Chaminade University of Honolulu
CJA740 – Community Corrections, Probation & Parole           
January 12th  – March 18th, 2009
Instructor:  Kevin S. Rentner, MSCJA
Ph: 360-957-6706 (cell)
kevin.rentner@adjunct.chaminade.edu 
krentner@hotmail.com

Welcome to CJ 740.  I am very excited for us to learn together.  Breathe life into our on-line learning: share a little about yourself with your classmates. Here is a brief bit about me.  I am a Community Corrections Supervisor with the Washington Department of Corrections, leading 10 community corrections officers (essentially probation and parole officers) in the supervision of 500 convicted felons, including 120 sex offenders.  I also previously supervised a state work release facility with 60 inmates and a staff of 16 contractors and three state employees.  Prior to joining DOC, I was an Army officer, serving 24 years in Military Intelligence.  Almost half of my career was spent in counterintelligence positions, investigating and countering espionage and terrorism.  I received a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Washington and an MSCJA from Chaminade.  My professional memberships include the American Correctional Association and the American Probation & Parole Association.  

Course Description:
From the Chaminade Catalog: “An analysis of the techniques of probation, parole, after-care supervision and related services.”  [Sorry, that’s all the catalog says.]

Student Learning Outcomes: Upon course completion, students will understand:
1) The relationship of community corrections to other components of the CJ system (institutional corrections, the courts and law enforcement) 
2) Different models of probation and parole services related to the branches of government, political influences, and to the purposes of corrections.
3) Pretrial and presentencing services, and diversion programs.
4) Offender reentry, bridging programs (halfway houses), offender rehabilitation, and current research on “what works” (evidence-based practices) in corrections.
5) Significant contemporary issues in community corrections and their historical antecedents.
      
Assessment: 
Students will demonstrate mastery of learning outcomes by:
1) Discussing the history of American community corrections and how the history shaped community corrections today.
2) Discussing the most important contemporary issues in community corrections.
3) Listing the roles and functions of probation and parole officers and discussing the perceived role conflicts caused by the competing “Corrections” and “Justice” models of the CJ system. 
4) Explaining the differences between the adult and juvenile criminal justice systems and the supervision of adults and juveniles in the community.
5) Discussing how you see the future of community corrections. 

Grading will be according to the MSCJA standard:
A  =  92% and above
B  =  80-92%
C  =  70-79% 
F  =  less than 70%
You will be graded as follows:
	Paper #1:  20 points.
	Paper #2:  20 points
	Legal Case Brief(s) (team project): 20 points.
	Final Exam: 20 points
	Class Participation: 20 points (2 points per week!!)

Paper #1 Interview a community corrections practitioner (e.g., probation, parole, community corrections, community supervision or pretrial services officer or agent).  What are his/her duties and responsibilities, both formal and informal?  What training and education does his/her agency require before and during employment?  How does he/she interact with offenders, offenders’ families and employers, counselors and rehabilitation services, law enforcement agencies and other criminal justice organizations, and community groups and individuals?   How do these duties, responsibilities, and relationships compare to what you learned in your course readings?  (You are encouraged, but not required, to use other sources and references for this paper.)  Share what you learned with your classmates on the discussion board. 

Paper #2   Interview someone that offers services to offenders in the community.  Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: employment or housing agencies; drug and alcohol counselors; sexual deviancy or domestic violence therapists; halfway house or homeless shelter staff; faith-based charities; education programs; and welfare offices.  What services are offered?  Describe the person’s experience with offenders.  What relationship has the person had with community corrections practitioners? Share what you learned with your classmates on the discussion board. 

Paper requirements:
a.	The APA style must be used.
b.	There is no minimum or maximum paper length.  The papers (and your interviews) should explore the subjects in detail.  It is unlikely any subject could be adequately covered in two pages.  But if all key points can be made in four-to-five pages, you won’t score extra credit by submitting a verbose, 30-page treatise.  Sometimes, “less is more.”
c.	I encourage effective writing, i.e., writing with a purpose and in a manner that is clearly understood.  
1)	Have one controlling idea and put the “Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF).  Then organize the body of the paper to coherently support your controlling idea.  
2)	Use relatively short paragraphs; each should normally have one main supporting idea related to the controlling idea.  
3)	Use a summary to tie it all together.  In other words, tell me what you are going to say, then say it, then tell me what you said.  
4)	Use active voice and avoid very long sentences with numerous clauses.  
5)	“Packaging” with bullets, subparagraphs, etc. appeals to the eye and helps convey ideas.  
6)	Excessive spelling, grammatical or typographical errors decrease writing effectiveness and will be considered in grading the paper. 

Legal Case Briefs: You will be with a team of one or two other students.  Your team will review one or two assigned Supreme Court cases.  
For each case, prepare a paper (brief) of no more than 2 pages as follows:
1)  Case Title
2)  Issue:  What was the legal question the court was deciding?
3)  Facts:  Briefly summarize the case in your own words.
4)  Held:  What was the Court's decision?  Briefly summarize the Court's reasoning behind the decision.
5)  Significance:  Why was/is the ruling significant to community corrections practice and theory? This may require you to review your readings and, possibly, do some other limited research.

Attendance:
“Attendance” for an on-line class seems an oxymoron, but is essential for learning.  You can attend in one of two ways (or both).

1.	Chat:  Though I realize not everyone may be able to participate due to job conflicts etc., this is an awesome and fun way to learn. For this class, I will meet with students on Wednesdays, beginning January 12th, from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Hawaiian Standard Time (8:00 to 10:00 here on the West Coast), for “class discussions.” After each class, I will also be available for questions and answers and to “talk story.”  We will simulate a traditional classroom setting through these sessions.  I may also attempt to set-up a weekend session so as many students as possible can participate.  

2.	Discussion Boards: Students can use the Discussion function at any time.  I will attempt to post both my own questions to students as well as reiterate some of the good questions and comments from the Wednesday classroom sessions.  I will frequently review discussion threads and emails.   You will also participate in small group discussions.  I may also ask you to post discussion questions. 

Textbooks:
Required:
Abadinsky, H., (2009), Probation and Parole: Theory and Practice (10h ed), Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Festervan, E., (2000), Survival Guide for New Probation Officer, Lanham: MD: American Correctional Association
Additionally, several other articles and legal cases are required. All are either available on-line, at no cost, or will be provided to you electronically by me.  See the attached course outline. 

Notes on textbooks:  
Probation and Parole provides a unique perspective for an academic text, as Abadinsky draws upon his many years of experience as a New York parole officer in addition to his research.  He intended the book to be an undergraduate text.  Therefore, he wrote it as a broad survey of probation and parole.  I tailored it to this graduate-level class by jumping around the chapters, supplementing it with other readings, and dispensing with readings of foundational information you should already know.  On a side note, Abadinsky wrote some factual errors about my own agency; I will correct those during the course. [I’ve already communicated with Dr. Abadinsky about these.]

Survival Guide is a practical book covering such areas as ethics, safety and probationer/probation officer interaction.   It gives the reader a good “feel” for the PO’s job. Of course, I will share my own insights and experiences on these topics and others. 

Technical Notes from the eTeaching Institute (adapted slightly)
Be sure to take the eTeaching Institute’s Student Orientation Tutorial. Taking the tutorial can help ensure a rewarding learning experience. Click Exit Course at the bottom left of your screen, then click on Student Orientation Tutorial on your Student Homepage. 

I recommended you read then print this Syllabus. Also, it’s important to check the course Calendar and check the Announcement section each time you enter the course. This will help ensure that you are up-to-date on course information and any changes. Finally, by clicking on View Checklist at the bottom of the Course Homepage you will open a Course Checklist where you can check off assignments as you complete them and help ensure you are on schedule.
If you experience technical problems (i.e., you can't log in to the course or you can't see certain material) and you cannot find an answer in the online help guide (?Help button at top of any page,) please contact the help desk available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please include as much information as possible, so they can serve you better. For technical support questions only, you can reach the Help Desk at: 303-873-0005 or by clicking  Help, and then clicking the Help Desk tab. Remember, contact me, and not the help desk if you have questions pertaining to the course content.

Course Outline
CJA 740 COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS, PROBATION & PAROLE 
	
Week 1 – January 12th - 17th, 2009:  Introduction and History of Community Corrections:  Goals of Corrections; Probation History; Parole History; Community Corrections as a Profession; Determinate vs. indeterminate sentencing; Probation & Parole statistics. 

	Readings:
Required:
Abadinsky, H., (2009), Probation and Parole: Theory and Practice (10h ed), Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, pp. 24-30, 168-179
Festervan, E., (2000), Survival Guide for New Probation Officers, Lanham: MD: American Correctional Association, pp.1-14
Petersilia, J. (1998, Spring), Probation in the United States, Perspectives, 22, 32-46 and (1998, Summer), 22, 40-47, retrieved 08/27/08 from:
Part 1: http://www.appa-net.org/resource_kit/2008/docs/sp98pers30.pdf
Part 2: http://www.appa-net.org/resource_kit/2008/docs/su98pers42.pdf
Bureau of Justice Statistics, Probation and Parole in the United States, 2006, retrieved 08/27/08 from http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/ppus06.htm

            Recommended:
	Abadinsky, pp. 3-18, 	136-156

Week 2  - January 18th – 24th, 2009:  Pretrial and Presentence Services; and Alternative Sentencing: Pretrial services; Bail; Presentence Investigations; Risk and Needs Assessments;  Diversion Programs and Deferred Prosecution; Fines, Community Service and Work Crews; Restorative Justice.

Case Briefs will be assigned by 01/19/09.
	
	Readings:
	Required:  
	Abadinsky, pp. 50-75, 278-282; 291-293, 305-308, 335-339
Bureau of Justice Statistics, Pretrial Release of Felony Defendants in State Courts retrieved 08/27/08 from http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/prfdsc.pdf
	
Week 3 -  January 25th – January 31st, 2009: Probation:  Supervision, Conditions, Violations, Revocation, Roles of the Probation Officer

Readings:
Required:
	Abadinsky,  pp. 30-48, 254-258, 282-290, 293-297
	Festervan, pp. 14-24, 53-62 

	Recommended:
	Abadinsky, pp. 267-273
	Festervan, pp. 45-52, 63-67

Week 4 – February 1st – February 7th, 2009:  Conditional Release: Parole and Postrelease Supervision:  Prison population crisis; Parole Boards; Parole Conditions; Revocation 

Readings:
	Required:  
	Abadinsky, pp. 136-137, 179-184, 187-213
Petersilia, J. (2000, Summer), Parole and Prison Reentry in the United States, Perspectives, 24, 30-41 and (2000, Fall), 24, 42-49, retrieved 08/29/08 from:
http://www.appa-net.org/resource_kit/2008/historyparole.htm
http://www.appa-net.org/resource_kit/2008/docs/fa00appa40.pdf

Recommended:
Austin, J. et. al. (JFA Institute) (November 2007), Unlocking America: Why and How to Reduce America’s Prison Population, retrieved 08/30/08 from:
http://www.jfa-associates.com/publications/srs/UnlockingAmerica.pdf

Week 5 – February 8th – 14th, 2009 :  Reentry, Bridging Programs & Intermediate Sanctions:  Jail and Prison Reentry into the Community; Work Release and Halfway Houses; Intensive Supervision; Electronic Home Monitoring; Day Reporting. 

Paper #1 Due 02/09/09

	Listening:
CSOSA (2008) Returning Offenders-Reentry from Prison [interview with an offender], retrieved 08/30/08 from: http://media.csosa.gov/podcast/audio/?p=65
	
Readings:
Required:
	Abadinsky, pp. 340-343, 352-378
Solomon, A. et. al., (May 2008), Life After Lockup:  Improving Reentry from 
Jail to the Community, The Urban Institute: Washington D.C., pp. 165-172, retrieved 08/29/08 from: 
http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411660_life_after_lockup.pdf
Rentner, K. (2008), PowerPoint Tour of the Longview Work Release
Massarand, M.G. (2004),  Work Release Program Research Project (for Multnomah Co, OR), retrieved 08/29/08 from: http://www.lpscc.org/docs/WorkReleaseProgramResearchReportJune2004.pdf

	Recommended:
Burke, P. and Tonry, M. (2006), Successful Transition and Reentry for Safer Communities, CEPP: Silver Springs, MD, retrieved 09/08/08 from:
http://www.appa-net.org/resources/pubs/docs/A_Call_to_Action_for_Parole.pdf

Travis, J., Solomon, A., Waul, M. (2001, June), From Prison to Home: The Dimensions and Consequences of Prisoner Reentry, The Urban Institute: Washington D.C, retrieved 08/30/08 from:
	http://www.urban.org/pdfs/from_prison_to_home.pdf
	Solomon, A., et. al. – Life After Lockup (remainder of the monograph)

Week 6 – February 15th – 20th:  Rehabilitation: From Nothing Works to What Works.

Readings:
	Required:  
Solomon, A. L. (2006, Spring), Does Parole Supervision Work?  Research Findings and Policy Opportunities, Perspectives, 30, 26-37, retrieved 08/30/08 from: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/1000908_parole_supervision.pdf
	National Institute of Corrections, The Principles of Effective Interventions, 
retrieved 08/29/08 from: http://www.nicic.org/ThePrinciplesofEffectiveInterventions
Public Safety Canada, Risk-Need-Responsivity Model for Offender Assessment 
	and Rehabilitation, retrieved 08/29/08 from: 
http://www.ps-sp.gc.ca/res/cor/rep/risk_need_200706-eng.aspx#tphp
Lowenkamp, C. and Latessa, E. (2004), “Understanding the Risk Principle:  How & Why Correctional Interventions Can Harm Low Risk Offenders,” Topics in Community Corrections 2004, National Institute of Corrections, retrieved 08/29/08 from: 
http://www.nicic.org/pubs/2004/period266.pdf
Aos, S. et.al. (Washington Institute for Public Policy), Evidence-Based Adult Corrections Programs: What Works and What Does Not, retrieved 08/29/08 from:
http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/pub.asp?docid=06-01-1201
Latessa, E.J, Improving the Effectiveness of Correctional Programs Through Research, (Presentation, Olympia, WA, Feb. 2008), PDF 

Recommended:
Abadinsky, pp. 221-248

Week 7 – February 22nd – 28th, 2009:  Engaging the Offender:  Applying What Works (Combining Supervision Styles); PO and Offender Interaction; Officer Safety; Drug Testing and Drug Treatment; Supervision of Sex Offenders and Mentally Ill and Developmentally Challenged Offenders; Motivational Interviewing

Paper #2 Due 02/23/09

Readings:
	Required:  
	Abadinsky, pp. 321-323, 325-329
Bogue, B., Diebel, J., O’Connor, T. (2008, Spring), “Combining Officer Supervision Skills,” Perspectives, 32, 30-45.  [PDF version provided exclusively for our class by the American Probation & Parole Association!]
	Festervan, pp. 63-108

	Recommended:
	Abadinsky, pp. 329-335
APPA, (2008, July 8th), “Do You Have a Specialized Caseload for Mentally Ill Offenders?” [APPA member survey results], Community Corrections Headlines and More, retrieved 08/30/08 from:
 http://www.appa-net.org/ccheadlines/docs/Mentally_Ill_Offenders.pdf
Clark, M. (2006, Winter), “Entering the Business of Behavior Change: Motivational Interviewing for Probation Staff, Perspectives, 30, 38-45, [part 1 of a 2 part series] retrieved 08/30/08 from: http://www.buildmotivation.com/images/entering_the_business.pdf
Clark, M., Walters, S., Gingerich, R., Metzler, M. (2006, Summer). “Importance, Confidence and Readiness to Change:  Motivational Interviewing for Probation and Parole,” Perspectives, 30, 36-45, [part 2 of a 2 part series] retrieved 08/30/08: http://www.buildmotivation.com/images/appa%202nd%20june%202006.pdf
	Rentner, K. (2008), Supervision of Sex Offenders, Powerpoint Presentation

Week 8 – March 1st – 7th, 2009:  Legal Issues: Conditions, Revocation, Arrest, Search; Liability – Torts and Civil Rights Actions; Use of Force

Case briefs due 03/02/09

Readings:
	Required:  
	Abadinsky, pp. 45, 161-163, 213-217, 266-267, 273-274

Cases (cases assigned to you for case briefs are required; all others are recommended).  All cases were retrieved electronically on 08/30/08:
Morrissey v. Brewer, 408 U.S. 471 (1972), from: 
http://supreme.justia.com/us/408/471/
Gagnon v. Scarpelli, 411 U.S. 778 (1973), from: http://supreme.justia.com/us/411/778/case.html
Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole v. Scott, 524 U.S. 357, from: 
http://supreme.justia.com/us/524/357/case.html
Griffin v. Wisconsin, 483 U.S. 868 (1987), from:
http://supreme.justia.com/us/483/868/case.html
U.S. v. Knights, 534 U.S. 112 (2001), from: 
http://supreme.justia.com/us/534/112/case.html
Tennessee v. Garner, 471 U.S. 1 (1985), from:
http://supreme.justia.com/us/471/1/case.html
Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386 (1989), from:
http://supreme.justia.com/us/490/386/case.html
Bearden v. Georgia, 461 U.S. 660 (1983), from:
http://supreme.justia.com/us/461/660/case.html
Mempa v. Rhay, 389 U.S. 128 (1967) 
http://supreme.justia.com/us/389/128/case.html
Minnesota v. Murphy, 465 U.S. 420 (1984), from:
http://supreme.justia.com/us/465/420/case.html
Fare v. Michael, 442 U.S. 707 (1979), from: 
http://supreme.justia.com/us/442/707/case.html

Recommended:
Del Carmen, R. et al. (2001), Civil Liabilities and Other Legal Issues for Probation/Parole Officers and Supervisors (3rd ed.), National Institute of Corrections: Washington, D.C., retrieved 08/30/08 from: 
http://www.nicic.org/pubs/2001/017068.pdf
[Note: this is a lengthy document and is included here for your use in preparing the case briefs.]

Week 9 – March 8th – 14th, 2009:  Field Work:  Home & Field Offender Contacts; Arrest & Search; Armed POs; Police & Community Corrections Partnerships

Readings:
	Required:  
	Abadinsky, pp. 258-267, 294-295
Byrne, J. and Hummer, D. (2004, September), “Examining the Role of Police in Reentry Partnership Initiatives,” Federal Probation, 68, retrieved 09/08/08 from: http://www.uscourts.gov/fedprob/September_2004/initiatives.html
Thornton, R. et. al. (2008), Guns, Safety and Proactive Supervision: Involving Probation and Parole in Project Safe Neighborhoods, American Probation & Parole Association: Lexington, KY, pp. 15-31, 41-51 retrieved 08/30/08 from: 
 http://www.appa-net.org/PSN/pdfs/PSN_monograph.pdf

Recommended:
Thornton, R et. al. (2008) – remainder of the monograph

Final exam will be issued 03/02/08.  Final exams are due on or before 03/17/08.

Week 10 – March 15th – March 18th, 2009:  Ethics in Community Corrections; Juvenile Community Corrections 

Final exams are due on or before 03/18/09.

Readings:
	Required: 
	Abadinsky, pp. 82-130
	Festervan, pp. 25-44