Brad Bogue

Participate In Our EBP Self-Assessment Initiative

admin.nospam@nospam.j-sat.com (admin) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:11:33 -1400

In our efforts to implement and move closer to EBPs we often have to contend with a variety of untested assumptions. For example, we might think that line staff are using assessments to generate case plans, but we don’t know – they might just be using T’s & C’s as the basis for their plans. Moreover, usually it’s not a white or black matter, but one of degree, some officers are doing it one way, some aren’t. The more granular the activity is, the more prone management is to false assumptions.

Recently, Bonta, et al’s, (2008) groundbreaking study (“Exploring the Black Box of Community Supervision”) clearly exposed some of the gaps in our understanding of how our operations align with EBP. This same study also pinpoints what a critical role officers’ practice and influence plays in recidivism reduction. We at J-SAT have also done some investigations with videotaped supervision sessions and have determined similar findings. It has become obvious that developing a better granular understanding about what is actually taking place between agent and probationer or parolee has significant value for planning and leading change within an organization.

J-SAT has also been conducting frequent multi-tool surveys with officers in a variety of different jurisdictions across the country in the past 2-3 years. We have learned some important things from this experience. First, we now understand through the appropriate use of anonymity, email and web-based surveys, how to obtain extremely high (always over 90%) response rates. Second, we are finding that officer attitudes and beliefs can be associated with both intermediate performance measures (e.g., compliance on clean urines or tx group attendance) and in some instances longer term recidivism. Third, we now have large combined data samples and norms which are very helpful for interpreting results and conducting needs assessments. However, we have also come to believe that surveys based on beliefs and attitudes are not sufficient; we also need survey data based on what practitioners are routinely DOING.

We have developed the EBP Self-Assessment (EBPSA) tool, with an eye towards assessing current officer practices centering around supervision sessions – where the rubber meets the road, so to speak. We designed this 28 item tool to be a brief, dipstick assessment of seven different domains or subscales related to core EBP principles or strategies:

assessment
engaging client motivation
targeting interventions
skill training
positive reinforcement
community support
providing and exploring feedback

The items in this self-report tool are present tense and behavioral, rather than attitudinal. Thus, this tool is designed to provide a more nuanced picture regarding on-the-ground practices.

Initial pilots with this tool have been successful and we now wish to obtain larger data samples and norms to complete and refine the tool. We welcome your agency’s participation and involvement. We will provide you with a report depicting agency profiles (one the seven domains) broken down by agency and unit, compared to our growing national norms. AND, if you are one of the earlier participants, we will recast your scores with subsequent larger norms, should you be interested. What we won’t do is reveal any participating staff member’s individual scores – they must be guaranteed anonymity in order for the self-report function to work, though they will automatically receive their personal scores to do with as they please.

There is no charge for any of this service. We think this is going to be an example of a win-win application; we get national norms for better interpretation and diagnostic efforts and you get immediate feedback and baseline information for planning purposes and potential subsequent follow-up comparisons (also no cost). If you are interested please contact us and Joshua Stengel, our General Manager, will set the survey up for your agency.

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The Probation and Parole Treatment Planner

admin.nospam@nospam.j-sat.com (admin) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:58:33 -1400

The Probation and Parole Treatment Planner is a book I wrote to provide all the elements necessary to quickly and easily develop formal treatment plans that satisfy the demands of HMOs, managed care companies, third-party payors, and state and federal review agencies.

The book includes the following chapters: Anger, Assertiveness Deficits, Authority Conflicts, Callousness (Lack of Empathy/Honesty), Chemical Dependence, Childhood Trauma/Abuse/Neglect, Consequential Thinking Deficits, Criminal Peers, Deceitful, Depression/Suicidal Ideation, Driving-Related Offenses, Family Conflict/Alienation, Family Criminality/Deviance, Financial Management Problems, Gender Identification Issues, Impulsivity, Inadequate Social Support/Social Isolation, Intimate Relationship Conflict, Moral Disengagement, Narcissistic/Unprincipled, Problem-Solving Skill Deficits, Psychosis, Self-Concept Deficits, Self-Defeating Behavior Patterns (non-AOD), Sexually Deviant Behavior, Time Management Problems, Unstable Living Situation, Violent/Aggressive Behavior.

Locate this book...

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Implementing Evidence-Based Practice in Community Corrections: The Principles of Effective Intervention

admin.nospam@nospam.j-sat.com (admin) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:45:25 -1400

This article presents principles of effective evidence-based intervention. Topics discussed include: Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) term clarification; eight principles for effective interventions; components of correctional interventions; implementing EBP principles; applying the principles at the case, agency, and system levels; seven recommended strategies for implementing effective interventions; and levels of research evidence.

Download the article.

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Using a Proxy Score to Pre-screen Offenders for Risk to Reoffend

admin.nospam@nospam.j-sat.com (admin) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:40:04 -1400

This report instructs correctional personnel in the use of a three-question proxy screening tool for the purpose of moving as many low risk offenders as possible to a minimum supervision caseload right away. The Proxy allows intake personnel to avoid using a more resource-intensive third generation risk tool on all offenders, thereby freeing up time to focus on higher risk populations.

Download the report.

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Matching Substance Abuse Offenders to Appropriate Treatment: Theory, Applications and Implications

admin.nospam@nospam.j-sat.com (admin) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:02:00 -1400

The link between substance abuse and crime has long been chronicled. Research shows that matching offender's criminogenic factors with appropriate intervention is effective. In Colorado, substance abuse and other risk factors are measured during pre-sentence investigations, and results are used in sentence recommendations.

Using the same instruments, an in-jail treatment program in San Diego focuses on high-risk substance abusers. This paper traces the evolution of risk-needs assessments of inmates, highlights these two studies that target high-risk substance abuse offenders, and addresses the implications for risk-needs assessment today and in the future.

Download: Matching Substance Abuse

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