The Association of Paroling Authorities International (APAI) is partnering with the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to promote some very important technical assistance opportunities. BJA is committed to supporting the efforts of probation and parole agencies across the nation to leverage contemporary research to implement promising supervision policies and practices that are evidence-based, data-driven, and smart on crime. Although it currently funds several technical assistance (TA) initiatives for community corrections, BJA recognizes that there is a need for additional resources that can be tailored to address the specific challenges faced by community corrections at the state, local, and tribal levels. BJA’s National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) has, therefore, committed additional resources to support TA engagements that focus on enhancing the work of community corrections agencies on the following key issues:
• Leveraging key lessons learned from BJA’s Smart Probation Initiative to enhance the overall effectiveness and efficiency of offender supervision strategies.
• Enhancing the use of empirically validated offender assessment tools to guide supervision and decision-making.
• Evaluating caseload allocations and implementing strategies to use limited supervision resources most efficiently and effectively, (e.g., targeting high and medium risk offenders for smaller caseloads, more intensive supervision and programming).
• Integrating effective treatment and programming with supervision, and ensuring quality of services delivered.
• Developing and implementing a comprehensive system of data-driven graduated sanctions designed to respond to violations and reduce the likelihood of recidivism.
• Enhancing collaboration and expanding strategic partnerships between probation and parole agencies and local law enforcement to enhance offender management efforts.
These topics appear to be areas in which state parole boards and releasing authorities can collaborate with their supervision partners to improve their performance in the critical task before them. This assistance is open to non-federal agencies from the United States and the U.S. territories.
Community corrections agencies interested in pursuing TA engagements on any of the aforementioned issues are encouraged to complete a brief online application at: http://bjatraining.org/working-with-nttac/requestors/tta-request/form by September 30, 2013.
Questions regarding the assistance available on enhancing the work of community corrections can be directed to BJA NTTAC at 855-252-8822.
