What is the term that defines the
men and women we supervise?
• Parolee
• Probationer
• Client
• Supervised Releasee
• Offender
• Returning Citizen
• Restored Citizen
Guide to Judiciary Policy
• “The community is best served when positive
behavioral changes are integrated into an
offender’s daily living.”
• “Research indicates that offender success,
and consequently the reduction of risk to the
community is contingent upon improvement
in key areas of an offender’s life.”
Key Areas for Improvement
•
Low self control
• Anti social personality
• Anti social values and beliefs
• Criminal peers
• Substance abuse
• Dysfunctional family
Desired Outcomes of Supervision
• Execute the sentence
• Protect the community by reducing risk
• Maximize offender success during the period of
supervision and beyond
• “Probation officers must assess and manage risk by
engaging in an ongoing process of investigation,
assessment, planning, implementation, and
evaluation that will start before the beginning of the
term of supervision and continue throughout the
course of supervision”
Bureau of Prisons and U.S. Probation
WORKING TOGETHER
• The two agencies work collaboratively to
maximize the opportunities for the inmate’s safe
release
• Ensure stable residency upon release from
BOP custody
• Probation officers work with RRC to implement a
well constructed supervision plan to minimize risk
and promote continuity of services
Re Entry Services
• Contract treatment vendors provide treatment to federal
clients in the areas of substance abuse, mental health, sex
offender, and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT)
• Each of the probation offices facilitate in house CBT groups
for federal clients, on a voluntary basis
• Each office has a specialized court (reentry courts and
a drug court)
• Promoted a district wide Workforce Development
Specialist
• The Columbus probation office and federal bench have
partnered with a local Baptist church to provide re entry
services to federal restored citizens in a safe, positive
environment
Reentry Related Services
Moral Reconation Therapy
• Moral Reconation Therapy is a cognitive based therapy
program designed to focus on the individual’s beliefs and
corresponding behaviors.
• Behavior is rooted in the belief system
• Faulty beliefs lead to inappropriate behavior
• MRT promotes positive self image and identity, and helps
group members to learn positive social beliefs and
behaviors
• Reeducate men and women socially, morally, and behaviorally
in an effort to instill appropriate goals, motivation and values
• Reeducation is accomplished through self evaluation and
goal setting activities
Moral Reconation Therapy
• Voluntary program in each of the 3 offices
• Probation officers introduce members of
their caseload to MRT and the benefits of the
program
• MRT groups are facilitated by probation officers
that have completed training and received their
certification to facilitate the groups
• Results have been positive in each of the 3 offices
Specialized Courts
• A specialized court may target any number of
group types such as a drug court, reentry
court, mental health court, domestic violence
court…
• The specialized courts in Ohio Southern focus
on collaboration to solve issues/breakdown
barriers. The courts also focus on
accountability and compliance.
Columbus START Program
• START acronym for Steps Toward Addiction Recovery
Together
• In operation since May of 2009
• Voluntary
• 1 year in duration
• Team members include probation officer, district judge, AUSA,
Asst Federal Public Defender
• 4 START Programs have been completed and a fifth is going on
currently
• 26 graduates – 37 participants (70% graduation rate)
• Non graduates experience positive change
Dayton Reentry Court
• Began in June of 2012
• Voluntary participation
• 1 year in duration (flexible)
• 3 graduates thus far
• District judge and Magistrate Judge facilitate
• Team members include the probation officer,
AUSA, Asst Federal Public Defender, U.S.
Marshal Office rep, community mentor
Cincinnati Reentry Court
• Began in 2013
• Voluntary
• 1 year in duration
• District Judge facilitates the meetings
• Team effort – probation officer, AUSA, Asst
Federal Public Defender, community mentoring
agency reps
Local Community Effort
• Collaborative effort between probation, federal
bench and a local church situated in a high crime
area of Columbus
• Safe haven for restored citizens to meet once per
month
• Themed events that address specific issues facing
restored citizens
• Vision is to replicate the program to more
neighborhoods in Columbus. Replicate it eventually
to Dayton and Cincinnati areas
John S. Dierna
(614) 719-3120
john_dierna@ohsp.uscourts.gov