Smart Probation: Addressing Criminogenic Needs of Offenders

The Second Chance Act of 2007 provides a comprehensive response to the increasing number of people who are released from prison and jail and returning to communities, including resources to address the myriad needs of these offenders to achieve a successful return to their communities. The FY 2013 Smart Probation Program (SPP) seeks to improve probation success rates, which would in turn improve public safety, reduce admissions to prisons and jails, and save taxpayer dollars. Funds can be used to implement evidence-based supervision strategies and to innovate new strategies to improve outcomes for probationers. The goal of this program is to develop and test innovative strategies and to implement evidence-based probation approaches that increase community safety and reduce violent crime by effectively addressing individuals' risk and needs and reduce recidivism.

The recipient will use funds to address the criminogenic needs of offenders through effective case plans and managing compliance, which in turn will reduce recidivism and promote collaboration among agencies. The effort will be objectively evaluated and use evidence-based practices and principles to improve probation supervision practices.

CA/NCF