation officers of the Orange County Probation Department.
Watchdog: Pay-or-Go-to-Jail Policy Makes Probation Officers Bill Collectors (2016)
Bell County was chosen for a study on how adult probation works in Texas.
Surviving the Trenches: The Impact of Trauma Exposure on Corrections Professionals (2016)
This webinar examines secondary trauma and compassion fatigue as experienced by corrections professionals.
7 Things Probation Officers Do That Will Help You Lead Change (2016)
Advice you need to catalyze change even in the toughest circumstances.
York County Probation Officers to Carry Life-Saving Drug (2016)
York County probation officers will soon begin carrying the life-saving drug naloxone, a medication that counteracts the effects of opiate-based drugs and can stop a potentially fatal heroin overdose when administered in time.
Changes in Sentencing Policy Raise Pressure on Probation Officers (2016)
Wave of early inmate releases raises concerns over preventing relapses among high-risk population.