Help Desk

Questions about evidence-based practice and returning parolees?

Seeking a critical review of a strategic plan?

Need guidance for your Community Corrections Partnership?

The Crime and Justice Institute (CJI) at CRJ has a team of experts available to answer your questions.

Contact the Help Desk by phone or by email and we will respond to your questions and inquiries within two business days. Please provide your name, contact information, and nature of request.

CALL 1-866-559-7554x130 OR EMAIL CJIhelpdesk@crjustice.org

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Listed below are questions which have already been submitted to the help desk and answered.

Click on the questions to show or hide responses:

• Q: Is there a standard way to get a read on how we presently use our jail beds?
  

  A: It is possible to get useful information from a very straightforward analysis. The below document "Basic Jail Population Analysis" provides a very basic overview of the fundamental measures: bed-days, average length of stay and average daily population. This data can be collected regularly so that stakeholders have consistent population reports, or can be used for analysis at one time or at intervals to inform other work.

  Basic Jail Population Analysis (pdf)

  For a more detailed guide to jail dynamics, including an appendix with sample jail reports, please see:

  • Jail Crowding: Understanding Jail Population Dynamics
  • Jail Capacity Planning Guide: A Systems Approach

  NIC also has some e-learning modules on jail data:

  • Jail Data Collection
  • Jail Data Analysis

• Q: Could you please help me find some evaluation/research/literature regarding probation-police partnerships models and their effectiveness, as well as the effectiveness of needs-assessment driven case planning/management, and supervision done by one Probation Officer, alone, with a reasonable caseload?
  

  A: One of the most popular examples of police/probation teams was Operation Nightlight in Boston, which is mentioned along with other examples in Chapter 2 of the below NIJ Article on Police-Corrections Partnership. Chapter 3 mentions numerous collaborations in CA, but regarding police and parole. The article is a bit dated but should provide some helpful information along with the other two articles. The often sited partnerships seem to be targeted to address juveniles and gangs the majority of the time.

  • NIJ Police-Corrections Partnerships
  • Police-Probation Partnerships: Managing the Risks and Maximizing the Benefits Center on Juvenile & Criminal Justice, Justice Policy Journal Volume 5 - No. 1 - Spring 2008
  • Promoting Partnerships between Police and Community Supervision Agencies, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, US Department of Justice

  You can find information on EBP and the effect of reduced caseloads on probation supervision on CJI’s website:
  A Multi-Jurisdictional Study of Reduced Caseload and Related Supervision Strategies in Managing Offenders on Probation.

  Police-Probation Partnerships have existed on different levels, and could include:

  • Improved data sharing so that the police are aware of an individual’s probation status, and probation is more quickly notified of arrests
  • Notification of police of parolees returning to a community
  • Police participating in home visits or responding to calls from probation about crimes if probation officers don’t have arresting authority

  We are not aware of any partnerships that involve police taking an active role in supervision other than participating in home visits. Also, of the research/reporting that we know of, nothing was done in the context of evidence-based practices.

• Q: Are there any statutory requirements as to what each county plan must include? What is the deadline for having the plan adopted by the BOS and implemented?
  

  A: There is no deadline in statute and no requirements as to what should be in the plan. 1203.1 is the only statutory reference.

• Q: How are counties handling transferring cases from county to county?
  

  A: The process is currently in development and has not yet been codified.

• Q: Can we place 1203.2 (probation violation holds) on this population, even though they are not "probationers"?
  

  A: The intent is yes but drafters are looking at ways to be more explicit in statute and will be codified in the next legislative round (in August and September).

• Q: Is Valdivia going to apply to any part of the County revocation process?
  

  A: No. Valdivia is a settlement agreement between the state and the class of parolees. None of the county PRCS will ever become part of the class so legally the settlement does not apply. The Valdivia agreement can be useful to a county to look at how to potentially put their revocation process in place but is not constrained by it.

• Q: How many times, and for how long can we use the "Flash Incarceration" component of AB109? Can we modify conditions on our own or do we have to go through the Court process for this?
  

  A: There is no limit outside of due process for how many times you can use flash incarceration. There are two schools of thought about whether conditions can be modified, but it is suggested that you work with your local court.

• Q: Can you give me an example of a matrix used for planning purposes with regards to outcome measurement?
  

  A: Please see the QA logic models on pages 74-77 of Chapter Four: Assurring Fidelity and Quality in CJI's publication Commonwealth of Virginia: Roadmap for Evidence‐Based Practices in Community Corrections.

• Q: Is there a standardized process adopted through the AOC for getting warrants ordered and entered for PRCS offenders when they either don’t show up for initial indoctrination or abscond supervision? Will this require a revocation hearing prior to a warrant being ordered? Will this be a warrant or a temporary hold?
  

  A: There is not currently a standardized process. CPOC is drafting a standardized process for the new bill in August/September. Probation will be able to issue a warrant without a petition to revoke. It will be a new process but it will include the court entering it into CLETS so there will be LE ability to access out of county. It is being drafted now and once the legislation is finalized it will be described in documents sent out by CPOC when the legislation passes.

• Q: The 14 member CCP cannot be expanded. In the AB 117 language, ….. (H) the head of the county department of mental health) and (J) the head of the county alcohol and substance abuse programs is the same person. The board of supervisors has designated the head of Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol to sit in the executive CCP. So does this make the CCP a 13 member partnership?
  

  A: Here is a link to a memo which attempts to clarify questions on CCP membership:
  http://www.counties.org/images/users/1/July%2012%202011%20CSAC%20Memo%20...

  The CCP is 14 people, but the CCP Executive Committee is 7 people, one being “The head of either the County department of social services, mental health, or alcohol and drug services (as designated by the board of supervisors)”. You are correct in that for the Exec. Committee that person is the same, but for the general CCP they are different people. Here is the language from AB 117 regarding those two sections: AB 117 CCP Language (pdf).

• Q: Under current procedures CDCR notifies victims of the pending release of inmates or considers special terms when the victim has made special requests under CDCR form 1717 (Request for Victim Services) and as otherwise mandated by law. Will CDCR continue to have this responsibility of victim notifications corresponding with releases or are they planning to shift this to the local jurisdictions?
  

  A: CDCR will continue to do victim notification.

• Q: On 10/1/11, what will happen to those parolees currently on non-revocable parole? Will they remain under the jurisdiction of CDCR, or are they being transferred to post-release community supervision?
  

  A: Those currently on NRP stay with parole. Anyone released after 10/1 will be PRCS since all the criteria for NRP meets PRCS. There will be no more NRP after 10/1 as they are absorbed into PRCS. But just as Non, non, nons will stay on parole if they are on parole prior to 10/1, NRP’s are no different.