The differential impacts of probation staff attitudes on use of evidence-based practices.

The evidence-based policy movement has become an important feature of community corrections systems. As part of this movement, community corrections agencies emphasize the use of standardized assessments to inform case planning with probationers. Despite evidence supporting the use of these practices, research documents many challenges with implementation of these best practices in routine probation work. However, little attention has been paid to the impact of staff attitudes toward use of evidence-based practices on correctional reform. Using hierarchical linear modeling, the current study examined the predictors of attitudes toward and the use of evidence-based supervision practices. Additionally, this study examined the impact of organizational predictors on willingness to use evidence-based practices in their supervision of the probationers on their caseloads. Analyses suggested that net of probation office context, when individual probation staff had positive perceptions regarding their agency, they held more positive attitudes toward evidence-based assessment practices and reported using case planning practices more frequently. Implications surrounding organizational change and evidence-based practice implementation efforts are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved)

Source: Psychology, Public Policy, and Law - October 11, 2018 Category: Medical Law Source Type: research