U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs JUNE 05 National Institute of Justice

Research for Practice

Stress Among Probation and Parole Officers and What Can Be Done About It

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs 810 Seventh Street N.W. Washington, DC 20531

Alberto R. Gonzales Attorney General

Regina B. Schofield Assistant Attorney General

Sarah V. Hart Director, National Institute of Justice

This and other publications and products of the National Institute of Justice can be found at:

National Institute of Justice www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij

Office of Justice Programs Partnerships for Safer Communities www.ojp.usdoj.gov JUNE 05 Stress Among Probation and Parole Officers and What Can Be Done About It

This Research for Practice is based on “Addressing Probation and Parole Offi­ cer Stress,” by Peter Finn and Sarah Kuck, final report to the National Institute of Justice, 2003, available online at www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/ nij/grants/207012.pdf.

Findings and conclusions of the research reported here are those of the authors and do not reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. The study on which this summary is based was conducted by Abt Associates Inc., and sponsored by the National Institute of Justice under task order T–023, “Addressing Probation and Parole Officer Stress.” NCJ 205620 RESEARCH FOR PRACTICE / JUNE 05

ABOUT THIS REPORT

Probation and parole officers, factors make it difficult for like their counterparts in law many officers to find the time enforcement and corrections, to properly supervise their can experience a great deal caseloads. Officers cope by of job-related stress. Their taking “mental health” days, stress also can affect super­ requesting transfers, or retir­ visors, support staff, and ing early. Physical exercise family members. Moreover, is the method of choice for levels of stress may have coping with the stress. increased in recent years, due in part to greater vio­ The programs studied vary lence by offenders on proba­ greatly in services provided, tion and parole. The National who provides them, their Institute of Justice (NIJ) fund­ structure, and other features. ed a study that examined the Some programs contract effects of stress on commu­ with outside providers, while nity corrections officers and others train peer supporters identified promising stress to help their coworkers. Pro­ reduction programs. grams may address critical incidents, offer counseling, provide training in relaxation What did the exercises, or facilitate physi­ researchers find? cal exercise. Some programs combine several of these Officers and their agencies approaches. can gain major benefits from a stress reduction program, Success can be measured in including cost savings, a number of ways. Burnout improved staff performance, levels measured in one of the and increased safety for staff programs studied were lower and the public. Programs after training; two other pro­ now underway nationwide grams produced marked show promise in preventing reductions in physical and and treating stress. The major psychological stress. The sources of stress for commu­ measure of success for one nity corrections officers are program was its full incorpo­ high caseloads, excess ration into the agency. paperwork, and deadline pressures. Combined, these

ii STRESS AMONG PROBATION AND PAROLE OFFICERS

Peter Finn and Sarah Kuck

Stress Among Probation and Parole Officers and What Can Be Done About It

Probation and parole officers stress. Stress also affects stand at the hub of the crimi­ supervisors, support staff, nal justice system. Theirs are and family members. the only professions that deal with offenders at each stage Dangerous jobs. Probation of the criminal justice sys­ and parole work can be dan­ tem. As a result, they face, to gerous (see “The Work of some degree, every criminal Probation and Parole Offi­ justice practitioner problem. cers”). Between 39 and 55 Their work exacts a toll in percent of officers have been job-related stress.1 victims of work-related vio­ lence or threats, according to Knowing the causes of stress surveys conducted in four and its adverse effects for States. The types and levels officers, the agency, and pub­ of stress vary with the nature lic safety can be a first step of the work and the kinds of in tackling the problem. This offenders supervised. For report reviews the causes example, parole officers who and effects of stress among work in a facility or communi­ probation and parole officers ty setting may be concerned and gives practical informa­ for their own safety. tion about promising stress reduction programs. Many officers believe, with good reason, that their work has become even riskier. Stress and its causes Offenders sentenced to pro­ bation and released on parole Not much research has been commit more serious crimes conducted on work-related than in the past, and more stress among community offenders have serious drug About the Authors corrections officers. Results abuse histories and show from this study (see “How less hesitation in using vio- Peter Finn is an Associate the Research Was Conduct­ and Sarah Kuck is lence.2 Yet almost all sources ed”), combined with the a Senior Analyst with of stress cited by the officers sparse evidence from previ­ Abt Associates Inc. interviewed for the study ous research, indicate that stem from the the agency many of them experience considerable job-related

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HROW THE ESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED

The researchers reviewed published and unpublished materials on stress and related topics and talked with 45 officers, supervisors, agency administrators, counselors, trainers, and officers of the Ameri­ “My overall can Probation and Parole Association to identify the nature and scope of the problem. Telephone interviews were held with people associated level of stress? with five of the nine programs selected to study. The researchers visited the four other programs and conducted interviews with several people It can vary, but in each. there is always The programs. The programs were identified by canvassing the 45 indi­ some—and, on viduals contacted for the study, obtaining information from Corrections and Law Enforcement Family Services, and exploring and posting some days, a requests on electronic bulletin boards dedicated to probation and whole lot.” parole officers’ interests. —an officer3 To be selected, a program had to meet two criteria: have a formal structure and at least minimal operational data. The researchers gave preference to programs whose outcomes had been evaluated. Study limitations. Because neither the programs nor the officers and supervisors contacted were selected at random, they are not intended to be representative of all programs or of members of the two professions. Conversations and site interviews were confidential but not anonymous: The officers were aware that the researchers knew their names. This may have affected their openness in expressing their views.

itself, not the dangers they stress factor for many offi­ face on the job. cers. Even when manage­ ment information systems The “big three” sources of have reduced paperwork, stress. High caseloads are officers still may be dealing the major source of stress. with unwieldy hardware and It is no wonder that officers software. Deadlines, many of report heavy caseloads to be which are unexpected or can­ the most stressful aspect of not be controlled, are the their work—the average third most common stress supervision caseload of a factor. probation officer is very high: 139. Paperwork follows as These sources of stress typi­ the next most significant cally combine to produce a

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frustrating result—not How do officers cope? enough time to supervise caseloads properly. As a Probation and parole officers result, some officers prioritize use a range of methods to their cases into offenders cope. Many take extra sick they supervise closely and leave simply to relieve the “Yes, I take pressure. Some of their ill- those they partially, largely, mental health or even completely ignore. nesses—lower back pain or headaches, for example— days. I use them Lesser causes. An astonish­ may be real but at the same and I get in ing 87 percent of probation time result from work-related officers, according to one stress. Some officers request trouble a survey, said they disliked transfers of position; others lot, but it’s a their supervisor.4 Among the apply for early retirement. officers contacted for the cur­ case of self- rent study who cited their Some coping methods are preservation.” supervisor as a major source more positive. When asked of stress, most say the rea­ how they deal with stress in —an officer son is failure to recognize a a positive way, more officers job well done. Some officers cited physical exercise than say they have few chances any other technique. Other for advancement. Low methods include discussing salaries are a related stress cases with fellow officers, factor; the median salary for seeking support through reli­ probation officers and correc­ gion, “venting,” and talking to tional treatment specialists in a family member. 1999 was just over $36,000.5

Some officers feel they are Why create a stress held accountable for offend­ reduction program? ers’ misconduct. Because A program that helps prevent they shoulder the responsibil­ and relieve officer stress can ity when an offender threat­ save money, improve staff ens public safety, they feel performance, and enhance they have fallen down on the the safety of officers and the job. Moreover, because com­ public. It may also assist sup­ munity alternatives for port staff, supervisors, and offenders are decreasing in family members. many jurisdictions, officers may have limited options for Cost savings. Startup costs imposing sanctions or offer­ are a consideration, but a ing rehabilitation. stress program can save

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of fewer employees filing THE WORK OF PROBATION AND PAROLE OFFICERSa stress-related legal claims.

Although responsibilities of probation and parole officers Improved staff perform­ differ, much of their work is similar, especially in supervis­ ance. When officers take ing offenders. During the past two decades, the communi­ “mental health days,” other ty corrections profession has expanded its focus beyond employees’ workloads offender supervision and treatment to encompass commu­ increase. A stress program nity and public safety concerns. can decrease the frequency Probation is a sentence involving a period of supervision of calling in sick. It can also in the community. Typically, probation officers supervise increase productivity by offenders during regular office contacts, visit them at improving staff morale and home or work, and contact them in other ways within the reducing conflict between community. Other duties may include investigating offend­ line staff and supervisors. ers’ backgrounds, writing presentence investigative reports, and recommending sentences. Increased safety for staff Parole is a period of conditional supervision after prison; and the public. When offi­ that is, parolees may be returned to prison for violating the cers are distracted by a criti­ conditions of release. The judge, along with the parole cal incident, sending them agency or parole officer, stipulates these conditions. into the field can be danger­ Parole officers also have regularly scheduled office visits ous. They may be unable to with clients and contact them at home, work, and within concentrate on safety or stay the community. alert, and they may be less The latest figures show more than 60,000 probation offi­ able to resolve confrontations cers and 11,000 parole officers in the United States.b peaceably. As a result, when a critical incident occurs, the Notes agency should notify all a. For more about this subject, see Abadinsky, H., Probation and Parole: employees and fully describe Theory and Practice, 8th ed., Prentice Hall: Old Tappan, NJ, 1997. the outcome. This will help b. Camp, C., and G. Camp, The Corrections Yearbook 2000, Middletown, CT: them share information on Criminal Justice Institute, 1999, and The Corrections Yearbook 2001: Adult handling these incidents. Systems, Middletown, CT: Criminal Justice Institute, 2001. Turnover also can compro­ mise safety because rookies money, or at least recoup may have to replace sea­ some or all setup and opera­ soned professionals. A stress tion costs. One benefit is program can reduce turnover reducing the costs of recruit­ by intervening before em­ ing, screening, and training ployees become alienated due to turnover, which is high and by helping disgruntled among probation officers.6 employees work out their Another benefit may be fewer dissatisfaction. costly legal actions as a result

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Keys to success program, they should be “I have 108 involved in planning from the An administrator’s decision to outset. (A stress program is a cases right create or expand a stress major employee benefit.) now—I can’t reduction program is just the Line staff should also be supervise all of beginning. There are also involved in planning the pro­ important planning and man­ gram. Participation in a stress them by the agement considerations. program could count toward book—there’s mandated training hours. Selecting talented and ded­ no time.” icated staff. The quality of Ensuring confidentiality. —an officer the staff can make or break a Communication between program, especially because licensed mental health well-developed interpersonal practitioners and clients is skills are so essential. Admin­ generally privileged, but this istrators will need to decide, is usually never the case for example, whether to hire between peer supporters and professional contractors or employees. To maintain confi­ train in-house staff. The dentiality, peer supporters advantage of hiring outside should voluntarily follow the professionals is that they same rules as do licensed generally do not need train­ practitioners. Program ad­ ing. By contrast, peer sup­ ministrators will want to porters require extensive consult an attorney about training, although a clear confidentiality. advantage is their familiarity with probation and parole Assessing effectiveness. concerns. Without evaluation it is diffi­ cult to know whether a pro­ “Selling” the program. A gram needs improvement. stress program must be pro­ Evaluation should be built moted among all staff, but, into program design and plan­ first and foremost, agency ning. This allows calculating administrators must demon­ baseline measures (e.g., strate concern for employee stress levels). In an outcome welfare. Buy-in from middle evaluation, which assesses a managers and line supervi­ program’s effects, the most sors also is essential, as they compelling evidence is are in a position to decide reduced stress.7 whether to allow peer sup­ porters time off. Because Providing adequate unions, too, can either funding. New programs will obstruct or promote a stress

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Exhibit 1. Program costs

Agency Annual budget

Washington State Department of Corrections $558,000 per year; serves all Department of Corrections personnel. Southern California probation agencies Varies by department. Agencies pay $60–125 for each hour of onsite response to critical incidents. Harris County (Texas) Community Supervision $38,324, matched with NIJ grant; $34,000 in-kind and Corrections Department services ($100–200 per class if peer trainers are used). Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Juvenile Court $50,000 in State funds, matched with NIJ grant, to develop pilot training program. Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole $51,000 initial startup cost; about $22,000 the next year. California C–POST—State Juvenile Correctional $215,000 for training and research (but can be Institutions $7,500–8,500 for half- and full-day sessions). Additional costs for employee training during overtime. Reduction in health risk factors is projected to save almost $700 per officer trained.

Note: Costs vary with program duration, types of services provided, number of people served, and frequency of use, among other factors.

have one-time startup costs. to coordinate with the stress Expenses can be minimized reduction program, identify through such means as the specific agency-based securing in-kind contributions sources of stress for their and recruiting university officers, and take steps to professors as evaluators. reduce those that are within Some resources are free, and their control (for example, experienced practitioners are involving line staff in some available to help in planning decisionmaking). and evaluation.8 (Program costs for six of the nine pro­ Agency administrators can grams examined by the study tailor programs to their are given in exhibit 1.) needs. Programs can be conducted in-house or con­ Reducing organizational tractors can be hired. Some sources of stress. Because programs emphasize preven­ many officers identify their tion and others address criti­ own agencies as a source of cal incidents. Some use peer stress, probation and parole supporters; others use agency managers may want licensed mental health

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professionals. Some offer and M.J. Maggio, “The Evolution of counseling; still others Officer Safety Training in the Federal provide training. Of the nine Probation and Pretrial Services System,” Federal Probation 61(4) agencies studied, three (December 1997): 26–32. require or strongly urge their staff to engage in regular 3. Quotations cited in this Research physical exercise. In some for Practice are taken from inter­ cases, agencies combine views conducted as part of the study. approaches to get as many components of a full-service 4. Simmons, C., J.K. Cochran, and program as possible. W.R. Blount, “Effects of Job-Related Stress and Job Satisfaction on Proba­ This study presents a bal­ tion Officers’ Inclinations to Quit,” anced view of the difficult American Journal of Criminal Justice 21(2)(1997): 213–229. This figure is work that community correc­ likely far higher than among U.S. tions professionals do and employees in general, one-third of the human cost that may be whom rate their boss as unfair—see manifested in stress for the Hudson Employment Report line officer, supervisor, and 1(4)(April 2004): 2. administrator. The study’s 5. This figure is comparable to fire­ final report provides insight fighters’ median annual salary of into the stress their work $36,233. However, it is lower than entails, as well as case stud­ the $42,270 median annual salary ies of approaches to prevent­ of police and sheriff’s patrol officers. Figures are from Bureau of Labor ing, reducing, and managing Statistics, Occupational Outlook stress (see “Case Studies of Handbook (2000): http://bls.gov/oco/. Stress Reduction Programs”). 6. In Florida, for example, the turnover rate in 1995 was about 30 Notes percent. 1. This report uses the dictionary def­ 7. See the questionnaire used in an inition of stress. Stress is a mentally NIJ-sponsored survey of stress or emotionally disruptive and upset­ among police officers, in Finn, P., and ting condition occurring in response S. Kuck, “Addressing Probation and to adverse external influences, and a Parole Officer Stress,” final report to stimulus or circumstance causing the National Institute of Justice, such a condition. It is the body’s Washington, DC: U.S. Department of response to the perception of dan­ Justice, National Institute of Justice, ger as well as to exposure to a wide November 2003: appendix F. variety of stress factors. Available at www.ncjrs.org/ pdffiles1/ nij/grants/207012.pdf. 2. Faulkner, Richard (Correctional Program Specialist, National Institute 8. These resources are presented in of Corrections), personal communi­ Finn, P., and S. Kuck, “Addressing cation with authors; Brown, P.W., Probation and Parole Officer Stress,” chapter 6.

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Additional reading Corrections Program Office, 2000, available on the Web at Developing a Law Enforce­ www.ncjrs.org/pdffile1/ ment Stress Program for nij/183474.pdf. Officers and Their Families, by Peter Finn and Julie Essel­ Appendixes in the study’s man Tomz, Washington, DC: final report (see title page) U.S. Department of Justice, include selected program National Institute of Justice, materials such as question­ 1997, available at www. naires about stress, a critical ncjrs.org/pdffiles/nij/163175. incident response protocol, a pdf. crisis response intervention guide, stress reduction train­ Addressing Correctional ing materials, and a police Officer Stress: Programs and officer survey. Access to Strategies, by Peter Finn, these source materials is at Washington, DC: U.S. Depart­ www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/ ment of Justice, National grants/207012.pdf. Institute of Justice and

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CASE SSTUDIES OF TRESS REDUCTION PROGRAMSa

The nine stress reduction programs studied The team offers individual counseling, critical vary widely in goals, staffing, operations, ser­ incident response services, inservice training, vices, and other features. Highlights of each and peer-support training. The Fresno County program are presented below. Probation Department, for example, opted for peer-support training when stress-related Comprehensive Services— issues arose among line staff, including person­ Washington State Department of nel crises that had resulted in the disciplining of Corrections some officers. Washington’s Department of Correctionsb learned through a survey that stress among “Stomp Out Stress” Among Probation community corrections officers and other Officers—Harris County (Texas) employees had increased. As a result, the Severe budget cuts were one reason the Harris department expanded its critical incident stress County Community Supervision and Corrections management services by establishing five Department developed a stress management regional “Staff Resource Centers” for correc­ training program for probation officers. The tions officers and community corrections offi­ cuts resulted in the loss of 500 officers, causing cers as well as all other employees. stress even among personnel who were not directly affected. Staff at the centers believe that both mental and physical health are important to stress In the first of four training modules, participants management. Counselors and occupational learn about the nature of stress. Because nurse consultants participate in critical incident stress is viewed as having both personal and responses, conduct stress management train­ organizational sources, a module was designed ing, promote staff participation in wellness pro­ for each. A fourth module on communication is grams, and treat minor stress-related physical intended to help officers discuss stress with problems. their families.

Contracting for Services—Southern One trainer called the participants “a tough, California Probation Agencies tough, paranoid audience.” Afterward, partici­ pants said they believed the sessions provided Several probation agencies in Southern Califor­ practical advice. More than half had been nia contract with a private mental health organ­ “burned out” before training. A month later, ization, The Counseling Team, for brief burnout was significantly reduced in the same cognitive, reality-based therapy focusing on participants. Six months later, some burnout problems that cause stress and ways to resolve returned but was still less than before training. them. Continued on page 10

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CASE SSTUDIES OF TRESS REDUCTION PROGRAMSa (cont.)

“Comprehensive Wellness” for Advocate,c formed a planning committee Juvenile Court Probation Officers— whose protocol for a formal program was Cuyahoga County (Ohio) adopted in 1999.d Support staff are included in The “Comprehensive Wellness Program” was the program along with officers. established in the Cuyahoga County Juvenile The CIRT process consists of activating the Court in anticipation of increased employee team, intervening, and providing followup. Once stress. The severity of juvenile offenses had activated, the team works with the team coordi­ increased, and organizational changes had cre­ nator, the victim advocate, and local manage­ ated a climate of uncertainty because several ment to handle the crisis. Of the 31 team top administrators had been fired. The Court members recruited initially, 28 were still active also found job dissatisfaction and high levels of after 3 years. Through 2002, the CIRT was acti­ absenteeism, use of medical vated nine times, primarily in leave, and turnover. “Almost half. . . response to shootings and Each of the nine all-day sessions suicides. focused on a different topic. An [of the partici­ “HeartMath”Training— introduction covered relaxation pants] have a California C–POST and deep breathing, physical and high overall mental wellness, stress preven­ cardiac risk.” The California Commission on Cor­ tion and management, and rectional Peace Officer Standards healthy lifestyle choices. —a trainer and Training (C–POST) created its Although this session was the program when the State legisla­ most “nontraditional,” partici­ ture asked that a training standard pants said it was the most helpful. Other ses­ for stress reduction be developed for all cor­ sions covered communication skills and anger rectional peace officers and parole agents in management, among other topics. the Department of Corrections and the Califor­ nia Youth Authority. e C–POST contracted with The result was a significant drop in physical HeartMath, an educational, training, and and psychological stress among the partici­ research organization that has provided stress pants. Almost 90 percent reported favorable management training for such clients as Boeing changes, and more than 80 percent said they and Sony. were better able to cope with work-related stress. HeartMath pilot-tested and evaluated its 2-day standard training with 91 juvenile peace offi­ Critical Incident Response Team cers and parole agents—all volunteers. They (CIRT)—Pennsylvania Board of were assigned randomly to either an interven­ Probation and Parole tion group or a control group.f Emphasis was on The shooting of a parole supervisor by an physiological functioning, with testing before offender led the Pennsylvania Board of Proba­ and after training for adrenal stress, heart rate, tion and Parole to establish a CIRT program. blood pressure, and blood sugar and choles­ The board, along with the Office of the Victim terol levels. Relaxation techniques were the Continued on page 11

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CASE SSTUDIES OF TRESS REDUCTION PROGRAMSa (cont.) key means of stress reduction taught. Three their safety, since all officers have arrest pow­ months after training, physiological variables ers. The fitness standard, which applies to all and psychological and work-related measures probation and parole officers, offers the option improved in the intervention group. Levels of of a 1.5-mile run or a 3-mile walk in 1 hour. Thus LDL (“bad” cholesterol), heart rate, and blood far, very few of the 200 tested officers have pressure fell only in the trained group. Fatigue failed. The policy drafted in Montana requires and anger also decreased, while productivity, testing of most probation, parole, and correc­ motivation, goal clarity, and perceived support tional officers. Two-thirds of the 78 eligible offi­ from managers increased. cers passed the pilot test conducted in 2002. Some found out for the first time that they might Physical Exercise Central—Boulder have hypertension. (Colorado), Montana, and South Carolina Notes The Boulder County Department of Probation a. Contact information for each program is given in Finn, P., has viewed stress reduction and wellness as a and S. Kuck, “Addressing Probation and Parole Officer management priority since 2001. The most sig­ Stress,” chapter 3. nificant step taken to reduce stress and b. Washington ranks second nationwide (just behind Texas) in improve wellness was to encourage exercise number of people per capita under community supervision. on the job. In the health-conscious community of Boulder, the mild climate and proximity to c. The Board recognized that the Office of the Victim Advo­ cate, because of its experience with crime victims, could be a walking and hiking trails make it easy to take major asset in planning and operating a critical incident outdoor breaks. Every employee is urged to response team. walk, jog, cycle, or participate in any other physical activity during the work day. d. The protocol is included in Finn, P., and S. Kuck, “Address­ ing Probation and Parole Officer Stress,” appendix C. Both the Montana Department of Corrections and the South Carolina Department of Proba­ e. Budget constraints subsequently limited the program to the California Youth Authority only. tion, Parole, and Pardon Services require annu­ al fitness tests. In South Carolina, the goal was f. The control group was trained after the intervention group. not to reduce officers’ stress, but to help ensure

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