Transcript Effective Community Supervision in Drug Court

Probation’s Role in Drug
Court
Mack Jenkins, M.S.
Chief Probation Officer
San Diego County Probation
Session Objectives
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Describe Probation’s Role in the Drug
Court model.
Identify goals of community
supervision in Drug Court.
Identify Best Practiices for Probation in
Drug Court practices.
Drug Court Roles
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Judge- shares authority with the team. Monitors
participant progress
Prosecutor- becomes a gate keeper for access to
treatment, expands advocacy to include treatment.
Recognizes the team concept
Defense- advocates for successful participation.
Participates in and contributes to team efforts to
hold participant accountable. All while retaining it’s
advocacy role
Drug Court Roles
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Treatment-Provides direct intervention services to
assist the participant to recovery. Participates in
team discussions ( assessment, case planning,
sanction/incentives, etc.) in a manner that
maintains tx-client relationship.
Probation In The Criminal
Justice System
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Arm of the court
Core Functions Include conducting investigations
for the court and providing supervision for
offenders placed on probation.
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Provides elements of case management
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Conducts Community Supervison.
Probation Models In Drug
Courts
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Dedicated Officer with an exclusive
drug court caseload.
Regular Supervision Officer with cases
in a drug court.
Revocation Court ( probation violators)
Drug Court Community
Supervision Defined
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Community supervision is the effort to proactively
monitor the behavior and program compliance of a
drug court participant outside of the court room.
Community supervision is an element of case
management services delivered to a drug court
participant.
In drug court, a primary goal of community
supervision is to facilitate behavior change instead
of mere compliance monitoring.
Purposes of Community
Supervision
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Protect Public Safety
Deter non compliant behavior
Provide accountability for the participant
Support progress of the participant
Detection and early intervention
Serve as an adjunct to treatment
Extend the team into the community
Protecting Public Safety
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Drug offenders often commit offenses to
support drug habits
Users are more likely than non-users to
commit crimes.
Drug offenders commit a disproportionate
among of property crime.
Effective supervision interdicts criminal
behavior.
Deter Misconduct
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A primary goal of effective supervision is to
create a conscientiousness of being
“watched” by the drug court team.
Random and frequent contacts are intended
to cause the participant to think twice about
engaging in behavior that is not conducive
to recovery.
Accountability
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Ensure participant complies with
probation terms and/or program rules.
Ensure participant attends and is
engaged in treatment.
Application of “coerced” treatment
Support Progress of the
Participant
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Supervision provides the opportunity for an
immediate response to both positive and negative
participant behavior.
Using incentives ( verbal praise, tokens, certificates,
etc.) to reinforce desired behavior and behavior
change.
Regular supervision contacts can help support
recovery tools, and help the participant resist the
urge to use.
Early Detection and
Intervention
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Supervision can interrupt the relapse
process through;
– Knowledge of a participants relapse
prevention plan
– Recognizing an offenders personal trigger
– Prompt sanctioning of misbehavior
– Re-directing the participant to treatment
Adjunct to Treatment
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An important role for supervision is to
share information from the field
seamlessly with treatment and the
entire team.
A basic function is to confirm and
inform.
Identify discrepancies in information.
Support treatment plan goals.
Extend the Team into the
Community
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Absent effective community supervision, a
drug court team is operating in the blind.
The supervision officer can be a key in
presenting a “united” front to the
participant.
Indicators of Drug Use
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Failure to report/missing appointments.
Change in normal appearance, unkempt
disheveled.
Change in temperament -unusually quiet or
nervous conversation.
Disassociation with pro-social friends, i.e.
non-using roommate moves out.
Unusual or inappropriate behavior reported
by family or other association.
Effective Probation/Community
Supervision Practices
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Assessment and reassessment
Supervision strategy
Rapport building
Home visits
Periodic searches
Drug testing
Specialized terms/program rules
Assessment/Reassessme
nt
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May use an actuarial risk/needs assessment.
Identify risk to recidivate and criminogenic needs.
Become familiar with criminal and treatment
history.
Assessment should include strength areas.
Review arrest reports.
Assessment information should drive the case plan.
Assessment should be on going and at regular
intervals.
Supervision Strategy
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Supervision strategy should be designed to
achieve goals of supervision. It should
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Frequency
Location
Mode ( face to face, telephone, collateral, etc.)
Structuring participant free time. Require the
participant to maintain a daily planner. The
planer should include scheduled activities
between contacts. Use the planner as a guide
for field contacts.
Employ Core Correctional
Practices
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Probations Offices Should Utilize the
Following Interventions in working with
Participants
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Effective Reinforcement
Effective Disapproval
Effective use of Authority
Cognitive Restructuring
Structured Skill Building
Problem Solving
Relationship Skills/Motivational Interviewing
Home Visits
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Announced and unannounced
Based on assessment information and
supervision strategy
Vary the times, non governmental hours
Engage the family
Evaluate condition of the home
Drug test
Support compliance and positive progress
Searches
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The ability to conduct searches is determined by
statue, type of court, nature of the court order,
waivers and consents to search.
Clearly state the provisions in program rules.
Should be done randomly.
Look for drugs and signs of drug use paraphernalia,
etc.
Periodic searches serve to enforce program rules
and sobriety.
Drug Testing
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Drug testing should be randomized to the maximum
extent possible.
The frequency of testing should be tied to the drug
of choice used by the target population, phase
requirements.
If practicable, use multiple specimens (urine, saliva,
hair, etc.)
All urine drug tests should be OBSERVED.
Plan to test during home visits, office visits and
court appearances.
Specialized
Terms/Program Rules
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Tailor program terms/rules to address the needs
and behaviors of an individual participant, or the
target population in general.
Consider:
– Curfews
– Association restrictions
– No alcohol
– No prescription medication with out approval
– Area restrictions ( i.e. high drug areas, “hang
out” areas etc.)
Don’t have rule that you cannot effectively enforce.
Additional Issues Impacting Probation In
Drug Court
Working with Treatment
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Relation must be as seamless as possible.
Establish and maintain regular communication.
Ensure appropriate release of information forms are
place.
Have a general understanding of the treatment
modality ( harm reduction vs. abstinence).
Agree on the information to be exchanged, i.e. drug
tests, general progress in treatment, criminal
history, etc.).
Must present a “united front” to the a participant.
Competency Areas For Drug
Court Probation Officers
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Drug Court Probation Officers should be
knowledgeable in:
– Addiction
– Psychopharmacology
– Stages of Change
– Relapse
– Field safety skills
– Working in an interdisciplinary team
Check list For Probation
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Dedicated Officer/case load Y/N
Caseload size?
Risk Assessment?
Case Planning?
Frequency of Contacts?
Trained In Core Correctional Practices?
Field Activity/Home Contacts?
Summary
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In Drug Court, Probation’s Role is to
employ a “Balanced Approach” a part of the
team effort to facilitate behavior change.
Utilize a range of practices to ensure
accountability and support recovery.
Develop a supervision strategy that targets
the behaviors associated with recidivism.
Enhance skills in key competency areas.
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Mack Jenkins 858 514 3200
[email protected]