Modernizing Supervision: New Tools for a New Environment

Probation officers and other justice supervision staff face growing caseloads whether they are managing probation, parole, diversion, pretrial, community supervision, or other programs. At the same time, increasing involvement of community organizations and ongoing calls for equity are unlocking the potential for better outcomes for youth and adults in supervision programs. Improving outcomes requires agencies to find new ways to manage the entire supervision process, from intake and initial assessments through return to the community.

Many probation and supervision agencies rely on aging technology systems that are difficult for officers to use and don’t provide adequate data for decision-making and measurement of outcomes. Modern technology can provide easier access to case information for officers and support sophisticated analytics for management.

This paper explores five key technology solutions agencies can deploy incrementally or as part of a comprehensive solution to improve client outcomes. It also examines real-world success stories and best practices agencies can replicate.