Firm, fair, and caring officer-offender relationships protect against supervision failure.

Abstract

A growing body of research suggests that high quality dual role relationships between community corrections officers and offenders reduce risk of recidivism. This study assesses whether this finding generalizes from offenders with mental illness to their relatively healthy counterparts. More importantly, this study tests the possibility that this finding is spurious, reflecting the influence of pre-existing offender characteristics more than a promising principle of practice. In this study of 109 parolees without mental illness, the authors found that (a) firm, fair, and caring relationships protect against rearrest, and (b) do so even after accounting for offenders' pre-existing personality traits and risk for recidivism. These findings are consistent with the theoretical notion that good dual role relationships are an essential element of core correctional practice, even (or particularly) for difficult or high risk offenders.

Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programs: A Proposal for Evidence-Based Standards in the United States

“…A small number of studies in the probation criminal justice field (e.g., Kennealy et al, 2012;Paparozzi, & Gendreau, 2005;Polaschek & Ross, 2010) support the notion that the dual role of support person and control agent can be balanced: firm and authoritative but still fair and respectful. The IPV literature indicates that the facilitator and offender relationship is a key component required for reduced recidivism, and when facilitators take a more active role through continuous assessment, they can readily identify clients who are not progressing in treatment and can intervene and assess why the client is not improving before the client terminates prematurely (Reese et al, 2009).…”

“…Although the importance of the practitioner is well documented within the general clinical field of psychotherapy (Wampold, 2015), less is known about the importance of the practitioner relationship with clients who are involuntary or those who are part of a criminal justice response. One exception has come from a small number of studies in the probation criminal justice field (e.g., Kennealy et al, 2012;Paparozzi & Gendreau, 2005;Polaschek, & Ross, 2010) which have argued that while working with offender populations can make relationship building factors difficult, it can be done. Here, there is some recognition that the dual role of support person and control agent can be balanced: firm and authoritative but still fair and respectful.…”

“…To the extent that programs have good relationships with probation, there is a possibility of mutual learning. Although they possess the power to have offenders summarily remanded to police custody, probation officers often take on a dual approach to offender work, acting as both authority figures and concerned helper, willing to treat each client fairly and in a just manner (Kennealy, Skeem, Manchak, & Eno Louden, 2012).…”

“…Connectedness may also afford an opportunity for greater change (Ackerman & Hilsenroth, 2003). Kennealy et al (2012) posit that quality relationships reduce the risk of recidivism. Roy, Châteauvert, and Richard (2013) indicate that men who participate in IPV treatment emphasize the importance of their relationships with the groups' facilitators.…”

Representative Bureaucracy and Youth Violence in Juvenile Detention Facilities

“…In addition, they are being counselors by encouraging minors to conduct positive behavior. Officers can develop this relationship by listening to minors and demonstrating empathy (Kennealy et al 2012). Using the representative bureaucracy theory, I aim to demonstrate if officers' race and gender have an influence on officers pursuing the advocate role on behalf of minors.…”