Proposed Principles for Procedurally Just Probation and Parole Practices

ABSTRACT

As part of a qualitative evaluation of a trial of a new model of community corrections (Triple-S: Social Supports in Supervision), we interviewed 53 probationers and parolees about their experiences with supervision. Although procedural justice was not the direct focus of the trial or its evaluation and participants were not overtly prompted, participants independently communicated the importance of procedural justice elements in shaping their interactions with their supervising officer, their perceptions of the agency, and their attitudes and behaviors relevant to their correctional order. Following a thematic analysis of these responses, we propose ten principles for procedurally just probation and parole practices. We suggest that probation and parole officers should: (1) be courteous, (2) avoid labeling, (3) explain, (4) listen, (5) hear, (6) be consistent, (7) be measured, (8) reserve judgment, (9) be invested, and (10) problem-solve. From this introductory exploratory study, we urge further research into the utility of these guiding elements. Subsequent scholarship may demonstrate how they enhance community corrections practices by improving officer decision-making and client interactions, which in turn is predicted to increase probationer and parolee engagement and subsequent compliance.

KEYWORDS:

• Procedural justice
• probation
• parole
• community corrections
• officers
• correctional clients

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Australian Institute of Criminology CRG 38/18-19 under Criminology Research Grant 38/18-19 and Griffith University under a Strategic Development Grant 2018-2.