Module 8

The Future of Corrections

The Necessity of Collaboration with the Community

To ensure public safety is the desired outcome of the criminal justice system's
intervention in rehabilitating offenders. For this reason, criminal justice practitioners must find
and must continuously develop the most effective ways in which this goal may be achieved.

New approaches of offender correction and rehabilitation will definitely produce different
effects on the components of the justice system. Current policies encourage these components
to consider the impact of their individual duties and responsibilities in the delivery of justice.
Community-based correction is a critical lynchpin in these efforts, responsible for effectively
managing offenders while on probation, parole or conditional pardon with parole conditions. As
with other components within the justice system, collaborating and partnership with other
components and with community (internal and external partners) has become increasingly
critical to the accomplishment of community corrections' mission of enhancing public safety by
effectively rehabilitating offenders in the community.

If the primary goal of community corrections is to achieve public safety through reduced
recidivism by effectively managing offenders within the community, then community corrections
agencies must reach out to collaborative partners. As more comprehensive approaches to
supervising offenders are implemented in the field, enhanced collaboration is required to
provide the assistance and additional resources necessary to promote offender success. For
example, with the increased understanding and implementation of integrated case management
systems around the country, communication among criminal justice professionals and
community partners is more important than ever. Such new approaches to community
supervision require strong partnerships with the community (including the victim and offender).

Collaboration with institutional partners is also critically important, working with

correctional officers and institutional case managers to prepare an offender for reentry into the
community. The issues facing offenders upon release are numerous and often confounding lack
of housing, drug addiction, limited employment options, limited education. To succeed, these
needs must be considered and a plan put in place before the offender is released. Such barriers
to successful reintegration must be addressed through partnerships with other practitioners,
service providers, and community agencies.

Concept of Collaborative Justice with the Community and other Service providers
Community corrections professionals cannot possibly, and should not expect to, address
the complex needs of offenders independently. Other professionals must be involved to provide
valuable information resources, and perspectives that will help the offender to succeed in the
community expect

Collaboration goes beyond sharing of resources and exchanging information

collaboration requires that community corrections officers, court officials, and community
partners work closely with each to achieve outcomes that would not be possible without the
collaboration Working with other criminal justice professionals and community partners can
result in supervision plans that address offenders needs more effectively, resulting in lower
court caseloads and reduced violations and crime rate within the community.
 It is only through collaboration with public private, and community-based service
providers that community corrections can promote safer communities.

With whom should community corrections professionals collaborate?

The selection of collaborative partners is just as critical as the commitment to
collaboration itself. Collaborative partners should include those who have the authority to
influence the outcome of the problem at hand and have a demonstrated investment in doing so.

In a community-based corrections collaboration, law enforcement, counsel of the

accused, prosecutors, judges, court personnel, and others are important stakeholders in the
success of offenders in the community Law enforcement is an important partner to community
corrections in supervision efforts, providing support to monitoring and enforcement activities
Prosecutors and counsel of the accused assist by crafting effective sentencing strategies, and
judges, through the imposition of conditions as part of their sentencing decisions, provide the
structure and tools that community corrections needs to manage offenders successfully and
promote offender success in the community.

Community and service providers play key roles in addressing effectively the complex
social, behavioral, and health issues that offenders face. Public and private treatment providers,
including substance abuse and mental health practitioners, victims rights organizations, and
victim advocates can also provide valuable resources and perspectives for supervising
offenders. Government agencies providing housing resources workforce training, educational
assistance, and veterans benefits are also important partners in finding solutions the complex
problems facing offenders in the community. Community and faith-based partners (including
willing employers, and local colleges and schools) can provide numerous resources. But still the
most important stakeholders are the offender and his or her
family \\http://www.collaborativejustice.org)

Time Line of Sentencing Philosophies and Practices

Retributive Justice
(Past)

Restorative Justice
(Present)

Collaborative Justice
(Future
 Retributive Justice Restorative Justice Collaborative Justice
 Retributive justice also  Sometimes called  Collaborative justice is a
known as punitive justice is reparative justice is an unique and promising
a theory of justice that approach to justice that approach to criminal justice
considers punishment, if focuses on the needs of the that seeks to work toward the
proportionate, to be the victims and the offenders, more effective resolution of
best response to crime. as well as the involved these problems Rather than
 When an offender breaks community, instead of relying on single agencies to
the law, she he thereby satisfying abstract legal solve their respective
forfeits or suspends her his principles or punishing the problems, it recognizes that
right to something of equal offender. many criminal justice
value, and justice requires  Victims take an active role problems are systemic and
that this forfeit be enacted. in the process, while require a coordinated and
 Retribution is directed only offenders are encouraged collaborative response to the
at has inherent limits, is not to take responsibility for most pressing issues facing
personal, involves no their actions, "to repair the our justice system today.
pleasure at the suffering of harm they've done by  Collaborative justice
others, and employs apologizing, returning stolen partnerships and the ability to
procedural standards. money, or community share information develop
service". common goals and create
 Restorative justice that compatible internal policies to
fosters dialogue between support those goals-have
victim and offender shows significant potential to
the highest rates of victim positively impact crime,
satisfaction and offender increase public confidence,
accountability. and reduce costs throughout
the justice system.
 Criminal justice professionals
join forces to analyze
problems and create
responsive solutions, and
pages court administrators,
prosecutors defense attorneys
probation and parole
representatives, corrections
personnel, victim advocates,
law enforcement officers, and
public and private treatment
providers reach out to one
another to forge partnerships
that will enable them to
address complex medical,
social fiscal, and behavioral
problems that pose significant
threats to the safety and well-
being of our communities.
Challenges of Collaborative Justice
The successful implementation of a collaborative justice approach often faces many
challenges including:
 The adversarial nature of the legal system;
 The competition for scarce resources;
 The political pressure faced by elected officials;
 The creation or existence of agencies that have overlapping, duplicative responsibilities;
and
 The creation or existence of agencies that have missions that are incongruous.

The success of a collaborative team relies upon the desire and willingness of cach
participant to dedicate themselves and their time to the collaborative process; to set aside
individual agency agendas in pursuit of a shared and larger goal; and to recognize that
collaborative justice is a long term process, requiring the establishment and maintenance al
solid collaborative partnerships with other agencies and community stakeholders The long-term
benefits of the collaborative approach including a shared ownership of responsibility for, and
success in solving justice system problems will undoubtedly make the investment worthwhile
(http/www.collaborativejustice.org)

Organizations and Associations Related to Community Corrections

The International Community Corrections Association (ICCA)

In 1964, the International Community Corrections Association (formerly known as the

International Halfway House Association and, later, in 1989 as the International Association of
Residential and Community Alternatives) held out first meeting in Chicago, IL with 30 people in
attendance. Today, after more than 45 years, the ICCA represents more than 250 private
agencies operating over 1,500 residential and community alternative programs, in addition to
1,000 individual members nationally and abroad. Its members offer a variety of programs and
services which include:

 Community-based corrections centers

 Community corrections programs
 Education Vocational services
 Drug testing and treatment
 Tutoring services
 Day reporting treatment
 Crisis Intervention
 Family/Individual counseling
 Victim services
 Community service supervision
 Bail supervision
 Home detention/electronic monitoring
 Neighborhood outreach
 Residential treatment
 Aftercare
  Transitional housing

The International Community Corrections Association, as a private, non-profit, membership

organization, acts as the representative voice for residential and other community corrections
programs. As such, it expects of its members compassion belief in the dignity and worth of
human beings, respect for individual difference and a commitment to quality care for its clients.
It requires of its members the professional background, research and expertise necessary to
ensure performance of effective quality services delivered with integrity and competence. ICCA
affirms that its primary goal is the successful re-integration of the client into the community.

ICCA has been an affiliate of the American Correctional Association (ACA) since 1975, an
affiliate of the United Nations Alliance of Non-Governmental Organizations in Criminal Justice
since 1982, the American Probation and Parole Association, the International Corrections and
Prison Association and the National Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Coalition. In
addition, ICCA liaises with several other national and international community corrections
organizations. (http://iccalive.org/icca/index.php)

American Probation and Parole Association (APPA)

(http://www.aca.org)

Is an international organization that provides education and training for community

corrections practitioners and supervisors. APPA establishes standards in all areas of community
supervision, including restitution, electronic monitoring, pretrial, conditional carly release and
issues related to prisons.

APPA is only one of several organizations that serve a similar purpose for community
corrections advocacy. Other organizations are as follows:
1. American Correction Association (ACA)
(http://www.napsa.org)

2. National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies (NAPSA)

(http://www.iccaweb.org)

3. International Association of Reentry (IAR)

(http://www.iarreentry.org)

Involvement of Non-Government Organization (NGOs)

It cannot be denied that Non-Government Organization or private sector will play an
important role in the success of rehabilitating offenders in the community. These NGO's can
provide job opportunities to the clients of community-based correction. We must understand that
opportunities available for those clients are a great help for their rehabilitation

Significance of Research in Corrections

Making of research is a making of the future Hence, the future of correction will be based
on how much studies are conducted to develop the current policies in correction What is lacking
today in the Philippine Corrections is research. Although there are foreign researches available.
but applicability of these in our local setting is a question.
Evidence-based Practices (EBP)
Involves using current best practices or intervention for which there is consistent and
solid scientific evidence of success Integrating into everyday practice the correctional programs
and techniques that have been shown to be the most effective with offender using evaluation
results from systematically evaluated research studies. EBP is not based on intuition,
speculations or tradition, rather EBP is grounded in empirical data and research in studying
what works. The idea behind EBP in corrections is that agencies use only the most successful
programs.

Corrections Research Priorities

On March 12, 2009 the US Department of Justice, Office of the Justice Programs
National Institute of Justice has identified high-priority research, development and evaluation
needs of corrections professionals. Those high-priority goals include:
 Create knowledge and develop technologies on how prisons, jails and community
corrections can be better managed to provide safe, secure and cost-effective operations.
 Create knowledge on how best to assess and manage special offender populations in
prisons, jails and in the community.
 Develop effective treatment/intervention strategies that enhance public safety by
maximizing the successful reentry of offenders into communities.
 Research the causes of prison sexual assault and factors that may deter the reporting of
such assaults and evaluate strategies, practices and policies designed to prevent.
 Develop assured means to continuously and accurately monitor the location and status
of corrections officers and personnel as well as inmates and detainees.
 Develop improved means to detect, locate and defeat the use of unauthorized wireless
communications devices.
 Develop improved, unobtrusive means to accurately detect a broad spectrum of
contraband to preclude its introduction into correctional environments.
 Optimizing the way in which corrections agencies employ new technologies, such as
smart sensors, wireless mobile networks and knowledge management, in response
operations.
 Develop improved information and data systems that link an individual's records and
citations across various criminal justice databases from the time of entry into the criminal
justice system.
 Develop devices providing multilingual speech translation capabilities for public safety
application including voice and speech-to-text/ text-to-speech.

These priorities inform decisions about the scope of future work and the dissemination of
NIJ-sponsored knowledge and technologies. At the same time, NIJ maintains the
flexibility to respond to emerging needs and to consider the merits of individual projects
that may contribute to other worthwhile goals. (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov)