The Ohio Parole Board’s implementation of Select
Strategies
Presented by:
Cynthia Mausser
Chair
1.
Define Success as Recidivism Reduction and
Measure Performance:
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2.
Tailor Conditions of Supervision
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3.
Adopt Risk Reduction & Behavior Change Strategies
Measure Performance by reintegration outcome
Realistic, Relevant & Research-Based
Focus Resources on Higher Risk Offenders
4.
Frontload Supervision Resources
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5.
Implement Earned Discharge
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6.
Begin case planning in the institution
Concentrate resources in the first few days & weeks
Provide incentives to meet case-specific goals
Supervise Offenders in their Communities
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Organize caseloads by neighborhood
7.
Engage Partners to Expand Intervention
Capacity
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8.
Assess Criminal Risk and Need Factors
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9.
Partner with other community organizations
Use a reliable instrument and link to case plan
Balance Surveillance and Treatment in Case
Plans
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Combine surveillance and treatment
10.
Involve Offenders in the Supervision Process
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11.
Engage Informal Social Controls
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12.
Incorporate offenders’ support networks into supervision
Use Incentives and Rewards
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13.
Offender is active participant in development of case plan
Use positive reinforcement as supervision tool (4:1)
Respond to Violations with Swift & Certain
Sanctions
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Division of Parole and Community Services in Ohio
Department of Rehabilitation & Correction
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Comprised of Parole Board, Field Services, Bureau of Adult
Detention, Bureau of Community Services and Office of Victim
Services
Deputy Director established Overriding Goal to reduce
recidivism by 5% over a year
Each section head was tasked with developing a Strategic Plan
to support the overriding goal
Guidelines were to adhere to risk/needs principles, engage
family members & use positive reinforcement
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Planning sessions
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Organized by Facilitator and Deputy Director
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Key management staff involved
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Focused on identifying 3-5 attainable, realistic goals
that would support overriding goal
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Final Product
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Implement standardized Parole Board info at
orientation classes
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Promote supervision compliance through post
release contacts with 25% of monthly parole releases
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Utilize risk/needs principles in decision making
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Rationale:
 PBM rarely utilized historically as a positive
supervision resource
 PBM rarely had the opportunity to experience success
of offenders
 Change practice of offenders’ contact with PBM
occurring only when returned to institution
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Related Strategies :
 #3 Focus Resources on Higher Risk Offenders
 Contacts concentrated on high risk offenders
 #8 Assess Criminal Risk and Need Factors
 Utilize contact checklist that incorporates criminogenic
needs
 #12 Use Incentives and Rewards
 PBM contact utilized to promote positive behavior and
encourage compliance
 Tool to help support the 4:1 positive contact ratio
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Contact Implementation
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PBM met with Field Regional Administrator
 Contact types based on needs of Region
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Examples of contacts
 Office visits
 Community ReEntry Management Team member
 Program meetings
 Halfway houses
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Tracking and sharing activities
 Discuss at monthly staff meetings
 PBM includes description of contacts in monthly report
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Rationale
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Consider institutional programming efforts when
imposing Special Conditions
Credit offenders who complete institutional
programs with removal of supervision programming
requirement
Ensure that criminogenic needs are being addressed
when Hearing Officers conduct summonses with
offenders who are engaging in violation behavior
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Related Strategies
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#2 Tailor Conditions of Supervision
 Desire to have fewer, more meaningful conditions
 Overlapping and/or unnecessary conditions
 Remove conditions that merely convey information
 Examine reasons for imposing particular types of
conditions, timing of conditions and consequences
(especially financial burden) of imposing conditions
 Develop process for imposing Special Conditions
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Developed Workgroup and Charter
Tasked with addressing problem areas of conditions
and special conditions
 Membership included both Field and Parole Board
Staff
 Work in Progress
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 Currently, have reduced the number of conditions from
16 to 6
 Suggested process for imposing Special Conditions
 PB will not impose SC if offender completed approved
program as suggested in RAP
 #5 Implement Earned Discharge
 Field staff must seek PB approval to impose SC
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#4 Frontload Supervision Activities
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Pilot Project with I Team unit:
 Interview conducted by PBPO at institution 30 days
prior to release
 Risk Instrument completed
 Marital status, Education, Employment, Drug and
Alcohol use, prior criminal history (arrests, convictions,
supervision)
 Rated as Low, Low-Moderate, Moderate, High
 Needs Instrument completed
 Ten Needs areas assessed
 No need, low need, moderate need, high need
 Moderate and high need areas identified
 Community resource information provided to offender to
address need areas
 Information Provided to Supervising PO prior to release
 Beneficial information received by PO that would not have
otherwise been shared
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Expansion plan
 Frontloading implemented statewide
 Offender will receive “credit” toward SAP for any RAP
programs completed
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#13 Respond to Violations with Swift and
Certain Sanctions
Sanction Grid developed and implemented in 2005
 PBS is an option prior to revocation hearing
 No parameters in place for conducting summons
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 Develop checklist that incorporates criminogenic needs
 When Hearing Officer addressing violation behavior
needs should be addressed as well as a means for
gaining supervision compliance
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Many of the concepts in the 13 Strategies can
be implemented by Parole Boards
Parole Board staff are supportive and enjoy
participating in these new activities that
emphasize the positive aspects of supervision
and promote success
Offenders receive information and support
from additional resources