I Am a Clinician: What Are Criminogenic Needs and Why Do I Care?

SESSION INFO

Wednesday, August 30, 2023
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Session Type: Workshop

As the criminal justice system has continued to evolve, there has been a greater recognition of the need to address clinical issues as well as criminogenic issues found in justice involved populations. Treatment providers are expected to work with individuals who may also have had high levels of criminal sophistication. Those providers maybe well familiar with substance use disorder and mental illness, but less knowledgeable, if at all, about dynamic risk factors associated with criminal conduct. An abundance of research that forms the foundation the Risk Need Responsivity model, informs the criminal justice field that to effectively change behavior and reduce recidivism, the factors that drive criminal conduct must be addressed. Few if any, educational or training curriculums for clinicians may prepare them to address those issues. This session will present a training curriculum specifically designed for clinicians to enhance their ability to work with complex justice involved individuals, and address both criminogenic as well as traditional clinical issues such as substance use and mental illness that are often present. It will cover the evolution of the criminal justice system including shifts from punishment to treatment, and rehabilitative interventions for more comprehensive treatment and better outcomes for justice involved individuals. An overview of the training curriculum will be presented and well as results of the clinicians who have completed the training.

SESSION PRESENTERS

Mack Jenkins
Ret. Chief Probation Officer, SCRAM Systems


Mack Jenkins career in the criminal justice system spanned 4 decades. Chief Jenkins retired as the chief probation officer for San Diego County, where he oversaw a department of more than 1,300 staff who provided supervision and services at one point to more than 13,000 adult and 2,500 youth. During his career, Jenkins has developed expertise in the use of evidenced-¬based practices for community supervision, has implemented special supervision programs for individuals convicted of domestic violence and sex offences, as well as managed reentry programs for youth. He has more than 25 years of experience working in treatment courts, including those serving individuals with substance use disorders, mentally illness, those with impaired driving convictions, and military veterans. While Chief in San Diego Jenkins chaired both the San Diego County Community Corrections Partnership and the Juvenile justice Coordinating Council. He has served on a number of national boards including the board of directors of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, and Council of State Governments Justice Center. Chief Jenkins sits as a gubernatorial appointee to the California Council on Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health (CCJBH), and a legislative appointee to the California Prison Industry Authority Board. (CALPIA) Jenkins is a past president of the California Chief Probation Officers Association (CPOC), and a past Vice President of the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA). Chief Jenkins is an adjunct instructor in criminal justice and is Vice President of Justice Speakers Institute (JSI) which provides training and consulting services to criminal justice professionals throughout the country. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of California, Irvine and a Master's degree in criminal justice from California State University, Long Beach.


Dr. Geoff Twitchell, PhD
Assistant Clinical Professor- Department of Psychiatry, University of California/San Diego


Geoff Twitchell, Ph.D., Assistant Clinical Professor, University of California, San Diego, Department of Psychiatry, Health Sciences; Forensic Behavioral Health Consultant Dr. Twitchell is a licensed clinical psychologist with training and expertise in severe mental illness and addiction. He has worked in forensics for the past 10 years, first as Treatment Director for San Diego County Probation and most recently in a new role in Sacramento County as Forensic Behavioral Health Division Manager. While in that role, Dr. Twitchell served as liaison to county justice partners including Sheriff’s Department, Public Defender, District Attorney’s Office and Superior Court. Priority areas include collaborative courts, system design, mental health diversion, and bridging public safety and behavioral health cultures for optimal client outcomes in the areas of recidivism reduction, substance use and mental illness. Training incorporates the Interprofessional Collaborative Practice model and competencies. Dr. Twitchell holds a clinical faculty appointment at the University of California San Diego. He received his Bachelor’s from the University of Washington, his doctorate from Michigan State University and a Postdoctoral Fellowship at UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs.