IMPROVED PROBATION STRATEGIES - TRAINER'S HANDBOOK

• NCJ Number: 66781
• Author(s): J. J. DAHL, M. CHAPMAN
• Date Published: January 1979
• Length: 241 pages
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored

Annotation

THIS TRAINER'S HANDBOOK ACCOMPANIED A 3-DAY WORKSHOP ON IMPROVED PROBATION STRATEGIES, PART OF A SERIES IN THE NIJ NATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH UTILIZATION PROGRAM (RUP) DIRECTED AT IMPROVING EXECUTIVE SKILLS.

Abstract

RUP WORKSHOPS HAVE BEEN HELD SEVERAL TIMES EACH YEAR SINCE 1976, EACH A 3-DAY SESSION DEVOTED TO A SINGLE TOPIC WHOSE CONTEMPORARY IMPORTANCE IS SIGNALED IN PART BY CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH. THEY ARE ATTENDED BY 50 TO 60 TOP CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICYMAKERS OF LARGER AGENCIES IN FEDERAL REGIONS. THIS PARTICULAR WORKSHOP ADDRESSED THREE VITAL TOPICS IN PROBATION MANAGEMENT -- SCARCE RESOURCES, MANAGEMENT DILEMMAS, AND THE ROLE OF PROBATION. WITHIN THIS SCOPE, THE WORKSHOP COVERED THE STATE OF THE ART, MANAGEMENT OF PROBATION RESOURCES, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT PLANNING, PROGRAM EVALUATION, INTENSIVE SPECIAL PROBATION, COMMUNITY RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES, AND PRESENTENCE INVESTIGATION STRATEGIES. THE PLANNING COMMITTEE CHOSE THESE TOPICS BASED ON A REVIEW OF RESEARCH AND ON A NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY CONDUCTED AMONG PROBATION AGENCY EXECUTIVES. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE WORKSHOP TRAINING ARE TO PROVIDE PROBATION EXECUTIVES WITH THE INFORMATION AND TOOLS NECESSARY TO DEVELOP A NEW PROGRAM OR REMODEL AN EXISTING PROGRAM AND TO ACQUAINT PARTICIPANTS WITH NEW PROGRAM MODELS IN INTENSIVE SPECIAL PROBATION, PRESENTENCE INVESTIGATION, AND COMMUNITY RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. TRAINING WAS GEARED TO BASIC PROGRAM MODEL DEVELOPMENT, CONSISTING OF PROBLEM ASSESSMENT AND PROGRAM DESIGN FOLLOWED BY PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION. THE TRAINER'S HANDBOOK DESCRIBES THE TRAINING PROGRAM AND CURRICULUM; PRESENTS FORMATS FOR THE FORMAL PRESENTATIONS, SEMINARS, AND GROUP WORK SESSIONS; AND CLEARLY DEFINES GOALS AND RATIONALES FOR EACH SESSION. OUTLINES OF MATERIALS PRESENTED, PERTINENT INSTRUCTIONS, AND WORKSHEETS ARE INCLUDED. THE MATERIAL IS INTENDED TO GUIDE TRAINERS THROUGH THE WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS AND IN THE COMPLETION OF TRAINING TASKS. THE HANDBOOK FOLLOWS THE WORKSHOP SCHEDULE IN WHICH 18 SESSIONS ARE SPREAD OVER THE 3-DAY PERIOD. APPENDIXES ON TRAINING TECHNIQUES ARE INCLUDED. FOR A PARTICIPANT'S MANUAL AND A VOLUME OF PAPER AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES FOR THE WORKSHOP, SEE NCJ 66782-83.