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Unpacking the Unseen and Making Probation More Equitable
SESSION INFO
Monday, August 28, 2023
9:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Session Type: Workshop
Practitioners and scholars often refer to probation as an “alternative to incarceration,” but in practice, it can sometimes work more like delayed incarceration. This is often because when individuals do not follow the rules of probation, they receive technical violations resulting in revocation and returning to jail or prison. However, across many jurisdictions, there are clear racial disparities in who receives technical violations and who returns to custody. In this workshop, presenters will draw upon data from a recent study of probation violations and revocation in two major cities which finds that Black men and individuals from other minoritized communities outpace their white probation peers in probation violations. But under closer inspection, these groups do not commit more non-compliance. Rather, they are often navigating elements of structural racism built into the core components of probation, such as probation conditions which require individuals to secure employment and housing but without recognition of the racial barriers in doing so. During this session, presenters will unpack the often unseen but pervasive structural racism present across three main probation practices: (1) probation conditions, (2) contact standards, and (3) graduated sanctions. After unpacking these structures, presenters will offer equity-focused strategies for transforming probation and helping minoritized communities successfully complete probation.
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SESSION PRESENTERS
Dr. Kimberly Kras
Assistant Professor, San Diego State University
Kimberly R. Kras, Ph.D. (she/her), is an Associate Professor in the School of Public Affairs at San Diego State University, where she teaches in the Criminal Justice and Public Administration programs. She earned her Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, following a career with the Missouri Division of Probation and Parole. Dr. Kras’ research examines the lived experiences of people experiencing reentry from prison and their process toward desistance. Dr. Kras also considers how community corrections organizations and their staff employ evidence-based practices to help the reintegration of system-impacted people. Recently, Dr. Kras has been working with community-based organizations to understand the role of employment and support in desistance.
Shannon Magnuson
Research Associate, Justice System Partners
Shannon Magnuson is a Senior Associate with JSP. Her pronouns are she, her, and hers. Shannon earned her PhD in Criminology, Law and Society from George Mason University. Shannon has over five years of experience conducting meaningful rigorous research; providing evidence-informed technical assistance to local, state, and federal partners; and, developing creative and research-based training curriculum for practitioners.
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