Four Steps for Using Videoconferencing Technology for Parole Decision-Making
Parole agencies must have every tool available to protect fairness, maximize efficiency, maintain integrity, ensure public safety, and incentivize positive behavior change, all at manageable costs to the state. Implementing videoconferencing technology according to the four steps laid out in this brief is an effective way to meet these goals.
Jennifer Kisela, Carl Reynolds, Laura van der Lugt | March 2021 | The Council of State Governments Justice Center
Four Steps for Using Videoconferencing Technology for Parole Decision-Making
Jennifer
Kisela
assesses
aspects
of
local
and
state
criminal
justice
systems
for
adherence
to
best
practices
and
provides
technical
assistance
to
jurisdictions
implementing
Justice
Reinvestment
legislation.
Jennifer
provides
content
expertise
in
evidence-based
practices,
risk
and
need
assessments,
changing
behavior,
programming,
...
and
quality
assurance.
Prior
to
joining
the
CSG
Justice
Center,
Jennifer
worked
as
the
research
and
continuous
quality
improvement
administrator
at
Oriana
House,
a
large
community
corrections
agency
in
Ohio.
In
this
role,
Jennifer
implemented
and
oversaw
the
training
and
coaching
of
staff
on
the
use
of
effective
interventions
for
people
in
the
criminal
justice
system.
Jennifer
has
also
provided
training
and
coaching
services
as
an
independent
consultant
to
community
corrections
agencies
throughout
the
U.S.
Jennifer
holds
a
BA
in
justice
studies
from
Kent
State
University
and
an
MA
in
criminal
justice
from
the
University
of
Cincinnati.
Senior Legal and Policy Advisor, State Initiatives
Carl
Reynolds
helps
manage
and
develop
projects
related
to
courts,
corrections,
law
enforcement,
and
sentencing.
He
works
on
Justice
Reinvestment
and
other
projects
where
expert
legal
and
policy
research
is
needed.
Previously,
Carl
served
as
director
of
the
Texas
Office
...
of
Court
Administration.
From
1997
to
2005,
he
was
general
counsel
for
the
Texas
Department
of
Criminal
Justice
(TDCJ),
responsible
for
prisons,
probation,
and
parole.
He
also
was
general
counsel
to
the
Texas
Board
of
Criminal
Justice—the
governing
body
for
TDCJ.
Prior
to
that
position,
he
was
the
executive
director
of
the
Texas
Punishment
Standards
Commission,
general
counsel
to
the
Texas
Senate
Committee
on
Criminal
Justice,
director
of
the
Senate's
redistricting
staff,
and
a
briefing
attorney
for
the
Texas
Court
of
Criminal
Appeals.
Carl
holds
a
BA
from
the
University
of
Cincinnati,
an
MA
from
the
Lyndon
B.
Johnson
School
of
Public
Affairs,
and
a
JD
from
the
University
of
Texas
School
of
Law.
Laura
van
der
Lugt
provides
justice
systems
assessment,
policy
development,
and
implementation
technical
assistance
to
states,
counties,
and
cities.
She
specializes
in
improving
correctional
continuum
practices,
strengthening
supervision
practices,
and
building
and
sustaining
networks
of
community
resources
necessary
to
improve
...
community
supervision
outcomes
and
public
safety.
Before
joining
the
CSG
Justice
Center,
she
was
the
director
of
research
and
innovation
at
the
Suffolk
County
Sheriff’s
Department
(SCSD)
in
Boston,
Massachusetts,
where
she
oversaw
the
development,
management,
and
measurement
of
SCSD
policy
innovation
and
programmatic
strategy.
Prior
to
SCSD,
she
worked
as
the
director
of
evaluation
and
learning
at
Roca
Inc.,
a
Massachusetts-based
nonprofit
organization.
Laura
began
her
justice
policy
career
in
the
Boston
Police
Commissioner’s
Office
of
Research
and
Development,
where
she
coordinated
and
managed
the
City
of
Boston’s
federal
Second
Chance
Act
Adult
Reentry
Demonstration
Project
grant-related
programming.
Laura
holds
a
BA
in
sociology
from
Bates
College,
an
MA
in
criminology
from
the
University
of
Pennsylvania,
and
a
PhD
in
criminology
and
justice
policy
from
Northeastern
University.