The Ohio Parole Board has discretionary releasing authority over a portion of the prison population that is comprised of offenders serving sentences for the most serious crimes. Specifically, approximately 50% of the offenders heard are convicted of a Homicide offense including Aggravated Murder, Murder and Manslaughter. Another 30% of those offenders heard by the Board are convicted of a sex offense. In it release decision making, the Board utilizes a risk instrument (ORAS) that is predictive of the general risk of an offender to reoffend. The Board has access to an additional risk score specific to sex offenders (Static 99). However, there is currently no additional risk assessment performed that is specific to the risk of violent reoffending, which would be relevant for the 50% of the population heard by the Board who are convicted of a Homicide offense, in addition to a portion of the remaining 20% who are convicted of other violent felonies. Within the past 15 months, 4 offenders who were paroled after having served significant time on life sentences and who were assessed as low risk per ORAS violently reoffended. In three of those cases, the violent re-offense was a subsequent homicide. The Board would like to address this issue by utilizing a risk instrument or some type of assessment that would predict for violent reoffending.
The Ohio Adult Parole Authority has done a significant amount of work to provide staff with a foundation for risk driven supervision and a menu of evidence based tools aiming to reduce the likelihood of offenders returning to prison. Field staff use ORAS which is a validated risk tool to address risk/need responsivity. Identified target areas are addressed through case planning which often incorporates Thinking for a Change, decisional balance sheets, thinking reports, EPICS (effective practices in community supervision), and Carey Guides which are self guided workbooks, in addition to our substance abuse, mental health, and sex offender programming. However, both line staff and managers have struggled to effectively incorporate risk into routine decision points and continue to associate the amount of work with their number of cases despite the risk level. Staff feel they have an unmanageable amount of work, but may not be working most efficiently particularly when considering risk level of each offender.
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Referred to CSG Justice Center
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both urban and rural settings
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The assistance will also support the Adult Parole Authority (APA) in working to shift the culture amongst managers and line staff to fully embrace risk driven supervision. More specifically, the APA would benefit from determining if there are more efficient methods to allocate our caseloads and in identifying strategies to further impress upon staff the importance of focusing our efforts on moderate to high risk offenders.
Please submit a signed letter of support from your agency’s executive or other senior staff member. The letter can be emailed to or uploaded with this request. The letter should be submitted on official letterhead and include the following information:
- General information regarding the request for TTA services, i.e., the who, what, where, when, and why.
- The organizational and/or community needs specific to the request for TTA services.
- The benefits or anticipated outcomes from the receipt of TTA services.
By submitting this application to BJA NTTAC, I understand that upon approval of this application for TTA, the requestor agrees to keep BJA NTTAC informed of any circumstances that may impact the delivery of the TTA, including changes in the date of the event, event cancellation, or difficulties communicating with the assigned TTA provider.
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E-mail sent to Ms. Dennis on 6.20.13 with TA assessment form requesting a conference call to be set up for next week. Call set for July 1st at noon to accommodate other individuals that Ms. Dennis wants on the call. Spoke to Gary Dennis on 7.9.13 in regard to this request to ask for suggestions of providers. The TA has two requests: one for assessing the release of violent offenders and the other to help Adult Parole Staff implement evidenced based practices for parole supervision with fidelity. For the first part of the request Gary Dennis suggests that I contact Leanne Duran with the Council of State Governments (lduran@csg.org) She has worked on the Phase 2 work in Ohio and will know this area well. For the second part of the request, Gary Dennis suggests Dr. Jim Austin or Dr. Patricia Hardyman who have both developed tools for assessing violent offenders. Will speak to Angela in regard to next steps for this TA. Spoke to Becky Rose on 7.16.13 in regard to this request and she suggested that I reach to Leanne Duran at CSG and find out what they are already doing in Ohio, if they can provide all the service for this request out of their funding or if not, what supplement would be needed from NTTAC. Sent e-mail to Leanne on 7.16.13 and received auto reply that she is out this week and will respond next week of 7.22.13. Sent 2nd e-mail to Ms. Duran on 7.24.13 asking for a call to discuss details of request. Call with Ms. Duran on 7.25.13 to discuss request. Will try to set up call between Ms. Duran and Requester for 8.2.13 to discuss details. Call held between Ms. Duran and requester. Ms. Duran can take TA request for risk driven supervision strategies and use existing BJA grant funding. For 2nd part of request in regard to risk assessment tool for identifying violent re-offending, requester is being referred to University of Cincinnati, which developed their current risk assessment tool for refinement. Request is being closed on 8.26.13 as referral has been made to CSG. Spoke with requester on phone on 8.26.13 and sent closure e-mail on 8.26.13
a:28:{s:32:"field_what_event_has_occurred_th";s:157:"Lifers, who were assessed as low risk with our current risk assessment tool which predicts for general recidivism, reoffended violently while on supervision.";s:32:"field_what_do_you_want_to_achiev";s:174:"-Identify violent risk assessment tool
- Establish strategies to best assist the Adult Parole Authority staff to more fully incorporate risk driven supervision strategies.
";s:32:"field_what_will_happen_if_this_n";s:114:"Board will not be as well-equipped to choose the most appropriate risk tool that predicts for violent reoffending.";s:32:"field_what_is_the_gap_between_wh";s:306:"The Parole Board is currently using a general risk assessment on violent offenders that does not predict for similarly reoffending. Adult Parole Authority staff is trained and policy dictates risk driven supervision strategies be used, but buy in is minimal and fidelity of the instrument is of concern. ";s:32:"field_do_you_have_any_data_to_su";s:73:"Data will soon be available from quality assurance efforts/ observations.";s:32:"field_have_there_been_previous_a";s:111:"We have hosted a variety of trainings and educational opportunities on the benefits of risk driven supervision.";s:32:"field_have_you_sought_tta_before";s:2:"No";s:32:"field_who_will_assume_leadership";s:139:"Sara Andrews, Deputy Director of Operations, will coordinate the appropriate staff and duties pertaining to the technical assistance award.";s:32:"field_how_did_you_learn_about_nt";s:35:"Through the Adult Parole Authority ";s:32:"field_what_are_your_organization";s:567:"The Adult Parole Authority has a foundation for utilizing principles of risk driven supervision. Agency policy and training both emphasize the importance.
The Parole Board is familiar with a variety of risk tools that are predictive of sexual re-offending and general re-offending. The Parole Board has recently been collaborating with the Office of Correctional Healthcare- Mental Health section to choose an instrument specific to violent re-offending. These preliminary conversations include plans for mental health staff to assess the identified offenders.
";s:32:"field_what_are_organization_s_we";s:206:"The Parole Board has limited knowledge of all available tools and which are most appropriate for release decision-making.
Line staff have not yet fully embraced the benefits of risk driven supervision.
";s:32:"field_what_opportunities_does_th";s:137:"ODRC has recently reorganized operations. There is an emphasis on the continuity of care and services from incarceration to supervision.";s:32:"field_what_are_the_challenges_th";s:174:"The primary challenges are related to selecting the appropriate tool (for the Parole Board) and maintaining fidelity with the use of all tools used throughout the department.";s:32:"field_how_will_this_technical_as";s:100:"Protecting the public with more informed release decisions and ultimately, a reduction in recidivism";s:32:"field_what_is_your_overarching_g";s:95:"Enhanced public safety- identifying a risk tool and focusing our efforts on high risk offenders";s:32:"field_please_list_at_least_two_o";s:174:"-Identify violent risk assessment tool
-Establish strategies to best assist the Adult Parole Authority staff to more fully incorporate risk driven supervision strategies.
";s:32:"field_as_a_result_of_this_tta_wh";s:42:"Tool identified and strategies implemented";s:32:"field_who_will_be_participating_";s:98:"Select Parole Board Members, Mental Health Administrators, Adult Parole Authority management staff";s:32:"field_what_do_participants_need_";s:114:"Support from executive staff and a thorough understanding of available assessment tools and recommended strategies";s:32:"field_what_activities_experience";s:71:"Educational materials, regional focus groups, observation opportunities";s:32:"field_who_supports_you_in_this_e";s:15:"Deputy Director";s:32:"field_who_are_key_stakeholders_i";s:84:"Field Operations Executive Staff, Mental Health Administrators, Parole Board Members";s:32:"field_who_are_key_stakeholders_p";s:62:"Reentry Coordinators, Office of Correctional Healthcare staff ";s:32:"field_who_are_key_stakeholders_o";s:32:"Ohio Department of Mental Health";s:32:"field_how_open_are_the_key_stake";s:71:"We are willing to incorporate recommendations into practice and policy.";s:32:"field_are_there_any_local_govern";s:16:"To be determined";s:32:"field_how_will_your_organization";s:41:"Ongoing monitoring of policy and practice";s:32:"field_what_other_resources_do_yo";s:152:"We can devote staff time towards this effort. We have sufficient office space to hold meetings. ODRC is not in the position to contribute monetarily. ";}