No Excuses, EBP Is the Professional Standard

March 8, 2019

In 2002, a well-known researcher provocatively stated, "What is done in corrections would be grounds for malpractice in medicine." This was 16 years ago! While the community corrections field has improved in its practices since 2002, more closely aligning them with research evidence, it would be inaccurate to say that evidence-based practices are routinely administered effectively across the country. There are many reasons for this. However, it is incumbent upon community corrections leaders to remain focused on moving their agencies toward use of the practices that are known to reduce recidivism and future victims. Participants will conduct a self-assessment on the key evidence-based practice areas and will discuss where they excel, where they don’t, and how to best address those areas that fall short of modern-day professional practices.

Presenter: Mark Carey, President of The Carey Group

About the Presenter

Mark Carey

Mark Carey is President of The Carey Group (TCG), a national consulting firm that provides training and technical assistance for justice and correctional professional and community groups. He has over 30 years of experience in the correctional field as a counselor, probation/parole officer, planner, administrator, and consultant. He has previously served as the Deputy Commissioner of Community and Juvenile Services in the Minnesota Department of Corrections (1999-2003), Director of Dakota County Community Corrections, and Director of Dodge-Fillmore-Olmsted County Community Corrections. Moreover, he was the warden of MCF-Shakopee, the only state women's prison in Minnesota. He taught juvenile justice at the Community College in Rochester, Minnesota, and has published over a dozen articles and two books.

Carey was chosen as the project coordinator for the State of Illinois for the National Institute of Corrections/Crime and Justice Institute evidence-based practices initiative. This project was a three-year effort aimed at demonstrating recidivism reduction in Illinois and Maine by assisting these states in the implementation of the principles and practices around social learning, risk reduction, change management, and collaboration. In 2009 the Carey Group joined with the Center for Effective Public Policy in Evidence-Based Decision Making, a National Institute of Corrections project that seeks to utilize research evidence at all points in justice system decision making.

In addition to being on the Board of Directors for the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) since 1997, Carey served a term as APPA President and has held the positions of President and Chair for several associations and task forces. He is frequently requested as a speaker and trainer. In 1993, Carey was selected as the Corrections Person of the Year by the Minnesota Corrections Association. In 1996, he received APPA's Sam Houston University Award.

Carey and his colleagues from The Carey Group are best known for consultation services around evidence-based practices, action planning, organizational change, leadership, and restorative justice.