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High-Risk Probationers and Problem-Solving/Accountability Courts
SESSION INFO
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Session Type: Workshop
Problem solving/accountability courts (ACs) aim to interrupt the cycle of arrest and conviction for individuals with persistent drug and mental health problems that lead to criminal activity. A state probation agency implemented a Swift, Certain, and Fair sanctions pilot project to expand the use of ACs as an alternative to revocation to address probation violations likely to lead to revocation. Probation partnered with mental health and drug courts in four judicial circuits. The plan called for ACs to expand criteria and consider higher risk probationers for assessment and intake, thus diverting individuals from prison and increasing AC capacity. This session: 1) leads attendees through the project evaluation - policies, training, referral, supervision, outcomes – to final recommendations and conclusions about the pilot; then 2) assigns session attendees in small groups to consider management and policy issues that often arise with interagency collaborations.
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SESSION PRESENTERS
John Prevost, PhD
Retired,
John Prevost retired in 2011 after 32 years working for the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles. His career included working in and managing field offices; developing and delivering training; and developing and managing programs for drug testing, electronic monitoring, and risk assessment. He earned his Ph.D. from Georgia State University. Recent work includes evaluating a pilot project to increase referrals from probation to accountability courts. His research interests include how people involved in the justice system change, and the effects of peer mentoring on success under community supervision.
William J Sabol
Professor, Georgia State University
William J. Sabol serves as a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology at Georgia State University, where teaches and publishes research on corrections, sentencing policy, and crime statistics. During his career, he has held positions in government, private sector research institutions, and universities, including serving as the presidentially appointed Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh and was a Fulbright Scholar at Cambridge University’s Institute of Criminology.
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