Playlist

“I think I went to a training on that once.”

“The assessment is buried in the file; it doesn’t tell
me anything anyway. They all get the same
services.”

“I told him not to do that and he did it anyway.”

“I don’t have time for role playing, it’s silly.”

“(They) do rehabilitation…we provide custody and
control.”

“All (they) care about is if we meet contact and
utilization numbers.”

“My boss says one thing, my colleague says another,
and the referral source says another.”

“Why isn’t it happening; it’s in the policy?”
Leading Change through
Active Implementation
Transitioning
from “Train and Hope” to
“Making it Happen”
Core Correctional
Practices
Traditional Community
Supervision

A growing body of research illustrates that
community supervision alone has been
ineffective in reducing recidivism (e.g.,
Petersilia and Turner 1993; MacKenzie 1997;
Bonta et al., 2008)

Why??

Bonta et al. (2008) found that officers rarely
adhered to the principles of effective
intervention during contact sessions

Instead of focusing on risk, need, and
responsivity factors, officers spent most of
their contact sessions on compliance with
conditions and the law enforcement aspects of
their job
Principles of Effective
Intervention
RISK
NEED
RESPONSIVITY
WHO
WHAT
HOW
Target
criminogenic
needs to reduce
risk for
recidivism
Use CBT
approaches
Match
mode/style of
service to
offender
Deliver more
intense
intervention to
higher risk
offenders
Translating the RNR Framework to
Community Supervision
 Adhere to the principles of effective intervention:
 Assess risk and need levels
 Target moderate and high risk offenders
 Target criminogenic needs
 Use cognitive behavioral interventions
 Use core correctional practices:
 Quality collaborative relationship
 Reinforcement, Disapproval, Use of Authority
 Cognitive restructuring
 Structured skill building
 Problem solving skills
Translating the RNR Framework to
Community Supervision
Recent evaluations of models that adhere
to RNR and train staff on core
correctional practices have demonstrated
their effectiveness in reducing recidivism
 Work
of Chris Trotter (Trotter 1996, 2006)
 STICS
(Bonta et al, 2010, Bourgon et al.,
2010)
 STARR
(Robinson et al., 2011)
 EPICS
(Latessa et al., 2013)
Training in Core Correctional
Practices
Interventions
Officer

Relationship skills:
Active listening
 Giving feedback
 Role clarification



Behavioral
modification/
Bridging skills:
Reinforcement
 Disapproval
 Punishment
 Use of authority

Motivational skills:


Cost-benefit analysis
Cognitive behavioral
skills:

Cognitive
restructuring

Prosocial modeling

Structured skill
building

Problem solving

Emotional Regulation
Effective Practices in
Correctional Settings (EPICS)

Apply the RNR framework to community
supervision

Focuses effort on moderate to high risk offenders

Provides a structured format to target
criminogenic needs in a one-on-one context

Encourages identification of specific responsivity
factors

Uses cognitive and behavioral strategies to
change offender behavior

Train staff on core correctional practices

Train staff to intervene where the offender is
deficient in making decisions

Includes measures of fidelity and coaching
sessions
Group
Session x 5
Internal
Coaches session
x5
x 5+
Receive individual
feedback and review
with internal coach
Submit
Audiotapes
x5
Training
Pre-Training
Organizational
Readiness and
Planning
EPICS Process
Staff Training Aimed at
Reducing Re-arrest (STARR)

Based on existing behavioral change strategies
found to be effective with offending
populations.

Developed by the Administrative Office of the
US Courts with input from existing research and
experts in the field of community supervision
and correctional interventions.

Provides officers with the skills necessary to
hold offenders accountable and provides an
opportunity to make behavioral changes.

The skills focus on assisting the offender in
changing his/her thinking and behavior so that
he/she is able to avoid high-risk situations that
might lead to criminal acts.
11
Defining STARR

STARR is a set of skills used by the
officer
 It
is not a formal program
 It
can be used during any interaction
between the officer and client
 STARR
skills can be used in the field or
office setting

Skill Development Activities
(Monthly)
 Individual
coaching sessions
 Group
booster sessions
 Audio
recording of skill interactions
12
Getting Started
Federal Probation
National STARR Implementation

There are 94 federal districts in the
US Probation and Pretrial System

STARR is being implemented in
Waves:
 Wave
I (2012) - 14 Districts Trained
 Wave
II (2013) – 22 Districts Trained
 Wave
III (2014) - 24 Districts will be
Trained

US Probation, Central District of
California was part of Wave I
STARR Implementation
Central District of California

We are one of four federal districts
in California

We are the Central District of
California and cover seven counties:
 Los
Angeles
 Orange
 Riverside
 San
Bernardino
 Ventura
 Santa
 San
Barbara
Luis Obispo
Central District of
California: How we got here

2004-2008 – the start of EBP implementation

2008
Sponsored
9th Circuit EBP/Treatment
Services Conference in Long Beach
District
EBPs
EBP Working Group formed
introduced into formal national
policy on substance abuse
Central District of California:
District Wide Strategic Plan

15 steps including Post Conviction
Risk Assessment (PCRA)
implementation; 2 waves of STARR
implementation; Officer Training;
Groups/Programs; Funding;
Treatment Providers; new CBT special
condition; revise performance
evaluations

Step #15 - Continuous Quality
Improvement
 “Not
rocket science”, but it hasn’t
been easy
Central District of California:
A Lot of Training

October 1, 2011 - Post Conviction Risk
Assessment (PCRA) – dynamic risk factors

2012 - National Implementation Research
Network, STARR Implementation

From 2008 to 2013 - trained the
supervision officers 6x - CBT; dynamic
risk assessment; EBP theory & practice
(130 officers, 7 counties, 12 field offices)

In 2013, presentence officers trained on
interviewing and EBP overview for nonofficer staff
Central District of California:
Organizational Change

Evolution: best practices - balance
correctional and controlling strategies
 Unchanged:
residence & employment
verification; drug testing & treatment;
addressing noncompliance

Paradigm Shift:
 To
attitudes, peers & personality &
intervene cognitive-behaviorally
 From
directive to engagement
 From
case manager to “change agent”
(Bourgon, G. et al. 2011)
Getting Started
Humboldt County
Department Profile

Humboldt County is North of Northern
California

Large geographically with a small
widely dispersed population.

Humboldt County Probation consists of
approximately 100 staff members with
around 50 sworn probation officers.

Adult field services has 13 deputies
providing supervision to
approximately 1500 persons.
Decision to implement EPICS
in Department
Current state of various “EBP”
implementations in Fall of 2011

January 2011 introduced case
management system

Thinking For a Change –September 2010

STRONG implementation- June 2010
 Replaced

old Wisconsin tool
Motivational Interviewing- June 2007
with yearly training
Decision to implement EPICS
in Department Continued

Administrative team came to the
consensus we had plateaued.

Had received EBP trainings but not
included fidelity or CQI into a
comprehensive strategic plan.
Applied for and received technical
assistance grant from BSCC in Fall 2011.
Decision to implement EPICS
in Department Continued

Chose University of Cincinnati to
provide technical expertise based on
their national reputation and
presentations by Ed Latessa attended
by the administrative team.

University of Cincinnati conducted and
EBP assessment of the Department.
 Results
 Needed
 Needed
were not good, but expected.
CQI
a CBT program based on EBP or
Best Practice.
Decision to implement EPICS
in Department Continued

EPICS was proposed.
 It
was a program developed by UC for
corrections.
 It
delivered CBT in a 1:1 format by probation
officers.
 It
provided a structured interview format to
build consistency in Department Practices.

Managers spoke to Departments in Oregon
who had implemented EPICS.
 Generally
positive comments; acknowledged it
was a system changer and required a big
commitment.
Decision to implement EPICS
in Department Continued
Chose EPICS because:

It solved low population problem identified in
ART and T4C implementation.

It had a systematic CQI component to build
internal coders within agency.

It provided a systematic way to train officers to
conduct interviews.

It had clear fidelity markers; coders with
limited experience could tell if officers were
following the model.

Based of a proven practice elsewhere;
Humboldt’s size is such that independent
validation would be impossible for decades.
Challenges of Implementation
Data
Policies
Budget RNR
Politics
© Crime and Justice Institute at Community Resources for Justice (2004). Implementing Evidence-Based Practice in
Community Corrections. Washington, DC: National Institute of Corrections.
Communication
Values
Planning
EBP
V i s i o n
Information
Te c h n o l o g y
Implementation

Definition:
 “A
specified set of activities designed to
put into practice an activity or program
of known dimensions”

Mission of the National
Implementation Research Network
 “To
contribute to the best practices and
science of implementation, organization
change, and system reinvention to
improve outcomes across the spectrum of
human services.”
The National Implementation Research Network, FPG Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina,
Chapel Hill , http://nirn.fpg.unc.edu/
Implementation Drivers
© 2013 Dean L. Fixsen, Karen A. Blase, Sandra F. Naoom and Michelle A. Duda, NIRN v. 4/2013
Lessons Learned
Competency Matters
STARR-Why Coaching is
Critical
Giving
Feedback
5% of participants transfer the skills acquired
in the training environment
Joyce, B. & Showers, B. (2002) Student Achievement Through Staff Development (3 rd ed.).
STARR-Why Coaching is
Critical
Giving
Feedback
95% of participants transfer the skills acquired in
the training environment.
32
Coaching Matters
Central District of California



Initial District STARR training held in 2011

There was no coaching, boosters or recordings

Eventually use of skills waned
Phase I

In 2012, eight volunteered to be coaches and attended
advanced coaches training

Summer of 2012, 23 officers trained in STARR
Phase II

Seven new coaches selected in 2014

February and March 2014, 22 additional officers STARR
Trained
Administrative Office of US Courts recently appointed
five, three year temporary duty assignments to assist
districts with implementation and coach development
STARR - Competency Driver
Coaches

Monthly Coaching is the backbone of
ongoing skill development

We can only train officers if there are
enough coaches (ratio of 1:3 or 1:4)

Three to four officers are assigned to
each coach. Coaches are responsible for:

Facilitating monthly boosters

Reviewing monthly recordings

Providing Individual Feedback

Using coding forms to assess quality of
skills and to provide feedback
STARR - Competency Driver
Coaches
Skill Development for Coaches
 Submit
Monthly Recordings of STARR Skill
 Receive
Monthly Feedback
 Attend
Quarterly Boosters for STARR and
Coaching Skill Development
Phase I Coaches will now begin submitting
coaching recordings every other month for
feedback
Coaching in Humboldt

Humboldt made a decision to make all front line
supervisors coaches as well as key line staff officers
who were positive toward the practice.

Coaching training was part of the EPICS
implementation plan and mirrored the 5 monthly
booster sessions.

They coach 1-3 persons per month; coaching is on a
rotational basis.

Humboldt Coaches meet monthly and discuss
implementation issues, and receive feedback from
UC as needed.

Department wide coaching sessions happen
quarterly with lunch provided.

Monthly coaching sessions have been incorporated
into unit meetings. Each unit meeting, a coach will
review some aspect of EPICS.
EPICS Research:
Method/Analysis

Coaching groups were varied by time after
training and coaching type
 Coaching
Group 1: In person, 4 weeks after
training
 Coaching
Group 2: Video conference, 8 weeks
after training
 Coaching
Group 3: Video conference, 4 weeks
after training
 Coaching
Group 4: In person, 2 weeks after
training
Thompson, Schweitzer, and Sperber (2014). The Impact of Coaching on Staff Acquisition and
Use of EPICS-Related Skills
EPICS Research:
Method/Analysis

Paired sample t tests were
conducted to compare average
EPICS scores at the following times:
 Pre
Training versus Coaching Session 1
 Coaching
Session 1 versus Coaching
Session 5
Thompson, Schweitzer, and Sperber (2014). The Impact of Coaching on Staff Acquisition and
Use of EPICS-Related Skills
Results
Thompson, Schweitzer, and Sperber (2014). The Impact of Coaching on Staff Acquisition and
Use of EPICS-Related Skills
Results
Thompson, Schweitzer, and Sperber (2014). The Impact of Coaching on Staff Acquisition and
Use of EPICS-Related Skills
Findings/Discussion

Use of core correctional practices
were significantly improved by the 3day EPICS training for each group

Coaching groups that outperformed
others had the following
characteristics:
 Supervisors
 Higher
engaged
rate of supervisor tape submission
 Supervisor
proficiency in the use of the
EPICS model and skills
 Coaching
occurred in person
Lessons Learned
Organizational Supports Matter
Organizational Support in
Humboldt

Each officer in a field assignment submits a
taped interview with a probationer on a
monthly basis.



Officers who have met criteria for proficiency submit
on a quarterly basis.
Proficiency is achieved when:

Officer meets satisfactory in 70% of the coding
categories for three consecutive months
(intervention must be satisfactory)

Quantitative requirements for their caseload are
met.
Tapes are reviewed using a standardized tool
developed by UC. Feedback is given within 10
working days from submission deadline.

Moved to reviewing tapes with officers.
Organizational Support in
Humboldt

Analyst monitors tapes submissions,
attendance, and frequency of use.

Coaching results are maintained in a excel
spreadsheet.

Case management system tracks use of
EPICS and that information is provided to
the supervisors on a monthly basis.

Use of EPICS is included in performance
evaluations.
Organizational Support in
Humboldt

Quantitative data regarding EPICS usage is
pulled from case management system.

It is provided to managers at all levels
and discussed in unit meetings.

Qualitative data is tracked by analyst and
is based on coaching feedback.

Outcome measures have been around
fidelity to the model.
Organizational Support for
STARR in the Central District

Developed a system for supervisors to monitor
booster attendance and frequency of
submission of recordings.

Supervisors can monitor and encourage use of
skills by reviewing Decision Support System
(DSS) reports, reviewing chronological
records, and observing interactions.

Developing a report to track frequency and
percentage of use.

Supervisors will use this information for
supervision and the annual Performance
Evaluation.

Coaches will use it for skill development and
training, to assess level of use, and to determine
what skills are being used most frequently.
Lessons Learned
Leadership Matters
STARR Leadership
Communication about STARR Implementation

Initially it was communicated that this was
voluntary and this was going to be piloted.

As officers and offenders shared positive
experiences and benefits, the Chief
communicated her vision that all officers will
eventually be STARR trained.
STARR Leader
The Program is lead by a STARR Trained
Supervisor who:

Coaches Phase I Coaches on coaching and
use of STARR skills

Works with Coaches who are coaching
Phase II Coaches

Reviews monthly recordings and provides
feedback to Phase I STARR coaches

Conducts quarterly boosters with Phase I
Coaches for STARR, Coaching skill
development, and Phase I program
implementation planning
STARR Supervisors (New)

In order for supervisors to
effectively staff cases and
encourage use of the skills we are
in the process of creating ways for
them to:
 Learn
more about the skills
 Attend

periodic SUSPO STARR training
They also learn about the skills
through observing the use of skills
in the field and office
STARR Supervisors (New)
 Supervisors
are beginning to
discuss and encourage use of skills
during case planning and case
staffing.

Supervisors will include information
regarding use of STARR Skills, Booster
Attendance, and Submitting
Recordings in Evaluation.

Supervisors are to address patterns of
noncompliance and inform Assistant
Deputy Chiefs when necessary.
STARR Leadership

Panel presentation to officers from STARR
trained officers created more buy-in and
enthusiasm

STARR Trained Officers are the best STARR
ambassadors

Encouraged to talk about STARR in their officers
and to use skills in front of peers in the field or
their offices

Supervisors have been communicating that
promotions and maintaining positions may be
dependent on using skills shown to reduce
recidivism

The majority of officers recently promoted to
Specialists or Supervisors have been STARR
trained and several have been STARR Coaches.
STARR Next Steps


We have been looking at ways to provide more
incentives, especially for coaches, including:

Supporting participation in out of District training

In-district off-site training for all coaches

Coaches receiving Exceeds Expectations on evaluations

Encouraging officers and supervisors to nominate other
coaches and STARR officers for peer awards.

Coaches can be given consideration for workload relief
as possible at the discretion of their supervisor
STARR Improvements

Implementation committee

Greater buy-in from supervisors

Clearer delineation of roles and responsibilities for all
levels of staff

Data Systems Support Report
EPICS Leadership in Humboldt


Communicated to staff.

We should have done more explanation of what
EPICS was and why it was necessary.

This has been done since but it caused stress on
organization.
Buy-in

Expressed support of EPICS from the Chief down
through supervisors.

Stated our ongoing commitment to the program.

Considered buy-in when considering promotion,
hiring, and assignment.

Also recognized some staff may not have the
skill set to do EPICS. Tried to find assignments
within Department that matched their
strengths.
EPICS Leadership in Humboldt

EPICS is a cornerstone of our
rehabilitation strategy. It is supported
publicly by the CPO and within
internal meetings.

EPICS is managed jointly by the
Juvenile and Adult Division Directors.

Implementation team are the
coaches.

Supervisors and Adult Director keep a
few cases and practice use of EPICS.
If we could do it again…

Form an implementation Team

Step one: Plan for sustainability

Provide ample communication from the top down
and all around (e.g., priority, expectations,
support needs)

Anticipate and address workload and other
organizational constraints

Invest in coaches, make time for coaches to be
coaches

Coach, coach, coach and booster, booster,
booster

Amend audits/performance evaluations

Train the trainer

Create ways to measure and continuously
improve skill acquisition and outcomes
Leading Change through Active Implementation
Transitioning from “Train and Hope” to
“Making it Happen”
Shaun Brenneman, Humboldt County Probation Department,
[email protected]
Cara Thompson, University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute,
[email protected]
Kristy Danford, Crime and Justice Institute at CRJ,
[email protected]
US Probation Office, Central District of California
• Michael Terrell, [email protected]
• Helene Creager, [email protected]
• Thomas Granucci, [email protected]