What do supervision officers do? Adult probation/parole officer workloads in a rural Western state

Abstract

For several decades time studies have been used as a decision making tool in criminal justice settings to assist in staffing allocation decisions. Despite their prevalence, these studies have rarely been documented in empirical journals or subjected to peer-review. Publication bias is a likely issue, with only those providing favorable results reaching a public audience. This study reviews the literature and documents a time study of probation and parole officer workloads conducted in a rural Western state. Results reveal probation and parole relies heavily on office-based interactions with probationers and parolees. An over-reliance on compliance enforcement, substantiated by other research in the state, suggests the transition to evidencebased practices and programs remains an ongoing and challenging process as officers continue to cope with caseloads that exceed national recommendations.

An Exploration of Correctional Counselor Workloads in a Midwestern State

“…The current study adapted the time study methodology for use with correctional counselors. With the input of an advisory committee of subject matter experts gathered from correctional facilities across Iowa, a task analysis was conducted that produced a list of core correctional counselor activities (see also DeMichele & Payne, 2018; Matz et al, 2018). This list was integrated into a participants’ time study form and online application (developed and maintained by IDOC’s IT department) used to track the time (in minutes) in which they engaged in a given activity over a 4-week time period.…”

“…Times studies have not, however, been the focus of empirical examination in our field with few appearing in scientific journals (DeMichele & Payne, 2018;DeMichele & Payne, 2012;DeMichele & Payne, 2007;Matz et al, 2018). Rather, most have appeared as agency reports which may or may not be made available to the public.…”

“…A likely reason for the lack of empirical interest is the emphasis on fiscal issues (Matz et al, 2018). In most cases, the aim is to obtain state legislatures’ support for more hiring positions or, at the very least, to insulate existing staffing allocations from budget cuts.…”

“…In terms of methodology, time studies can consist of straight-forward data collection periods, typically 4 weeks in duration (DeMichele & Payne, 2018; Hardyman, 1999, 2001; Matz et al, 2018), that involve staff manually tracking their time on a variety of pre-established activities of interest. This compilation may be further supplemented by attitudinal and opinion-based surveys (Tallarico et al, 2007, 2009; Tallarico, Douglas, Tomlinson, et al, 2010).…”

“…It was reasoned that without adequate staffing and a comprehensive understanding of counselor workloads, the implementation of any new strategies would be jeopardized (e.g., see discussion of Florida’s early attempt to implement EBPs in Greenwood, 2014). Given the lack of prior research with this population, IDOC subcontracted the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) based, in part, on the organization’s prior workload research experience with community supervision officers (Burrell, 2006; DeMichele, 2008; DeMichele & Payne, 2007, 2012, 2018; DeMichele et al, 2011; Matz et al, 2018; Payne & DeMichele, 2011). This study was exploratory in nature, seeking to understand: (1) what were the most common tasks performed by correctional counselors; (2) how much time was associated with these tasks; and (3) were there tasks where counselors felt quality was being sacrificed for efficiency?…”