Corrections

As a facility we are in a transitional period and are not quite sure how to move forward. We want our Jail Programs and Services to be stategically designed, and based on proven methods. Becuase of the way our inamtes are housed, treatment delivery is a challenge. There is also some resistance with our correctional staff. We do not currently have the capability to track the data that we need, nor are we sure exactly what to collect.

The problem the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office is facing is trying to make a significant cultural transformation throughout the organization. The cultural change is a groundbreaking approach to focus on institutionalizing the “Whole Person” paradigm (heart, mind, body and spirit) and implementing this paradigm in all facets of the organization.

We are requesting assistance with securing Blue Courage training. We are a non-profit agency and facilitate in-service training for (56) agencies, including the City of Flint. The City of Flint Chief of Police asked us to look into this training a few months ago, however, funding the training was not possible. His agency, as well as some of our others, has been decimated by staffing cuts. Additionally, Flint has the highest homicide rate in the nation. They have right around 100,000 population and experienced (67) homicides last year.

Our program was recently featured in Miami by the Center for Court Innovation (contacts - Julius Lang and Rebecca Thomford Hauser) as one of 10 criminal justice innovation projects worth replicating nationwide. Operational for 4 years, we are currently having internal conversations about the level and delivery of accountability for our chosen repeat felony domestic violence offender population. Denise O'Donnell spoke in Miami about the HOPE probation program, led by Judge Alm, out of Hawaii.

In June 2012, Prince George's County launched its Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative (TNI). This initiative focuses on uplifting six neighborhoods in the County that face significant economic, health, public safety and educational challenges. Data shows that these areas accounted for disproportionately high rate of crime which was of a chronic nature. Further data analysis revealed an increasing rate of citizens returning from incarceration to these areas. This reentry population had a high instance of recidivism which could be attributed to several barriers.

Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) requests TA for the implementation of a probation model of community supervision that employs “swift-and-certain” sanctions as established by law in 2012. This assistance will allow the DOC to develop outcome and fidelity measures that inform an evidence-based response to violations of probation. It will also assist the DOC in its efforts to build a more integrated case-management model, balancing cognitive behavioral interventions with swift and certain sanctions.

The Department of Corrections, Division of Juvenile Corrections contact standards are not based on a risk or needs scale. We would like to evaluate our current contact standards and how they relate to what the evidence shows is effective in reducing recidivism. We would like to review other states contact standards and on what the standards are based. With that information, Wisconsin contact standards will be redefined and linked with the youth's assessment score.

APPD has a state of the art risk assessment tool but it lacks a criminogenic needs assessment. Additionally, APPD is uncertain about which treatment providers in Philadelphia can best serve its supervision population. This request will address both of these issues. Please see the cover letter for additional details.

Assist the Boston Police Department in addressing the release and reentry of potentially 600 to over 1100 inmates due to the tampering with drug evidence and falsifying documents and test results. Deliverables include: (1) GIS maps which depict demographic and contextual data with 90%-95% accuracy based on stakeholder identified data elements and priorities; and (2) recommendations on planning and implementation of reentry strategies and initiatives.

We are a relatively new division and have not organized a conference previously and are seeking utilize the training expertise from BJA to help identify and provide quality trainers and presenters for our conference.