CSSD Adult Probation

Adult Probation Services

Adult Probation services are designed to provide supervision of sentenced individuals and develop, implement and expand supervision strategies, techniques and specialized adult supervision programs that enhance public safety by providing services that change behavior and result in reduced offender recidivism.

A person can be placed on probation by a judge of the Superior Court after being convicted of a criminal or motor vehicle offense. The judge can order the period of probation to begin at the time of sentencing or after a period of incarceration.

CSSD’s Adult Probation has been nationally recognized for achieving excellence in operation by the American Correctional Association and Commission on Accreditation for Corrections for 2006-09 and was just reaccredited for 2009-2012.

Adult Supervision: Adult probation officers provide intake, assessment, referral and supervision services to sentenced individuals. In order to ensure appropriate probationer supervision clients are classified and supervised based upon their assessed risk and need classification which is administered by Adult Intake, Assessment, Referral (IAR) officers. Accurate assessment of probationers’ is the foundation for targeting offender service needs and making appropriate intervention referrals.

Client engagement, Case Supervision, Specialized Caseloads: Throughout the assessment, classification and case supervision process adult probation officers engage clients through a positive reinforcement supervision model. Motivational interviewing, client engagement and case planning are primary activities probation officers use to develop positive working relationships with the probationers to increase the likelihood that probations attend and ultimately complete their treatment services. In addition CSSD operates a number of specialized case management units in order to focus specific services for a specified target population.

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The specialized units are as follows:

Probation Transition Program (PTP): Probation Officers work intensively for 90 days with individuals about to be released from incarceration to begin a period of community supervision. They start seeing these individuals prior to their release in order to ensure that their basic needs, including treatment referrals, are in place when they return to the community to begin probation. Upon stabilization, these clients are transferred to a regular caseload.
Technical Violation Unit (TVU): Probation Officers work with clients who are in danger of being violated for technical violations of probation conditions (anything other than a new offense) and returned to jail or prison. Officers work intensively with these clients for a maximum of 90 days in an attempt to re establish compliance and if successful, offenders are returned to their original Officers to complete their probation sentences.
Mental Health Caseload: Specially trained Probation Officers work with identified clients who are found to have serious and persistent mental health problems that interfere with their ability to successfully complete probation. The Officers have access to mental health treatment and assessment services and work closely with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
Youthful Offender Caseload (YO): YO Probation Officers work with a specialized caseload of 16 and 17 year old probationers. (In CT youth of this age are handled in the Adult system.) They have received specialized training in adolescent development and have access to a specific continuum of community based contracted services targeted to this age group.
Women’s Offender Case Management Model (WOCMM): This is a pilot project for which CSSD receives technical assistance from the federal National Institute of Corrections for three years (2007-2010). WOCMM Probation Officers are sited in four offices and work as a team with contracted provider staff and other community based service providers. The WOCMM staff has received advanced training in female gender responsive theory and practice and “what works” with female adult offenders. The project is being evaluated and will form the basis of CSSD’s future gender responsive adult probation services.
Sex Offender Caseload (SO): Specially trained Probation Officers have all sex offender caseloads which require a high degree of compliance monitoring. They work with sex offender clients on accessing treatment as well as ensuring that their activities in the community while on probation meet the various conditions regarding employment, housing, etc.
Warrant service: In those circumstances when offenders fail to comply with their conditions of probation, officers will ultimately have to apply for and obtain a warrant for violation of probation. Special units within each region work with other law enforcement units/agencies to focus their efforts on timely service violation of probation warrants.

Specialized Treatment and Supervision Services
Contracted Network of Adult Service (IOP, Residential, ABH)

CSSD Residential Alternatives
In an effort to reduce prison overcrowding and provide a wider range of services, CSSD established a Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Program. These are a network of community-based programs which provide comprehensive supervision and treatment to individuals who are accused, court sentenced or as an alternative to probation violation. These programs accept both males and females age sixteen (16) and above who are drug and/or alcohol dependent or may require some type of behavioral modification. These services also attempt to address groups with special service needs including pregnant women, adolescents and women with children. Currently there are 478 beds in the residential network.

CSSD Residential Alternatives also include the Jail Re-Interview Residential Program that targets
incarcerated, male pre-trial defendants held on bond. The Program has 25 beds and provides substance abuse treatment, job training and employment counseling. The main focus of Jail Re-Interview Residential Services is to provide intensive case management to ease the transition back into the community.
Electronic Monitoring
Electronic monitoring services are purchased through a statewide contract that provides services to the Courts, CSSD’s Intake Assessment and Referral units (IAR), and Adult and Juvenile Supervision. A website called “WEB PATROL” is maintained which allows CSSD staff to enroll and monitor client activity on a regular basis.
DNA Project
In accordance with Public Act 03-242, all probationers serving a term of probation or sentenced to probation as of October 1, 2003, for a felony or certain misdemeanors, are required to submit a sample of DNA to be analyzed and stored by the Connecticut Department of Public Safety (DPS), CSSD established its DNA Testing Project. CSSD estimates that approximately 30,000 current probationers qualify for sampling under the Act and approximately 800 new probationers per month need to meet the Act's requirements. Six (6) geographic testing sites have been established. CSSD has contracted with a community- based testing laboratory service to perform the DNA collection.
Interstate Compact
Many probationers often move from one state to another or are convicted in one state while living in a different state. The “National Crime Act of 1934” permitted two or more states to enter into agreements for mutual assistance in monitoring and tracking of these individuals. The original compact legislation was revised in 2004 with the enactment of “Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision”. This new Compact established a National Commission on IC affairs. It also developed standardized forms and definitions that all states must use. Presently, 49 states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico are all members of the Compact.
Urinalysis
CSSD currently contracts for laboratory toxicology services for the analysis of urine specimens. These services are for pre-trial and sentenced individuals as part of a probation stipulation or court condition.
Alcohol Education Program (AEP)
This is a pre-trial diversionary program allowing individuals arrested for driving under the influence the opportunity to seek alcohol education while avoiding a conviction. The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) manages this program. The Judicial Branch determines eligibility. DMHAS contracted providers perform the initial assessment and recommend the length of program. Recent legislation has allowed the provider to recommend treatment as well.
Bias Crimes Diversionary Program
Public Act 00-72: “An Act Concerning Intimidation Based on Bigotry or Bias”, established programming for the court to utilize in addressing the issue of hate crimes. Recent legislation has included bias offenses based on sexual orientation and mental health as part of this effort. The Justice Education Center (JEC), through a contract with CSSD initiated the Hate Crimes Diversion Project (HCDP). Beginning in November of 2001, trainers began delivering a ten (10) session cognitive skills training curriculum. Based on existing hate crimes and discrimination prevention and intervention curricula, the HCDP curriculum addressing adult offenders is the first of its kind in the nation.
Special Services/Sex Offender Evaluation and Treatment
The CSSD provides funding for sex offender evaluations and treatment services on a statewide basis. The program is cognitive behavioral based, and includes relapse prevention, victim empathy training, cognitive restructuring and a variety of psycho-educational techniques. These techniques are combined with appropriate medication prescribed by a psychiatrist. The groups are co-facilitated by probation staff. The goals of these services are to increase the likelihood of successful reintegration back into the community, and to provide rapid response in the event a client is exhibiting “at risk behavior”.

For information on Adult Probation please contact
Deputy Director Greg Halzack

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