III. Behavior and Change

While underlying issues such as the above "big six" make certain individuals more likely to break the law (e.g. engage in specific criminal acts), most often the actual behaviors are always sparked by "triggers."

A trigger is something that sets off a certain behavior at a particular time.

Triggers can be:

If triggers can be avoided, crime and drug use are less likely to occur.

The challenge for community supervision is that few offenders arrive at their first appointments ready to list their triggers, address their criminogenic deficits and make wholesale changes in their lives. In fact, many offenders deny wrongdoing and strongly resist the notion that they must change. The tendency is to approach supervision with a "wait and see" attitude--passing by the time with minimal effort or commitment to the sentencing or release goals.