Armed or Unarmed? Preliminary Insights into Arming Community Supervision Staff

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Brian Lovins, Ph.D., is President of Justice System Partners. He earned his PhD in Criminology from the University of Cincinnati School of Criminal Justice, and he is a past-President for the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA). Prior to JSP, Dr. Lovins was Assistant Director for Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department (CSCD) where he was tasked with developing and implementing agency wide change plans to drive increased successful completion rates. In addition, he was the Associate Director for the University of Cincinnati’s Corrections Institute—the School of Criminal Justice’s training and research department. Dr. Lovins has been instrumental in helping the criminal and juvenile justice system create programs that align with best practices for over 30 years. In 2018, Dr. Lovins and colleagues published the initial article “Probation Officer as a Coach: Building a New Professional Identity” in Federal Probation. Since then, he has delivered hundreds of conference presentations and invited talks regarding the Coach Referee Model for Change. Dr. Lovins routinely consults with agencies regarding their implementation of a coaching framework within the context of evidenced-based interventions, and works closely with communities to develop effective strategies to improve the outcomes for individuals impacted by the system. Dr. Lovins has received the 2020 Edward J. Latessa Practitioner Research Award from the American Society of Criminology-Division on Corrections and Sentencing for his continued body of work in helping community corrections move forward. He has also been honored with the Dr. Simon Dinitz Public Service Award for his work and dedication in helping correctional agencies adopt evidence-based programs and the David Dillingham Award, as well as a being recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus from the University of Cincinnati. His publications include articles on risk assessment, justice involved youth, people who use violence and are adjudicated of sexual offenses, effective interventions, and cognitive-behavioral interventions.

Rod Martinez is a Senior Research Associate at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, where he leads investments in science related to youth justice and community safety. Outside of this role, he is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at Howard University. Over the past decade, his other professional homes have included both academic and policy firms, with previous tenure in the Justice Policy Center at the Urban Institute. In 2022, Dr. Martinez became an expert-nominated member of the third cohort of the Scholars Network on Masculinity and the Well-Being of African American Men at the University of Michigan. He earned a doctorate from the University of Maryland, College Park, where he was an inaugural Parren J. Mitchell Fellow, an endowed fellowship named after the first African-American congressman from the State of Maryland.

Kimberly Richards (she/her) is an Associate with JSP, driven by a passion for fostering both personal and organizational growth. She leverages her experience as a facilitator, project manager, community organizer, educator, and coach to support individuals and teams in navigating strategies, policies, and relationships for impactful change. Kimberly earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from The Pennsylvania State University, receiving an MPS in Criminal Justice Policy and Administration and a BS in Human Development and Family Studies, with a minor in Rehabilitation and Human Services. She is deeply committed to advocating for equitable services, particularly for communities of color, and believes in the power of intentional, community-centered work.