INCREASING PUBLIC SAFETY THROUGH SUCCESSFUL OFFENDER REENTRY:  EVIDENCE-BASED AND EMERGING PRACTICES (2007)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance; Cooperative Agreement # 2004-RE-CX-K007

This handbook is designed around a framework for successful offender reentry developed through the Community Safety Through Successful Offender Reentry trainings, a series of events conducted nationwide by the Center on behalf of BJA.  The Center worked with institutional corrections and community supervision agencies to develop and conduct these trainings, which were crafted to assist leadership in implementing reentry strategies and preparing their staff for change.  Through that effort, agencies shared common challenges that often surface as a result of refocusing correctional resources and efforts on successful offender reentry.  Those lessons have been incorporated into this handbook, providing a tool that will be useful to institutional corrections and community supervision agencies across the country.  Sections of the handbook focus on issues related to leadership and organizational change, rational planning, collaboration, and key offender management strategies and evidence-based and emerging practices.  The handbook contains information relevant to those agencies working with adult, juvenile, and women offenders.

POLICY BRIEF ON PAROLE VIOLATIONS (2007)

Sponsor: Pew Charitable Trust

» pewtrusts.org

The Center provided assistance to the Pew Charitable Trust to develop a policy brief on parole violations, a document that will be used to inform legislators about the issues surrounding responses to technical violations of parole and reentry.

THE COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT PROTOCOL: A SYSTEMWIDE REVIEW OF ADULT AND JUVENILE SEX OFFENDER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES (CAP) (2007)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance; Cooperative Agreement # 97-WT-VX-K007, # 2006-WP-BX-K004

CSOM developed The Comprehensive Assessment Protocol: A Systemwide Review of Adult and Juvenile Sex Offender Management Strategies (CAP) to assist jurisdictions in the enhancement of their sex offender management approaches.  The CAP is a tool that, when used as designed, will guide its users through a deliberate and highly collaborative information-gathering and analysis process.  It identifies with a high degree of specificity the strengths of a jurisdiction's sex offender management approach and the steps that can be taken to further enhance and strengthen its system.

The goals of the CAP are to:

• Identify the many components of sex offender management and highlight the key research and practice issues emerging in the field related to each;
• Assist a multi-disciplinary team - whether at the local or state level - in both understanding and critically assessing their current policies and practices relative to contemporary literature and practice; and
• Facilitate access to additional information - through the detailed reference listings - should there be a need or desire for further information. 

The CAP is prefaced with a User's Guide that outlines an ideal process for its use, followed by a discussion of the Fundamental Principles of the Comprehensive Approach to Sex Offender Management.  These principles, which include a victim-centered approach, specialized knowledge, public education, monitoring and evaluation, and collaboration, offer readers a framework through which to consider the critical components of sex offender management.  The CAP is divided into substantive components, which include:

• Investigation, Prosecution, and Disposition;
• Assessment;
• Treatment;
• Reentry;
• Supervision; and
• Registration and Community Notification.

In each of the aforementioned sections, a summary of the available empirical research, other professional literature, or emerging practice is provided as a foundation.  This is followed by a series of questions designed to assist jurisdictions to identify and assess their current state and/or local policies and practices within each substantive area.

MANAGING SEX OFFENDERS IN THE COMMUNITY: A HANDBOOK TO GUIDE POLICYMAKERS AND PRACTITIONERS THROUGH A PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS (REVISED, 2007)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs; Cooperative Agreement # 97-WT-VX-K007, # 2006-WP-BX-K004

This handbook is designed to assist policymakers and practitioners in the process of assessing and strengthening their adult and juvenile sex offender management approaches.  Originally developed for jurisdictions awarded grants through the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, this handbook has been adapted to describe a planning and implementation process that is applicable to all jurisdictions, regardless of size, available resources, or the expertise of those involved.

UNDERSTANDING SEX OFFENDERS: AN INTRODUCTORY CURRICULUM (2007)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 2005-WP-BX-K179; 2006-WP-BX-K004

This curriculum provides a brief overview of the extent of sexual victimization and a few basic trends pertaining to these types of crimes; summarizes key data about sex offenders who come to the attention of the criminal justice system; reviews commonly identified characteristics within the sex offender population, while recognizing the heterogeneity that exists among them; highlights examples of approaches used to classify groups of sex offenders into more homogenous subtypes or typologies; outlines various etiological or explanatory theories of sex offending; and begins to consider the implications of this information for contemporary sex offender management strategies.

FEMALE SEX OFFENDERS (2007)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 2005-WP-BX-K179; 2006-WP-BX-K004

This policy and practice brief synthesizes the research and other professional literature about women and adolescent girls who commit sex offenses. This review encompasses what is known about the seemingly low incidence of these crimes and their under-recognition, common characteristics and typologies of female sex offenders, and key considerations relative to assessment, treatment, and supervision strategies. It is intended for a wide range of professionals, including criminal and juvenile justice practitioners, court officials, treatment providers, child welfare personnel, victim advocates, and others who may be involved in the broader management of this special population.

MANAGING THE CHALLENGES OF SEX OFFENDER REENTRY (2007)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 2005-WP-BX-K179; 2006-WP-BX-K004

This policy and practice brief is designed to inform the efforts of correctional administrators and staff, parole boards and other releasing authorities, community supervision officials, treatment providers, and non-criminal justice partners as they work collaboratively to support the successful transition of sex offenders from prison to the community while ensuring victim and community safety.

THE EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF JUVENILE SEX OFFENDERS IN THE COMMUNITY (2007)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 2005-WP-BX-K179; 2006-WP-BX-K004

This curriculum provides an overview of the critical issues related to juvenile sex offender management, including the key differences between adult and juvenile sex offenders and the ways in which juvenile sex offenders can most effectively be managed—and when appropriate, successfully reintegrated into—the community. The curriculum also explores some of the current legal and legislative issues that are impacting juvenile sex offenders today.

UNDERSTANDING TREATMENT FOR ADULTS AND JUVENILES WHO HAVE COMMITTED SEXUAL OFFENSES (2006)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 2005-WP-BX-K179; 2006-WP-BX-K004

» www.csom.org/pubs/treatment_brief.pdf

This brief provides a broad overview of current research, professional literature, and practice trends relative to treatment for sexually abusive individuals. Although specialized clinicians may find this brief to be of interest, the primary intended audience is the range of other management professionals seeking to understand key issues about treatment for adults and juveniles who have committed sex offenses.

SECONDARY TRAUMA AND THE MANAGEMENT OF SEX OFFENDERS (2006)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Grant Number: 2005-WP-BX-K179; 2006-WP-BX-K004

» www.csom.org/train/trauma/index.html

This curriculum defines the experience of secondary trauma and its implications for those professionals who work with sex offenders on a regular basis. Topics covered as part of this training include:

• Understanding secondary trauma and how it is particularly relevant to those of us who work in sex offender management;
• Identifying the signs and symptoms of secondary trauma in ourselves and our colleagues; and
• Learning how to mitigate and address the effects of secondary trauma.

Particular attention is paid to understanding the reasons why sex offender management professionals are particularly susceptible to this type of trauma; steps individual practitioners can take to ward off the effects of secondary trauma, both on the job and in their professional lives; and the ways in which agencies can work to ameliorate the effects of secondary trauma in their employees.

FIVE REASONS WHY JUDGES SHOULD BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN ESTABLISHING, LEADING, AND PARTICIPATING ON COLLABORATIVE, POLICY-FOCUSED TEAMS (2006)

Sponsors: State Justice Institute
Grant Number: SJI-99 N-039-C03-1; SJI-99 N-039-C01-1; SJI-99 N-039-U03-1

This monograph addresses the critically important role judges play in convening and leading collaborative teams focused on enhancing the administration of justice and the ethical considerations surrounding judges’ participation on such teams.  It also discusses why the perspective of the judge is so unique, how judges’ participation helps to bring other stakeholders to the table, and why their involvement or leadership of such teams is essential to achieving meaningful outcomes. 

THE ROLE OF THE VICTIM AND VICTIM ADVOCATE IN MANAGING SEX OFFENDERS (2006)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Grant Number: 2005–WP–BX–K179; 2006–WP–BX–K004

» www.csom.org/train/victim/index.html

This curriculum provides information and materials (lecture content, presentation slides, handouts, and references) designed to equip knowledgeable trainers to plan and deliver a training on a victim–centered approach to sex offender management.

The goals of this curriculum are to provide an overview of:

• What is meant by a victim–centered approach to the management of sex offenders in the community;
• The impact sexual assault can have on its victims;
• The rationale for and the benefits of involving victims and victim advocates in sex offender management; and
• Some of the ways that those involved in sex offender management–including victims and victim advocates–can effectively collaborate.

WORKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE: WHY AND HOW TO COLLABORATE EFFECTIVELY (2006)

Sponsors: State Justice Institute
Grant Number: SJI-99 N-039-C01-1

Recognizing that collaboration is imperative to an effective criminal justice system, corrections professionals are more willing than ever to establish partnerships with other key stakeholders in the offender management arena. Although there are many barriers to forming a successful collaborative, the benefits – including mutual understanding, shared responsibilities, and enhanced support – are far greater than the challenges faced by corrections professionals. This article defines collaboration, describes the need for a shared vision and common purpose for a collaborative endeavor to be successful, and identifies the necessary qualities of team members for an effective collaboration.

ADVOCATING FOR CLIENTS: DEFENDERS AND COLLABORATION IN THE CRIMINAL AND JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEMS (2006)

Sponsors: State Justice Institute
Grant Number: SJI-99 N-039-C01-1

This article provides a brief overview of the literature on collaboration, describes the challenges and benefits of justice system collaboratives, and outlines how defenders can work with their colleagues in the criminal justice, social service, and other relevant systems to most effectively advocate for their clients.

SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION AND REENTRY FOR SAFER COMMUNTIES: A CALL TO ACTION FOR PAROLE (2006)

Sponsors: The JEHT Foundation
Grant Number: CJ-1242-05

» www.cepp.com/documents/A Call to Action for Parole.pdf

The release each year of hundreds of thousands of people from prison to communities all across America has established offender reentry as a high profile issue on national and state policy agendas. In fact, this interest in reentry is evidence of a virtual sea change in how communities and corrections professionals think about prisons, offenders, and community safety. Both ordinary citizens and public officials alike have begun to recognize that, once offenders have been held to account for and served their time, their ability to transition to the community as law abiding citizens is in the interest of public safety—as well as in the interest of victims, offenders, and offenders' families. This clear understanding of the public safety dimensions of successful reentry is a significant opportunity. It is an opportunity to refashion our system to accomplish the twin goals of successful reentry and community safety. But it will not be easy. It will require the commitment and the best efforts of a wide range of stakeholders—including parole. This paper is intended as an urgent call to action:

• For paroling authorities and parole supervision agencies—to step up to the challenge of defining their role in reentry and equipping themselves to do so;
• For criminal justice policy makers—to assure that paroling authorities and parole supervision agencies are engaged in the reentry discussion and part of collaborative efforts to enhance successful reentry; and
• For state legislative bodies and governors—to articulate a clear mission of successful offender reentry in the service of community safety, and to equip their parole leaders with the discretion, resources, and authority to help accomplish this mission.

The paper outlines the evolution of parole, emerging research that should be considered in shaping policy, and outlines specific recommendations for parole boards, parole supervision agencies, state legislative bodies, and executive branch policy makers.

GETTING IT RIGHT: COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE (2006)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons, National Institute of Corrections
Cooperative Agrement: 01DO1GIE3

This guide to planning for an effective system of criminal justice sanctions was produced under the National Institute of Corrections sponsored Criminal Justice System Project. The guide is designed to assist criminal justice policymakers, practitioners, and others interested in learning about and engaging in a criminal justice system planning process. Drawing on the lessons learned from the 10 jurisdictions who participated in the Criminal Justice System Project and many other policy planning efforts supported by the National Institute of Corrections, the guide describes a systemic planning process that policymakers can engage in to enhance justice in their communities, and provides tools and exercises that teams can use to establish and maintain their own criminal justice planning efforts. The guide is organized around fourteen core principles essential to a successful planning effort. The guide includes case studies, examples of materials developed by project teams, references for additional information and assistance, and other hands-on materials that jurisdictions can use in their planning efforts.

COLLABORATING FOR JUSTICE: INVOLVEMENT OF JUDGES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE COLLABORATIONS (2006)

Sponsors: State Justice Institute
Grant Number: SJI-99 N-039-C01-1

As the effectiveness of collaborative approaches to addressing challenges within the criminal justice system become more apparent, more and more judges are being called upon to participate in these broad policymaking and system change efforts.  Such requests to collaborate pose unique challenges to the judiciary, who must weigh judicial independence and the canons of ethical judicial conduct against the benefits a judicial perspective can provide.  This article addresses the unique challenges and benefits collaboration poses to the judiciary and those responsible for administering justice through the courts. 

COLLABORATING FOR JUSTICE: INVOLVEMENT OF PROSECUTORS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE COLLABORATIONS (2006)

Grant Number: SJI-99 N-039-C01-1

Prosecutors are essential stakeholders in any effort to create change within the criminal justice system. As such, they are being asked with greater and greater frequency to serve on interagency teams promoting collaborative approaches to problem solving among criminal justice practitioners, social service agencies, and members of the community.  This article addresses the challenges and benefits of collaboration to prosecutors, and discusses how effective collaboration can help ensure that the policies and procedures of the criminal justice system better meet the needs of the prosecutors' office and create the opportunity for transformative change. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP IN ACHIEVING EFFECTIVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE OUTCOMES (REVISED, 2006)

Sponsors: National Institute of Corrections
Grant Number: SJI-99-N-039-U03-1

» www.collaborativejustice.org/docs/The Importance of Collaborative Leadership.doc

This document was developed under the National Resource Center on Collaboration in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems project. Justice system professionals are increasingly called upon to collaborate in an effort to more effectively address the challenging issues facing the criminal and juvenile justice systems. Much attention is paid to the role of the team as a whole in carrying out its mutually established vision, mission, and goals. Less focus is typically paid to the leader of the team, perhaps because the act of singling out and emphasizing the role of one individual over the other team members somehow diminishes the importance of the others, or contradicts the notion of equality that is so central to collaborative teams. And yet, the critical role of the team leader is undeniable. This monograph explores the unique qualities and skills of leaders, and their role on the collaborative team.

THE IMPORTANCE OF DATA AND INFORMATION IN ACHIEVING SUCCESSFUL CRIMINAL JUSTICE OUTCOMES (REVISED, 2006)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections
Grant Number: SJI-99-N-039-U03-1

This document was developed under the National Resource Center on Collaboration in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems project.  Criminal and juvenile justice collaborative teams are routinely formed to both identify and implement system wide enhancements and address specific challenges with respect to system and offender management strategies.  Regardless of the type of team or the scope of the problem the team is chartered to address, these efforts will yield better results when agencies join together to collect, understand, and use data and information as the basis to their policy development work.  This monograph focuses on the rationale for using data to inform policy development and its sources, and provides references for additional resource materials to guide the development of data collection plans. 

THE ROLE OF FACILITATORS AND STAFF IN SUPPORTING COLLABORATIVE TEAMS (REVISED, 2006)

Sponsors: State Justice Institute
Grant Number: SJI-99-N-039-C03-1

» www.collaborativejustice.org/docs/The Role of Facilitators and Staff in Supporting Collaborative Teams.doc

There are several keys to the success of collaborative teams; one of these is the support the team receives through the assistance of a facilitator and other supporting staff. This document describes the roles of these individuals, the skill set necessary for facilitators and staff to advance the work of teams, the responsibilities these individuals typically carry, and resources to enhance the effectiveness of these important team members.

SYSTEMIC CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNING: IMPROVING RESPONSES TO WOMEN OFFENDERS IN HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO (2005)

Sponsors: National Institute of Corrections
Cooperative Agrement: 03S06GIY3

» www.nicic.org/Library/020872

In an effort to enhance their work with female offenders, Hamilton County, Ohio, engaged in a collaborative and systemic criminal justice planning process, collecting and analyzing data and information to inform their policy team about both their female offender population and the systems, programs, and services designed to manage them. This document describes Hamilton County's planning process, their findings, the system enhancements implemented, and the successful outcomes achieved as a result.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR REUNIFYING ADULT SEX OFFENDERS AND THEIR FAMILIES (2005)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 97-WT-VX-K007

» www.csom.org/pubs/FamilyReunificationDec05.pdf

This document has been developed for use by probation and parole officers, treatment providers, victim advocates, and others who work with sex offenders or the victims of sexual abuse. It provides an overview of the dynamics and key issues warranting attention when considering family reunification and preservation with sex offenders as part of a broader, more comprehensive approach to sex offender management.

USING JAIL EXIT SURVEYS TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY RESPONSES TO WOMEN OFFENDERS (2005)

Sponsors: National Institute of Corrections
Cooperative Agrement: 03C24GIY9

» www.nicic.org/Library/020853

This bulletin provides guidance and practical information to jurisdictions interested in learning more about their women offender population through the use of jail exit surveys. The bulletin describes the benefits of conducting jail exit surveys as a means of gathering critical information on the jailed population; includes guidelines for designing and implementing exit surveys; provides assistance in analyzing and interpreting survey results; and guidance on implementing policy and practice enhancements based upon survey findings. Case examples from four jurisdictions are provided to illustrate the ways in which jail exit surveys can inform policy changes to better assess, serve, and supervise women offenders. A sample questionnaire and an analysis of survey data are included.

AN OVERVIEW OF SEX OFFENDER TREATMENT FOR A NON-CLINICAL AUDIENCE (REVISED, 2005)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Grant Number: 97–WT–VX–K007

» www.csom.org/train/treatment.html

This curriculum provides information and materials (lecture content, participant materials, slides, references, handouts) designed to equip knowledgeable trainers to plan and deliver a training on sex offender treatment for a non–clinical audience. The goals of the curriculum are to:

• Provide an overview of sex offender'specific treatment, and outline its characteristics, particularly the ways in which it differs from traditional mental health treatment;
• Emphasize its primary goal of community protection;
• Summarize what we know of practice patterns nationwide;
• Summarize the research on treatment efficacy; and
• Identify ways in which probation and parole officers can successfully work together with treatment providers to effectively manage sex offenders under community supervision.

THE EMERGENCE OF COLLABORATION AS THE PREFERRED APPROACH IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE (2005)

Sponsors: State Justice Institute;
Grant Number: SJI-99-N-039-C01-1

» www.collaborativejustice.org/docs/The Emergence of Collaboration.doc

Collaboration in criminal justice has great potential as a tool to create more responsive solutions to crime in our communities. While it has been lauded as an effective approach to work activities and decisionmaking, collaboration still is more a concept than a practice in both the public and private sectors. However, there remains cause for optimism. There are numerous criminal justice initiatives that can provide examples of outstanding collaborative practices, and the business world and other public arenas also offer inspiring illustrations of successful collaboratives that can be adapted by the criminal justice system. An ever–expanding number of funding resources and technical assistance is available to support collaborative efforts. And while many criminal justice leaders and practitioners still shy away from collaborative ventures, there are a growing number who truly believe in the power of collaboration to create positive systematic change and are willing to devote time and effort to such processes. As this paper suggests, the difficulty of creating collaborative responses within the criminal justice system cannot be overlooked. However, the challenging nature of this work should not preclude us from expanding and enhancing collaborative criminal justice efforts in order to better protect and support our communities.

COLLABORATION: A TRAINING CURRICULUM TO ENHANCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE TEAMS (2005)

Sponsors: State Justice Institute
Grant Number: SJI–99–N–039

» www.cepp.com/documents/2005 Collaboration Curriculum

This curriculum is one of several products produced under the National Resource Center on Collaboration in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems project. It is designed to assist multi–disciplinary criminal justice teams in establishing or enhancing truly collaborative relationships, and draws on both theory and practice in the areas of teamwork, group dynamics, adult learning theory, and organizational development. The curriculum is designed for a 3–day interactive workshop that combines plenary sessions with teamwork exercises specifically developed to assist groups in evaluating their effectiveness and building their potential as a highly functioning team. The curriculum includes lecture content, instructions for trainers, participant materials, slides, handouts and teamwork exercises.

PROMOTING OFFENDER ACCOUNTABILITY AND COMMUNITY SAFETY THROUGH THE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO SEX OFFENDER MANAGEMENT (2004)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs;
Cooperative Agreement #97–WT–VX–K007

» www.cepp.com/documents/CommunitySafety.pdf

Most convicted sex offenders reside, or at some point following a criminal justice sentence will reside, in the community. A comprehensive and collaborative approach to sex offender management can help to manage offenders’ sexually deviant behaviors. This article describes the five core principles of the comprehensive approach to sex offender management—a victim–centered approach to the work; the need for specialized knowledge and training regarding sex offenders; the important role of public education in sex offender management; the need to continually monitor and evaluate management strategies; and the critical role collaboration plays in establishing and carrying out comprehensive management strategies. The literature on sex offender assessment, treatment, and supervision, as well as promising approaches to sex offender reentry, community notification, and sex offender registration, are also discussed.

THE PRISON RAPE ELIMINATION ACT OF 2003: SUMMARY OF FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION POINTS (2004)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance
Cooperative Agrement: 97-WT-VX-K007

Subsequent to the enactment of the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003, the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance convened a focus group comprised of researchers, correctional and jail administrators, mental health professionals, and other substantive experts in the area of prison rape to provide guidance on the development of a grant solicitation to address the investigation, prosecution, provision of services to inmates who are the victims of inmate on inmate prison rape, and the prevention of prison rape.  The focus group was convened in the Spring of 2004.  Discussions resulted in a set of key recommendations for the elimination of prison rape.  These recommendations relate to three broad substantive areas:  investigation and prosecution; services to victims; and prevention.  A summary of the key substantive issues discussed is presented in an unpublished paper. 

A RESOURCE KIT FOR NEW PAROLE BOARD MEMBERS (2003)

Sponsors: Association of Paroling Authorities, International, with funding from the National Institute of Corrections
Cooperative Agrement: O2CO9GIV4

The Resource Kit for New Parole Board Members contains three types of materials designed to assist parole board members in becoming oriented to their new positions and responsibilities:

• A Handbook for New Parole Board Members;
• Supplementary videos that enhance and augment the Handbook; and
• Other reference materials.

The Handbook focuses on topics designed to provide new parole board members with: an overview of their new responsibilities; information that puts parole decisions into the context of the criminal justice process in which they take place; and additional information on critical issues affecting parole decisions, such as the growing role of victims in the criminal justice system, the revived interest in offender reentry issues, and other important legal and ethical issues. The videotapes included in the Kit augment the information provided in the Handbook, covering such issues as “Challenges of Parole Decisionmaking” and “What Works and What Doesn–t in Correctional Practice.” The reference materials included in the Kit are considered core documents for a parole board member's library, and provide supplemental information and issues for use by parole board members.

EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT SEXUAL ASSAULT AND THE MANAGEMENT OF SEX OFFENDERS IN THE COMMUNITY (2002)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 97–WT–VX–K007

» www.csom.org/train/educating/index.html

This curriculum provides information and materials (lecture content, participant materials, slides, references, handouts, etc.) designed to equip trainers to educate the public about sexual assault and the management of sex offenders. The materials in this curriculum may be used to convene a meeting:

• With a neighborhood watch group, or a group interested generally in community safety issues;
• To notify the community regarding an individual sex offender's presence in a particular neighborhood;
• To educate a community and/or other stakeholders regarding sexual violence and sex offender management programs; or
• Specifically designed to encourage community members to support and become involved in a comprehensive sex offender management program.

SUPERVISION OF SEX OFFENDERS IN THE COMMUNITY: A TRAINING CURRICULUM (2002)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 97–WT–VX–K007

» www.csom.org/train/supervision/index.html

This curriculum provides information and materials (lecture content, participant materials, slides, references, handouts, etc.) designed to equip knowledgeable trainers to plan and deliver three different versions (short, medium, and long) of a training on the supervision of sex offenders in the community.

The curriculum:

• Articulates the wide variety of challenges involved in supervising sex offenders in the community, particularly the ways in which they differ from other populations under supervision;
• Provides an overview of current knowledge on the incidence and prevalence of sexual offending and its impact upon victims;
• Summarizes information on sex offender typologies and what is known about the etiology of sex offending behavior;
• Synthesizes the experiences and lessons from many agencies around the nation who have developed innovative approaches to sex offender supervision in response to the challenges presented by this population; and
• Provides specific guidance on the management of this population to probation and parole officers, supervisors and policymakers, as well as for treatment providers, polygraph examiners, and others who work with supervision agencies to ensure the safe and effective supervision of sex offenders in the community.

AN OVERVIEW OF SEX OFFENDER MANAGEMENT (2002)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 97-WT-VX-K007

» www.csom.org/pubs/pubs.html#csombro

This brochure describes briefly the characteristics of adult and juvenile sex offenders and their offenses, the impact of sexual assault on victims, and the key components to the effective management of sex offenders under community supervision. This document can be used to provide a synthesis of the key principles of sex offender management to a wide variety of audiences seeking basic information about this topic, including community members, criminal justice practitioners, legislators, and others.

COLLABORATION: A TRAINING CURRICULUM TO ENHANCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE TEAMS (PREVIEW COPY, 2002)

Sponsors: State Justice Institute
Grant Number: SJI-99-N-039

This curriculum is one of several products produced under the National Resource Center on Collaboration in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems project. It is designed to assist multi-disciplinary criminal justice teams in establishing or enhancing truly collaborative relationships, and draws on both theory and practice in the areas of teamwork, group dynamics, adult learning theory, and organizational development. The curriculum is designed for a 3-day interactive workshop that combines plenary sessions with teamwork exercises specifically developed to assist groups in evaluating their effectiveness and building their potential as a highly functioning team. The curriculum includes lecture content, instructions for trainers, participant materials, slides, handouts and teamwork exercises.

TIME TO WORK: MANAGING THE EMPLOYMENT OF SEX OFFENDERS UNDER COMMUNITY SUPERVISION (2002)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 97-WT-VX-K007

» www.csom.org/pubs/pubs.html#work

This paper discusses critical issues in the management of sex offender employment, including assessing potential job placements, approaching the job search process, making sound job placement decisions, developing relationships with employers, and monitoring sex offendersY job–related activities.

RECIDIVISM OF SEX OFFENDERS (2001)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 97-WT-VX-K007

» www.csom.org/pubs/pubs.html#recidivism

This paper examines the critical issues in defining recidivism and provides a synthesis of the current research on the reoffense rates of sex offenders. Also discussed are factors and conditions that appear to be associated with reduced sexual offending and the implications that these findings have for sex offender management.

RESPONDING TO PAROLE AND PROBATION VIOLATIONS: A HANDBOOK TO GUIDE LOCAL POLICY DEVELOPMENT (2001)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections
Grant Number: 97CO4GIE2

» www.nicic.org/pubs/2001/016858.pdf

Beginning in 1988, the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections sponsored its first national training and technical assistance project addressing the issue of parole violations. Designed to assist interested jurisdictions in examining their violation practices and developing policy to respond to these issues, the project sponsored work in twenty–nine jurisdictions over a period of twelve years. This handbook documents the framework that developed over those years as an approach for thinking about this issue.

The handbook describes the processes used by the participating jurisdictions to examine their own violation practices, and makes their experiences and work products available to others attempting to address this issue in their own communities. Developed to assist other practitioners and policymakers, the handbook includes an overview of critical issues related to probation and parole violations, and addresses the key steps in understanding or addressing different aspects of the issue.

CASE STUDIES ON THE CENTER FOR SEX OFFENDER MANAGEMENT'S NATIONAL RESOURCE SITES, 2ND EDITION (REVISED, 2001)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 97–WT–VX–K007

» www.csom.org/pubs/pubs.html#case_studies

In an effort to highlight some of the most promising sex offender management practices in the nation, CSOM has developed case studies on nineteen National Resource Sites that have developed innovative sex offender management and supervision approaches.

COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION AND EDUCATION (2001)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 97-WT-VX-K007

» www.csom.org/pubs/pubs.html#notification_new

This policy and practice brief examines the differences in state laws regarding community notification and explores some innovative approaches to notification and education in jurisdictions across the United States.

COMMUNITY JUSTICE IN RURAL AMERICA: FOUR EXAMPLES AND FOUR FUTURES (2001)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance
Grant Number: 97-DD-BX-K002

The Bureau of Justice Assistance funded the Center for Effective Public Policy to learn about rural communities in which community justice flourished. This monograph was developed and published as part of that ongoing project. Written with Walter J. Dickey, University of Wisconsin–Madison Law School, the monograph contains case studies of four communities included in the technical assistance project, and analyzes the significant phases observed as these communities developed their community justice models.

DEVELOPING MOTHER-CHILD COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS PROGRAMS: ISSUES TO CONSIDER FOR PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS (2001)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance
Grant Number: 2000DDVX0012

» www.cepp.com/documents/MCCC-Planning.pdf

Planning for supervision and services that fit both mothers and their children is critical for successful programming. This document was developed to assist program planners who are considering planning and implementing programs for mothers and their children in community correctional settings. Section I. Defining the Problem, and Section II. Planning and Collaboration provide questions and worksheet space to assist with pre–planning activities. Section III guides program planners through various program design considerations, many of which are unique to this type of programming.

MOTHER-CHILD COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS PROJECT: MEDIA ADVOCACY (2001)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance
Grant Number: 2000DDVX0012

» www.nicic.org/pubs/2001/016722.pdf

This media advocacy kit provides information for those involved in the promotion of mother–child community corrections. The document provides talking points that can be used as a guide for interactions with the media and provides statistics, research and empirical support for mother–child community corrections programs.

THE COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO SEX OFFENDER MANAGEMENT (2000)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 97-WT-VX-K007

» www.csom.org/pubs/pubs.html#collaboration

This brief explores why collaboration is essential to the effective management of sex offenders, and discusses the benefits and challenges of a collaborative approach. It also describes how jurisdictions can promote shared responsibility among key policymakers and practitioners for decisionmaking.

A VIDEO SEMINAR ON SEX OFFENDERS: SENTENCING AND MANAGEMENT ISSUES FOR JUDGES (2000)

Sponsors: State Justice Institute; U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 98–WT–VX–K009

This video–based seminar was designed to provide judges with an introduction to a broad range of issues and information that are relevant in the sentencing of sex offenders, particularly those offenders who will be supervised in the community for some part of their sentence. A panel, which consists of five judges serving as the core faculty, hosts the four–module seminar. Each module focuses on a different topic and a different set of learning objectives, including:

• Defining the problem of sex offending;
• Gathering information, making assessments, and protecting victims;
• Sentencing strategies for effective management of sex offenders; and
• Collaboration in the management of sex offenders.

The seminar includes a set of four videos and a written curriculum guide containing participant materials. Issues affecting both adult and juvenile sex offenders are addressed.

PUBLIC OPINION AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: BUILDING SUPPORT FOR SEX OFFENDER MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS (2000)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 97-WT-VX-K007

» www.csom.org/pubs/pubs.html#public_opinion

This paper explicates the need to build partnerships between the criminal justice system and the public in the fight to end sexual violence. It draws on the experiences of jurisdictions that have incorporated public opinion into their response to sex offenders, or have utilized public opinion to influence other criminal justice system policies and practices.

ENGAGING ADVOCATES AND OTHER VICTIM SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT OF SEX OFFENDERS (2000)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 97-WT-VX-K007

» www.csom.org/pubs/pubs.html#advocacy

This brief provides information, ideas, and resources to encourage agencies managing sex offenders in the community to involve victim advocates and other victim service providers as key participants.

COMMUNITY SUPERVISION OF THE SEX OFFENDER: AN OVERVIEW OF CURRENT AND PROMISING PRACTICES (2000)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 97-WT-VX-K007

» www.csom.org/pubs/pubs.html#supervision

This paper provides an overview and discussion of emerging practices and lessons in communities across the country in the management of sex offenders under community supervision.

UNDERSTANDING JUVENILE SEXUAL OFFENDING BEHAVIOR: EMERGING RESEARCH, TREATMENT APPROACHES, AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (1999)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 97-WT-VX-K007

» www.csom.org/pubs/pubs.html#juvenile

This paper reviews the current state of research, legislative trends, and promising approaches to the treatment and supervision of sexually abusive youth.

SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION: POLICY OVERVIEW AND COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICES (1999)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 97-WT-VX-K007

» www.csom.org/pubs/pubs.html#registration

This paper informs citizens, state and local leaders, and criminal justice professionals about the policy issues related to sex offender registration and describes current sex offender registration practices around the country.

IDENTIFYING RESOURCES FOR MANAGING SEX OFFENDERS (1999)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 97–WT–VX–K007

» www.csom.org/pubs/pubs.html#resource_guide

This resource guide was developed to assist individuals and agencies in identifying resources to help manage sex offenders. It identifies select agencies that provide resources to help manage sex offenders and offers suggestions for obtaining these resources.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN THE MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT OF SEXUAL OFFENDERS (1999)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 97–WT–VX–K007

» www.csom.org/pubs/pubs.html#glossary

The glossary provides a comprehensive listing of terms with definitions that reflect conventionally accepted language in the domain of sex offender management. It is intended as a reference document and training aid for professionals in the field.

COMPENDIUM OF OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS SPONSORED PROJECTS RELATED TO SEX OFFENDERS (1999)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 97–WT–VX–K007

» www.csom.org/pubs/pubs.html#compendium

This document identifies the various initiatives related to sex offender management sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice Programs at the time, to promote the exchange of information and ideas within the Office of Justice Programs, other federal agencies, and throughout the field around activities related to promoting effective sex offender management.

CASE STUDIES ON THE CENTER FOR SEX OFFENDER MANAGEMENT'S NATIONAL RESOURCE SITES, 1ST EDITION (1999)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Cooperative Agrement: 97–WT–VX–K007

This document includes case studies on the first nineteen jurisdictions selected by CSOM as National Resource Sites.

AN OVERVIEW OF SEX OFFENDER COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION PRACTICES: POLICY IMPLICATIONS AND PROMISING APPROACHES (1997)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Grant Number: 97-WT-VX-K007

This brief informs citizens, state and local leaders, and criminal justice professionals about the policy issues related to community notification and describes community notification practices around the country.

FACILITATING THE APPROPRIATE USE OF INTERMEDIATE SANCTIONS: A VIDEO SEMINAR SERIES FOR JUDGES (1997)

Sponsors: State Justice Institute
Grant Number: SJI–95–02B–E–078

This series of four one–hour video seminars is accompanied by written materials for users and participants that outline their uses in a variety of settings. The modules include:

• An Introduction to Intermediate Sanctions for Judges: This module is designed for an audience of judges who desire a basic introduction to the concept of intermediate sanctions and includes interviews with a number of judges who have developed intermediate sanctions in their own jurisdictions;
• The Judicial Role in the Development and Use of Intermediate Sanctions: This module is designed for judges who are interested in exploring whether and how to become involved in assuring the appropriate use of intermediate sanctions in their own local courts. It includes interviews with judges in Hawaii, Arizona, Oklahoma, and North Carolina who have been involved in efforts to design and utilize intermediate sanctions in their own courts. These judges address the challenges of finding the resources for intermediate sanctions as well as the challenge of bringing non–judicial colleagues to the table for candid and productive discussions;
• The Policy Team's Role in Developing and Implementing Intermediate Sanctions: This module is designed to serve as a resource for policymakers as they consider whether and how to form a policy team to guide the development and use of intermediate sanctions in their jurisdiction. It focuses on the experiences of a policy team from Maricopa County, Arizona; and
• Getting Started—A Guide for a Policy Team Meeting on the Appropriate Use of Intermediate Sanctions: This module is designed to be used by teams of criminal justice policymakers who are interested in working together to encourage the appropriate use of intermediate sanctions. It includes videotaped presentations, panel discussions, and interviews interspersed with several opportunities for participants to discuss the material among themselves.

POLICY-DRIVEN RESPONSES TO PROBATION AND PAROLE VIOLATIONS (1997)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections
Grant Number: 97CO4GIE2

Following a seven–year effort to provide assistance to paroling authorities and probation agencies interested in developing policy–driven intermediate sanctions as responses to the technical violations of probation and parole, the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections asked the Center to examine and document the changes made both in the 19 participating agencies and in other agencies that took up these efforts independently. The result is a monograph that synthesizes the experiences of probation and parole agencies from across the country that experimented with innovative approaches to policy regarding violations and revocations. It identifies critical learnings and issues emerging from this experience, and documents the impact of these innovative approaches from the experiences of the agencies themselves.

GUIDE TO A CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ASSESSMENT (1996)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections
Grant Number: 95CO2GID4

This document offers practical guidance for jurisdictions interested in conducting a system assessment of their current array of criminal justice sanctions. A system assessment is a process that engages the stakeholders involved in the management of the many aspects of the criminal justice system in a collaborative approach to information gathering. The conduct of a criminal justice system assessment is a critical component of systemic criminal justice planning. The assessment results in a uniform understanding of an individual jurisdiction's current sanctioning system, identifies strengths and gaps in that system, and brings to light process and resource changes that can result in a more efficient and effective system of justice.

ABOLISHING PAROLE: WHY THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES (1995)

Sponsors: American Probation and Parole Association; the Association of Paroling Authorities, International; Letter Contract

In the late fall of 1994, the American Probation and Parole Association and the Association of Paroling Authorities, International formed a joint committee to counteract some of the blatant and damaging misconceptions about criminal sentencing in this country. Realizing that the topic of parole abolition was again working its way onto legislative agendas around the nation, the joint committee commissioned the Center to write a paper to respond to these misconceptions, and to clarify some of the lessons learned by states that have abolished parole and by those in which parole had been retained or reinstated. The American Probation and Parole Association and the Association of Paroling Authorities, International released the document at a national press conference in Washington, D.C., and have provided copies to governors, legislators, and members of Congress.

RESPONDING TO PROBATION AND PAROLE VIOLATIONS (1994)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Grant Number: 89-C-009

This study reports on a growing practice in American corrections: developing policies that guide discretionary responses to probation and parole violations. The report examines recent trends reported by probation and parole practitioners through a literature review, telephone survey, and a series of follow–up interviews. This report addresses the causes of escalating numbers of violators and absconders, responses to probation and parole violations, and absconding behavior.

THE INTERMEDIATE SANCTIONS HANDBOOK: EXPERIENCES AND TOOLS FOR POLICYMAKERS (1993)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections; State Justice Institute
Grant Number: 92CO5GHQ6

» www.nicic.org/library/000213

From 1989 to 1994, the State Justice Institute and the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections co–sponsored a training and technical assistance program, the Intermediate Sanctions Project. This handbook contains the collective expertise and experience of those who participated in the project, and provides direction for others who seek to duplicate the experience in their community. Chapters include information on choosing goals and outcomes, establishing baseline information, establishing an ongoing system of monitoring sentences, and developing and implementing sentencing policy.

RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS FACILITIES: CURRENT PRACTICE AND POLICY ISSUES (1992)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections
Grant Number: 91CO4GHK9

This document, developed jointly by the Center for Effective Public Policy with Kay Knapp, then Director of the Institute for Rational Public Policy, describes the analysis of a database previously assembled by the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections during the course of a survey of residential community corrections facilities, supplements the survey with case studies of a limited number of residential community corrections facilities, reviews pertinent literature, and synthesizes the results of these activities in a single document that presents information and frames policy issues regarding residential community corrections facilities in the United States.

CURRENT ISSUES IN PAROLE DECISIONMAKING: UNDERSTANDING THE PAST, SHAPING THE FUTURE (1988)

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections

From November of 1985 through the summer of 1987, the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections funded a program of technical assistance for state parole decisionmakers. During the course of the technical assistance effort, the project team also became involved in the design of a national training conference for paroling authorities, sponsored by the California Board of Prison Terms and the Association of Paroling Authorities International, and funded by the National Institute of Corrections. The major purposes of these two projects were to provide assistance and to deliver training. As a result, a great many issues then facing paroling authorities came into sharper focus and a greater understanding of the state–changing roles that paroling authorities were being asked to play were clarified. While a number of significant changes were taking place in parole release and revocation decisionmaking, and plans were under way to conduct a landmark survey of the status of parole throughout the country, no current summary of these issues was available. In order to capture the learning that had grown out of the technical assistance project and other parallel activities in a form accessible to parole board members, state legislators, and others involved in the criminal justice system, the National Institute of Corrections commissioned this monograph.