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Training Opportunites Available from the National Parole Resource Center

ANNOUNCEMENT:  TRAINING SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR:

 Positive Outcomes for Women Offenders: Applying the Research and Principles of Gender-Responsiveness to Parole Decision Making and Supervision

The National Parole Resource Center (NPRC) a partnership of the Center for Effective Public Policy (CEPP), the Association of Paroling Authorities International (APAI), and the Urban Institute, supported by a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), is pleased to announce a workshop entitled Increasing Positive Outcomes for Women Offenders: Applying the Research and Principles of Gender-Responsiveness to Parole Decision Making and Supervision to be conducted on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 22 and the morning of Thursday, May 23, 2013 in Providence, Rhode Island in conjunction with the APAI Annual Training conference.  (Although funding for this workshop is provided in the grant supporting the National Parole Resource Center, recent procedural changes at the Department of Justice require that every meeting sponsored under their funding be individually approved.  A request for approval of this event—proposed in the original grant application—was submitted, and all financial guidelines regarding how funds may be utilized are being observed.  Approval is anticipated, however, funds may not be obligated—e.g., airline tickets purchased, etc.—until specific approval has been received.  NPRC will keep applicants for this event fully informed as to the status of plans, and will notify them specifically before any travel costs may be incurred.)

NPRC Background

The National Parole Resource Center (NPRC) was established to address the documented and significant gap that exists in the resources and accessible knowledge base available for a critical group of justice system practitioners – paroling authorities. The NPRC, operated by a partnership among the Center for Effective Public Policy, the Association of Paroling Authorities International, and the Urban Institute, was established to provide state paroling authorities with the kind of information, guidance, and support on best practices or evidence emerging from the research needed to strengthen and make the work of state paroling authorities more effective within the larger context of the criminal justice system.

Workshop Description

The movement towards evidence-based practice (EBP) and gender-responsive practices has led to important discoveries in the field regarding how criminal justice professionals can work more effectively with women offenders to improve their outcomes.  This workshop will provide participants with gender-specific considerations that parole boards and paroling authorities should consider when making release decisions, setting conditions, and supervising offenders to facilitate their successful transition to the community. The workshop will integrate research on female development, pathways and trauma, while emphasizing how gender-specific research and best practices can be applied within the current framework of EBP in which many agencies are already engaged.  Information on NPRC resources and technical assistance opportunities will also be provided. 

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Summarize the research on the new gender-informed classification and risk assessment tools.
• Define the risk levels, criminogenic needs and resiliency factors that women present and identify the implications for release decision making, condition setting, and supervision.
• List the behavioral symptoms of women’s trauma experiences and identify the implications for effective interactions with women and parole supervision strategies.
• Consider the ten “practice targets” for paroling authorities through the lens of working with justice-involved women.
• Locate and access additional resources provided by the NPRC.

NPRC to Sponsor Scholarships for a Limited Number of Parole Board Members and Potentially Other Staff

The NPRC is pleased to announce that the project will support the participation of at least one Parole Board member from up to 30 different U.S. non-federal/military paroling authorities.  The intent of the NPRC is to ensure broad-based, nationwide participation in this event.  However, if applications are not received from 30 individual parole boards, the project will fill remaining slots with a senior staff member, hearing officer, or an additional member from boards with one member already participating.  These decisions will be made on a first come, first served basis. 

Support for these 30 participants will be in the form of “scholarships” available to pay the costs of transportation, lodging, and food for this two-day event. While the provision of food and lodging will cover this workshop only, transportation can be arranged so as to allow for attendance at the entire APAI Annual Training Conference.  (Conference registration fees and additional food and lodging costs for the remainder of the APAI conference are not covered by the NPRC scholarship.)

If space permits, an additional 5 individuals (from U.S., federal/military, and international boards) may be permitted to attend the NPRC workshop (though no additional scholarships would be available for these individuals).  Information about further non-scholarship slots in the workshop will be available at a later date.

Eligibility

Because of the source of funding for these scholarships, the following eligibility requirements are necessary.  In order to be eligible for a scholarship to this event, a nominated candidate:

·         Must be a member or staff of a state parole board or releasing authority within the United States; and

·         Must commit to attend both days of the workshop.

In the event that not all scholarship opportunities are sought, remaining slots will be assigned to a second participant from applying paroling authorities, on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Application Process

Boards may make up to two nominations:

·         First, for the available scholarship opportunity—they should nominate one Board member;

·         A second nomination may also be made (for a senior staff member, hearing officer, or an additional board member), to take advantage of the opportunity in case another scholarship becomes available.

The deadline for receipt of the letter of application is Friday, February 15, 2013.  Final selection decisions will be made by March 15, 2013.  Potential participants should not make any travel arrangements to travel to the workshop without notification of final selection from the NPRC.  Applications will be considered in the order in which they are received.

How to Apply

In order to apply, applicants should submit the  application form, available HERE or on the APAI website,  and a brief email to Leilah Gilligan, Center for Effective Public Policy, via email at lgilligan@cepp.com with the subject line “APAI Justice-Involved Women Training Application.”  The email message should demonstrate compliance with the eligibility requirements above. 

Questions about the application process or the workshop should be directed to: Leilah Gilligan at 301-5 lgilligan@cepp.com 89-9383 or lgilligan@cepp.com. 

* Approval for this workshop is pending with BJA and the convening of this workshop is

contingent upon this approval being received.