This article describes the features of two types of partnerships between law enforcement and corrections agencies that are mutually beneficial in reducing recidivism among offenders supervised on probation or parole.
One of the two types of partnerships between police and corrections agencies focuses on enhancing parole and probation supervision. Under this type of partnership, police and correctional officers perform joint supervision of selected offenders assessed as being high risk. Caseloads with joint supervision may also be assigned by neighborhood, so that all parolees and probationers who live in high-risk neighborhoods receive joint supervision. This also facilitates the use of neighborhood resources. Such a program of joint supervision is described for Maricopa Count, AZ. A second type of partnership between law enforcement and corrections agencies focuses on the apprehension of fugitives who have absconded from probation or parole supervision. Such a program is operated by the California Department of Corrections in cooperation with Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies. The agencies share resources, information on absconders, and sometimes conduct joint operations. In its first year of operation, apprehension teams arrested 2,125 parolees-at-large. Encouraged by police-corrections partnerships and community-based initiatives, the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs is developing comprehensive strategies for improving the way communities manage and support offenders released from prison. 1 reference