Guiding Principles

• Supervision staff should consider the offender's current stage of change in assigning supervision and/or treatment services.
• The key to identifying supervision and/or treatment services is to match the offender's dynamic factors with appropriate services. For offenders with multiple criminogenic needs, programs that address four or more of the factors will yield better results.
• The offender's risk factors should determine the supervision services. The higher the risk, the more external controls such as curfews, drug testing, face-to-face contacts, etc.
• The supervision plan should be a behavioral contract. The offender should be part of the team to develop the plan to ensure ownership and acceptance of the quarterly progress measures. The offender should sign this contract.
• The behavioral contract should prioritize the accomplishments that an offender should achieve on a quarterly basis. Progress should be tied to clear behavioral objectives (e.g., obtain weekly drug testing, obtain an assessment, etc.). Prioritization should first address areas of interest to the him/her as a tool to facilitate change.
• The behavioral contract should encompass supervision requirements, court and/ or parole mandated conditions, treatment services, and expected sanctions and incentives. Included should be the requirements and expected consequences for positive and negative progress.
• Supervision staff should use problem-solving techniques with the offender to assist the offender in learning alternative behaviors and reactions to triggers (e.g., people, places, and things) that contribute to criminal behavior and/or substance abuse.