The Crime and Justice Institute (CJI) recently had the privilege of presenting two sessions at the 50th Annual American Probation and Parole Association’s (APPA) Annual Training Institute in New York City.  

This event brought together probation and parole practitioners, agency leaders, and other professionals from across the country to exchange innovative ideas, tools, and research on advancing the field of community supervision. 

CJI Experts Lead Sessions on Supervision Standards and Data-Driven Practices 

CJI Deputy Director Valerie Meade and Manager Caitlin Flood led two dynamic sessions designed to help agencies with strategies for implementing the National Standards for Community Supervision and opportunities for organizational development.  

Key Takeaways from CJI’s Sessions 

1. Putting Standards into Practice 

Organizational readiness is one of the most critical aspects of successful change implementation, especially for an undertaking as in-depth as adopting the National Standards for Community Supervision. In our intensive session, participants engaged in a hands-on exploration of each standard’s purpose, followed by a collaborative discussion of their practical application. Attendees left with a clearer understanding of actionable strategies to effectively implement the Standards within their agencies including:  

  • How to improve operations alignment with the Standards  
  • Ways agency decision-makers and officers can sustainably implement the Standards  
  • Identifying implementation challenges and proposed solutions that advance compliance with the Standards

2. Tackling Crime and Recidivism 

Developing a data-driven approach to decision-making requires effective cross-agency collaboration and information sharing. Participants discussed the ways that supervision and law enforcement agencies can use data analysis to inform their work and improve justice system outcomes. Attendees learned about strategies and tangible action steps agencies can use to drive data-informed change, including:  

  • System assessment/data analysis 
  • Stakeholder collaboration 
  • Implementation planning 
  • Training on evidence-based practices for addressing supervision and law enforcement agency challenges 
  • Opportunities for creating performance metrics and data tracking frameworks  
Impact on Practitioners 

CJI’s sessions emphasized actionable strategies that participants could apply immediately within their agencies. As one attendee shared:

“[CJI’s sessions] provided relevant information that I hope to take back to my department to make changes to continuity of care for my clients.”

Stay Connected 

To learn more about CJI’s work in community supervision work and stay informed about future training opportunities: 

Together, we can build a community supervision system that is fair, effective, and sustainable. 

Learn More

Visit APPA’s National Standards for Community Supervision today!