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Engagement Matters: Building Effective Working Relationships
SESSION INFO
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Session Type: Workshop
Have you ever worked with someone involved in the justice system, where the connection did not feel real, and meaningful change felt out of reach? This workshop dives into what makes working relationships truly effective when supporting people involved in the justice system. You’ll explore why authentic engagement matters, and how it directly impacts the ability to address the root causes of non-law-abiding behavior. Using practical strategies, you’ll learn how to build trust with individuals who may seem resistant to change. From the very first appointment, when conducting assessments and providing feedback, and developing case planning targets, we’ll walk through techniques that foster buy-in. Whether you're new to this work or looking to deepen your impact, this session provides actionable tools to help you build relationships that lead to real change.
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SESSION PRESENTERS
Mr. Allen Godfrey
Executive Director, Carey Group
Allen Godfrey is the Executive Director for Carey Group. Prior to his retirement from public service in March of 2024, Allen served as the director of Field Services for the MN Department of Corrections, where he was responsible for the oversight of probation and parole services and lead and trained on EBP initiatives. Allen was a member of the State EBP Policy Committee, served as co-chair of the Minnesota Specialty Court Advisory Committee, past chair of the American Correctional Association Probation and Parole Committee, recent co-chair of a legislative working group on juvenile justice reform,
Dr. David Robinson
President/CEO, Orbis Partners, Inc.
David Robinson has 43 years of experience conducting research, developing assessments, and carrying out program evaluations in youth and adult justice. A founder of Orbis Partners (2001), he is currently Director of Assessment and CEO. He holds a master’s in sociology (1982) and a doctorate in forensic psychology (1990) from Carleton University. He participated in early validation work on tools like LS/CMI and YLS/CMI. After a research career in Canadian federal corrections, Dr. Robinson returned to focusing on developing and implementing innovative risk, needs and strength assessment tools. He directed program evaluations on substance abuse treatment, cognitive skills, drug courts, boot camps, programs for females, case management models, gang interventions and juvenile diversion. He has particular expertise in youth assessment and led state-wide implementations of the Youth Assessment and Screening Instrument (YASI) in fifteen jurisdictions. This work involved planning, training, quality assurance, and validation of assessment tools developed and implemented with Orbis Partners. He is immersed with an IT team developing and enhancing web-based applications for assessment and case planning. With academic colleagues, Dr. Robinson has been engaged in advancing research on the contribution of strength assessment in predicting outcomes and helping practitioners develop collaborative success plans for justice-involved clients.
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