A Ten-Step Guide to Transforming Probation Departments to Reduce Recidivism

A Ten-Step Guide to Transforming Probation Departments to Reduce Recidivism also describes how officials can engage key stakeholders, evaluate agency policies, and develop a strategic plan for implementing reform; provides recommendations for redesigning departmental policies and practices; and includes steps for making a department transformation permanent. Included are numerous examples of how these steps were used in the Travis County, Texas, probation department, which saw felony probation revocations decline by 20 percent and one-year rearrest rates fall by 17 percent after implementing practices outlined in the guide.