Law - Criminal Wk 5 Summative Assignment: Diversity Awareness Proposal

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Addressing Racial Disparities in Probation

John Deere

University of Phoenix

CJA/336: Diversity in Criminal Justice

Professor John Hullar

February 11, 2025

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Addressing Racial Disparities in Probation

Racial disparities continue to be a major dispute within the criminal justice system.

However, I intend to focus on community corrections, particularly probation. There is substantial

evidence demonstrating racial disparities. This proposal seeks to address the significant disparity

in racial outcomes within the probation system by proposing a new strategy that can either

augment or change existing policies or procedures to further aid in current and future

circumstances.

Research

Rigby, D., Hibi, D., Wygle, R., Lee, H., Casey, J., Gemmill, A., & Bruckner, T. (2024). State-

level changes in racial disparities in probation and parole rates in the United States, 2001-

2018. American Journal of Epidemiology. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwae460

This article examines racial disparities in probation and parole supervision rates in the

United States from 2001 to 2018, finding persistent but decreasing gaps between Black

and White populations. While national data shows stability, state-level analysis reveals

declining Black-White gaps in probation rates, highlighting the importance of state-

specific policies and practices. It explains that by understanding the disparities in

community supervision rates at the state level, policymakers can formulate targeted

policies and interventions aimed at mitigating racial disparities.

Schwalbe, C. S. J., Edwards, K., Lea III, C. H., & Koetzle, D. (2024). Associations of Racial

Equity Training, Policies, and Practices With Routine Supervision Strategies in

Community Corrections. Criminal Justice & Behavior, 51(12), 1918–1936.

https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548241276517

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This document is a study examining the associations between racial equity training,

policies, and practices with routine supervision strategies in community corrections. It

indicates that Black and Latin Americans are disproportionately represented in the

community corrections population, experiencing significantly higher rates of supervision

and rearrests. This document describes that racial equity policies can cause a decrease in

accountability-focused case management and a shift towards a more treatment-oriented

approach. It emphasizes the importance of addressing structural racism and implementing

race-conscious strategies to improve outcomes for people of all races involved in the

legal system.

Russo, J., Peterson, S., Vermeer, M. J., Woods, D., & Jackson, B. A. (2023). Reducing Racial

and Ethnic Disparities in Technical Violations of Probation Or Parole Supervision.

RAND.

This is a comprehensive report on mitigating racial disparities in technical violations of

probation or parole supervision within the United States criminal justice system. It

highlights the importance of systemic transformations, enhanced data collection

practices, and targeted intervention strategies. It stresses the significance of developing

collaborative relationships and the detrimental impact of unequal resource distribution

can offset compliance rates.

Current Strategy

Within the Probation department, each officer is mandated to complete a predetermined

number of continued education training hours, regardless of the length of their employment. New

probation officers are required to complete 40 hours of training, while all other probation officers

are required to complete 20 hours. This training concentrates on preparing officers with the

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necessary skills and knowledge to effectively supervise offenders and ensure public safety. Some

of these include Bridging the Diversity Gap and Ethics in Community Corrections. While I

concur with the strategy to address disparities, I believe the current approaches to addressing

racial disparities are insufficient, and probation officers may not fully comprehend the magnitude

of these disparities. Therefore, it is imperative to enhance the curriculum to provide them with

comprehensive knowledge and understanding of racial issues. (Illinois Probation, 2024)

New Strategy Recommendation

I propose that probation officers, both those currently employed and those newly hired,

receive a mandatory comprehensive curriculum that incorporates interactive training sessions,

real case studies, and factual scenarios. Real-life scenarios will prompt probation officers to

consider potential situations they may encounter. With the introduction of new training classes,

probation officers will gain the ability to identify and address racial disparities effectively. This

strategy presents a comprehensive approach to effectively addressing past, present, and future

challenges, providing practical tips and techniques to overcome obstacles and achieve optimal

solutions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I recommend implementing this strategy to further address and eliminate

racial disparities by developing a curriculum that teaches about diversity in the criminal justice

system. All participants of this program should be able to identify areas that need to be addressed

for training enhancement. This program will incorporate mandatory in-person seminars, online

segments, and facilitated discussions. This will help to provide additional support and guidance

when individuals encounter difficulties or have inquiries.

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References

Illinois Probation. (2024, November 7). Retrieved from COPE Approved Relias Trainings:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1psHLrH4u3SbhLiBEzEOpKRrw3uaDIc4J/view

Rigby, D., Hibi, D., Wygle, R., Lee, H., Casey, J., Gemmill, A., & Bruckner, T. (2024). State

level changes in racial disparities in probation and parole rates in the United States, 2001-

2018. American Journal of Epidemiology. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwae460

Russo, J., Peterson, S., Vermeer, M. J., Woods, D., & Jackson, B. A. (2023). Reducing Racial

and Ethnic Disparities in Technical Violations of Probation Or Parole Supervision.

RAND.

Schwalbe, C. S. J., Edwards, K., Lea III, C. H., & Koetzle, D. (2024). Associations of Racial

Equity Training, Policies, and Practices With Routine Supervision Strategies in

Community Corrections. Criminal Justice & Behavior, 51(12), 1918–1936.

https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548241276517