< Previous20 PERSPECTIVES VOLUME 45, NUMBER 3 EVOLVE AND ADAPT References Alcoholics anonymous - Big Book (4th ed.). (2002). Alcoholics Anonymous World Services. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. (2021). AA Around the World. Alcoholics Alcoholics Anonymous. (2020). Estimates of AA Groups and Members as of December 31, 2020. Alcoholics Anonymous. Bergman, B. G., Kelly, J. F., Fava, M., & Evins, A. E. (2021). Online recovery support meetings can help mitigate the public health consequences of COVID-19 for individuals with substance use disorder. Addictive Behaviors 113, Cochrane Collaboration. (2020). Author interview: Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs for alcohol use disorder. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Gossop, M., Harris, J., Best, D., Man, L. H., Manning, V., Marshall, J., & Strang, J. (2003). Is attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings after inpatient treatment related to improved outcomes? A 6-month follow-up study. 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Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs for alcohol use disorder. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2020, (3). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012880. pub2. Lin, L. A., Casteel, D., Shigekawa, E., Weyrich, M. S., Roby, D. H., & McMenamin, S. B. (2019). Telemedicine-delivered treatment interventions for substance use disorders: A systematic review. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 101, 38-49. Oesterle, T. S., Kolla, B., Risma, C. J., Breitinger, S. A., Rakocevic, D. B., Loukianova, L. L., Hall-Flavin, D. K., Gentry, M. T., Rummans, T. A., Chauhan, M., & Gold, M. S. (2020). Substance use disorders and telehealth in the COVID-19 pandemic era: a new outlook. Mayo Clinic Proceedings 95(12), 2709-21 AMERICAN PROBATION AND PAROLE ASSOCIATION EVOLVE AND ADAPT Pollard, M. S., Tucker, J. S., & Green, H. D. (2020). Changes in adult alcohol use and consequences during the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. JAMA Network Open. 3(9). doi:10.1001/ jamanetworkopen.2020.22942. Stanford University (2020). Does Alcoholics Anonymous work? [Video]. YouTube. watch?v=IgMjTIwh_LA Author Bio: Nancy McCarthy worked with the Missouri Department of Corrections, Board of Probation and Parole from 1984-2017. During her tenure, Ms. McCarthy served in several supervisory positions which included Regional Administrator for the St. Louis Metropolitan area from 2003-2017. She assisted with the development and implementation of a number of community-based programs focused on assisting individuals diagnosed with substance abuse disorders. Ms. McCarthy currently serves as a consultant for the Institute of Justice Research and Development (IJRD) 5-Key Model for Reentry, a multi-state study on informing the Safe Streets and Second Chances Initiative on re-entry reform. In 2016, Ms. McCarthy was appointed to serve a six-year term as a Non-Alcoholic Trustee for the General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous-United States and Canada. 23 AMERICAN PROBATION AND PAROLE ASSOCIATION EVOLVE AND ADAPT JOE WINKLER, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS PROBATION - PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE24 PERSPECTIVES VOLUME 45, NUMBER 3 EVOLVE AND ADAPT What would John Augustus think about modern-day probation? Would he be impressed with current supervision strategies? Where would he think probation is heading in the future? John Augustus, a Boston shoemaker, is often credited with being the “Father of Probation” and is recognized as the first true probation officer (Dressler, 1970). For 18 years Augustus provided supervision and guidance for individuals accused of crimes until they were subsequently sentenced by the court—essentially working as a volunteer probation officer. He believed the object of the law is to reform criminals and prevent crime and that punishment was not the answer (Dressler, 1970). Most individuals helped by Augustus were alcohol abusers or had committed minor offenses but were unable to pay their fines (Taxman, 2012). Augustus assisted these individuals in finding gainful employment and then reported their progress when he was brought before the court during sentencing (Allen, Latessa, & Ponder, 2015). Augustus is credited with creating three fundamental concepts of probation: the investigation process, supervision, and guidance (intake) . Augustus, who kept detailed notes on his activities, was also the first to apply the term “probation” to his method of treating those under his supervision (Moreland, 1941). It is no surprise that Augustus’s home state of Massachusetts was the first to pass a probation statute in 1878. By 1956, all 50 states and the federal government had adopted juvenile and adult probation laws (Petersilia, 1997). Probation continues to be the best return on investment when dealing with individuals who commit a crime. In answer to the questions at the top of this article, Augustus probably would be very impressed with the evolution of probation and where it is heading in the future. Probation officers throughout the country are effectively monitoring individuals under supervision to ensure they are complying with their conditions of supervision. Florida is no exception. In January 2020, Florida had more than 163,000 adults convicted of felonies being supervised in the community. Past practices have been successful, but Florida is working to evolve and further advance supervision techniques by using new and existing technology. To better understand that evolution, let’s look at Probation--the Past, Present, and Future. Past In 1941, an amendment to the Florida Constitution created the Florida Parole and Probation Commission. The Commission was given the responsibility of granting parole, supervising probationers and parolees, and providing investigative services to the Courts. The Commission paroled 625 individuals from the state prison system during the first full year of operation. During the same period, the courts placed 335 individuals on probation. By 1980, Florida was supervising approximately 62,000 individuals and in 2000 reached an all-time high of 205,000 people on supervision. Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) Bureau of Research and Data, 202025 AMERICAN PROBATION AND PAROLE ASSOCIATION EVOLVE AND ADAPT Just as the numbers have changed, the general philosophy has changed from correcting behavior to zero tolerance to providing resources to help justice-involved individuals become more productive citizens. No matter the philosophy, probation officers continually rise to the challenge. In the early years of probation in Florida, emphasis was placed on correcting behavior and creating programs for individuals being released from prison. Non-discretionary programs were designed to provide a seamless re-entry back into the community. In 2004, however, the pendulum swung the other way as a series of events changed Florida’s philosophy on supervising people on probation and on reporting non-compliance. On February 1, 2004, probationer Joseph Smith abducted 11-year-old Carlie Brucia from a car wash near her home in Sarasota, Florida. This kidnapping and murder case attracted an enormous amount of attention after a surveillance video showing Brucia surfaced. The video, taken from a security camera located behind the car wash, showed Brucia being confronted by a man, later identified as Smith, who then grabbed her arm and led her away toward a car. The video was shown nationwide and spurred a massive manhunt for the abductor (Young, 2020). After his arrest, Smith was tried and convicted of 1st Degree Murder, Kidnapping, and Capital Sexual Battery. He was sentenced to death but died in prison (July 2021) before being executed. Months later, probationer Troy Victorino along with three other men broke into a home in Deltona, Florida, and then bludgeoned six victims to death in the bloodiest mass murder in Volusia County history (Balona, 2006). The four attackers tortured and killed four men, two women, and a dog inside the home during the Deltona Massacre (commonly referred to as the “Xbox Murders”). Victorino, the ringleader of the attack, was on probation when the murder took place. Moreover, he had been arrested days earlier on a separate assault charge, but when he reported to the probation office after that assault, he was not arrested for probation violation. The probation officer instead decided to let him leave, planning to seek a warrant the following day. This allowed Victorino to remain free in the community and gave him the opportunity to commit the killings (Caldwell & Emmerich, 2004). At the time, state law allowed, but did not require, probation officers to arrest individuals like Victorino for violation of probation in such circumstances. In response to the Deltona Massacre, the Florida legislature proposed Senate Bill 146, which mandated additional “risk-to-public” hearings for probation violators with violent histories. The bill passed and went into effect upon being approved by the Governor on March 12, 2007. It required the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) to develop a system for identifying individuals who merited the new designation, “violent felony offenders of special concern.” Individuals meeting the criteria cannot be released from jail until a judge determines and makes a written finding as to whether the person is a danger to the community. If determined to be a danger to the community, the violator may have his/her probation revoked and be sentenced up to the statutory maximum or longer, as permitted by law. Additionally, the FDC implemented a zero-tolerance policy requiring stricter reporting of non-compliance for technical violations. It also became more aggressive in conducting warrantless arrests of those who were a threat to the community or had a history of violence. The number of warrantless arrests quickly increased, as people on supervision were being arrested for minor technical violations, thus clogging the court system and slowly eroding the FDC’s reputation. Then, in 2005, another event occurred that once again garnered national media attention when nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford was abducted from her home in Homosassa, Florida. Immediately after Jessica was determined to be missing, authorities, including probation 26 PERSPECTIVES VOLUME 45, NUMBER 3 EVOLVE AND ADAPT calls for zero tolerance and legislation that puts stringent safeguards in place. At the same time, they spur on probation officers and other criminal justice professionals to do their part to increase public safety and to continue in the quest to learn about and follow best practices and achieve better and better safety statistics. Present While the role of a probation officer may have changed over the years, the overall mission of ensuring safety for the public remains the same. Current practices require probation officers to wear many hats. The ability of officers to change hats can be vital to the success of individuals under supervision. If probation officers in Florida were asked to spend five minutes writing down the role of a probation officer, the majority will agree that protecting the public is at the top of the list. The answer is easy and is consistent with the Mission Statement of the FDC’s Office of Community Corrections (“Community Corrections”) and with mission statements of other probation agencies throughout the country. The answer gets more complicated when you ask probation officers how they protect the public. In Florida, probation officers provide such protection using four techniques: monitoring and enforcing conditions of supervision; providing tools and resources to help individuals not only successfully complete supervision, but to become more productive citizens; using incentive programs when appropriate; and using discretion when reporting minor technical violations. The first responsibility in protecting the officers, started searching for her. Within days, John Couey was discovered in Georgia and confessed to abducting, raping, and burying Jessica alive. Couey, a long-time resident of Homosassa, had an extensive criminal record that included dozens of arrests for burglary and a previous conviction for a child sex offense. Due to the laws at the time, Couey received only short sentences and was not monitored after release, despite his record of being a prolific trespasser and his repeated sexual offenses against children (Bell, 2007). Jessica Lunsford Act (2005), which took effect September 1, 2005. This Act modified practices by requiring: • the sentencing authority to order mandatory electronic monitoring for certain sex offenders; • the development of a graduated risk assessment system to monitor sex offenders placed on supervision; • information to be provided on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Criminal Justice Intranet; and • the FDC to have fingerprint reading equipment in each probation office. The impact has been significant, as the number of individuals who are statutorily required to be placed on electronic monitoring has increased from 747 in 2005 to 5,525 in 2020. Numerous other states passed legislation similar to the Jessica Lunsford Act. It must always be recognized that high profile cases such as those discussed above will amplify FDC Bureau of Research and Data, 202027 AMERICAN PROBATION AND PAROLE ASSOCIATION EVOLVE AND ADAPT public is monitoring and enforcing conditions of supervision then reporting on willful non- compliance in a manner determined most appropriate by the probation officer and supervisor. Florida probation officers do just that, as each year they conduct numerous contacts with individuals under supervision. Every contact is important and is one more opportunity in ensuring the individual is complying with terms of supervision. FDC Bureau of Research and Data, 2020 Almost every week an example of protecting the public is presented from the field. Recent examples should make every probation officer in the country proud. Condition Compliance In March 2019, probation officers from the Inverness Probation Office conducted a warrantless planned search at the residence of an individual on supervision. During the search, probation officers located a small amount of marijuana in the residence. Feeling something wasn’t right, the officers contacted the Citrus County Sheriff’s Department for assistance with the search. A search warrant was signed, and the search resumed. Officers then located multiple firearms, over one pound of methamphetamine, three grams of heroin, one milliliter of fentanyl, 12 grams of cocaine, and four grams of marijuana. The individual was subsequently arrested on multiple charges including violation of probation. In a press release, Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast stated that the fentanyl found was enough to kill over a thousand people. Additionally, he stated it was the biggest methamphetamine bust in Citrus County history and that if it were not for probation officers it may have never happened (Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, 2019a) Three months later, the same office was at it again. During a residential search, probation officers located a small quantity of narcotics, felt something wasn’t right, and contacted the Citrus County Sheriff’s Department to obtain assistance. A search warrant was signed, and the search resumed. Officers were able to locate 167 grams of methamphetamine, 100 grams of cocaine, 1,000 prescription narcotic pills, 60 ecstasy pills, and 34 pounds of marijuana. Once again, the individual was arrested on multiple charges including violation of probation. In a press release, Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast stated it was the biggest drug bust in Citrus County history and that illegal drugs with a street value of over $970,000 were seized (Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, 2019b). Another recent example of Florida probation officers protecting the public occurred in July 2020 when officers from the Titusville Office became suspicious of the actions of an individual during a warrantless planned search of his residence. They initially found this man sitting on a couch eating a hamburger meal out of a take-out restaurant box. The probation officers began their search, each taking a different area of the home, and one officer saw a half-eaten hamburger in the same type of take-28 PERSPECTIVES VOLUME 45, NUMBER 3 EVOLVE AND ADAPT having a job helps with successful reintegration into society, providing employment assistance is very beneficial to public safety. Each Judicial Circuit in Florida routinely hosts resource fairs to assist those on supervision, aided by partnerships with local stakeholders in each county and by employment specialists whose primary role is to assist individuals in finding gainful employment. By having employers gathered in one place, job seekers can quickly learn about companies and openings in a variety of industries, and employers can make face-to-face contact with potential employees. This opportunity to meet in person is especially valuable, as job seekers may otherwise be screened out by negative information on an application. Those attending job fairs also get a better sense of the kinds of jobs available and the skills required to get them. Again, obtaining and maintaining employment is an important tool in an individual’s toolbox that leads to success. Routine reviews of cases where individuals have terminated supervision in Florida have shown some impressive results in this area, as many are employed at the time of termination. The continuing efforts by Florida’s probation officers to help with employment as well providing other resources to those under supervision are part of their own toolbox. Incentives for Individuals on Supervision As required by section 20.315, Florida Statutes, Community Corrections is charged with providing “... appropriate supervision for offenders released on community supervision based on public safety risks and offender needs, and, in conjunction with the judiciary, public safety agencies, and local communities, develop safe, community-based alternatives…” Determining the nature of “appropriate supervision” is complicated. During the past decade, studies related to successful supervision strategies have shown that application of evidence-based practices (EBP) has resulted out box lying on the bed. That officer then heard a noise coming from the closet in the room she was searching and found an underage child hiding there. The adult on the sofa, who had been designated a “sexual predator,” was then arrested for violation of conditional release. Protecting the public also includes protecting those who are under supervision. Recently, a Florida probation officer conducted a home visit to ensure compliance with supervision and as a result was able to perform actions that potentially saved the individual’s life. Specifically, in April 2020 a probation officer from the Ft. Myers Probation Office went to the home of someone on supervision and was informed by the mother that this individual had become unresponsive in a locked bathroom. The officer made entry into the bathroom and found the individual unconscious on the floor. She also observed a syringe, pill, and spoon. Telling the mother to call 911, the officer began performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. By the time Emergency Medical Services responded, the probation officer had revived the individual . Providing Resources Florida probation officers protect the public by providing resources to those on their caseloads to help them not only successfully complete supervision but also to become more productive citizens. Many who are under supervision have been released from prison or jail and need assistance with employment or educational/vocational referrals, housing, transportation, identification or driver licenses, health services, food, clothing, or counseling. Funding issues often make providing such assistance a challenge, but Florida probation officers can provide direct help, make referrals, and use internal and external resources as options to provide assistance. Resource fairs, including job fairs, sometimes are valuable options in this regard. Evidence-based research suggests one of the key factors contributing to the success of those under supervision is employment. Since 29 AMERICAN PROBATION AND PAROLE ASSOCIATION EVOLVE AND ADAPT in reduced recidivism, greater likelihood of successful completion of community supervision, fewer prison commitments, and, most importantly, reduced victimization (Viglione, 2016)—and using EBP to streamline operations for optimal efficiency also aids in meeting budget demands. The increase in empirical knowledge about what works has provided an impetus for strengthening supervision strategies that focus on the utilization of technology and implementation of programs and processes that have been proven to produce desired outcomes. For example, evidence shows it is counterproductive to “over supervise” low-risk individuals and excessively pursue violations of supervision (Viglione, 2016). In part to avoid such situations, Community Corrections has developed incentive programs to use where deemed appropriate. The Interactive Offender Tracking System (IOTS) is a reduced level of reporting for certain low risk/needs individuals on probation and pre- trial supervision which holds them accountable for compliance with supervision conditions with minimal oversight. The IOTS program has been an available supervision option since June 2019. The program utilizes a telephone reporting system (which includes voice biometrics to identify the individual making the report) coupled with a web-based management system that assists officers with caseload management. The essence of the IOTS program is to help people succeed—with removal of as many barriers to success as possible--while at the same time allowing officers to spend more time and resources on higher risk individuals. The IOTS program has a positive impact on both the individuals on supervision and the officers and establishes a strong foundation for creating safer communities. Another successful incentive program targets individuals sentenced to community control. Community control is a form of intensive, supervised custody in the community, including surveillance on weekends and holidays. It is an individualized program where the freedom of an individual is restricted within the community, home, or non-institutional residential placement, and specific sanctions are imposed and enforced. Individuals on community control are required to submit a weekly accounting of their activities. They can only leave their residence for employment, treatment, self-improvement classes, public service work, religious expression, or personal needs. The success rate for community control supervision is about 28%, far below the statewide average of 60% for all supervision types (FDC Bureau of Research and Data, 2020) To follow EBP, the Merit-Based Activity Program was developed for individuals on community control. This incentive program allows those who have successfully completed a rehabilitation program to attend pre-approved activities at the discretion of the supervising officer. It encourages and motivates the offender to comply with orders of supervision and accept responsibility for change. Over 1,163 individuals have participated in the program since it started in 2017. Each month, FDC’s Bureau of Research and Data provides status updates on offenders participating in the program. Approximately 75% of the offenders who have participated have successfully completed supervision, well above the 28% success rate for offenders who have not met the criteria to participate (FDC Bureau of Research and Data, 2020). Reduction of Revocations and Admissions for Technical Violations Like other states, Florida has experienced a long period of increased criminal justice system costs, primarily due to enhanced penalties and sentencing practices which have resulted in increased prison populations. Probation violators contribute to this increase. For the past few years, extensive research has been devoted to this nationwide dilemma to determine how to end this revolving door and how to get the best results by reducing recidivism and changing behavior. Community Corrections in Florida is incorporating EBP into supervision strategies to Next >