Probation services around the world carry a dual responsibility of keeping communities safe while helping prepare justice-involved individuals for successful reintegration into society. For decades, the focus of probation has leaned heavily on supervision and enforcement to ensure compliance with conditions and reduce reoffending through monitoring and sanctions. But in recent years,...
Justice-involved individuals, particularly women in prison, face unique and complex challenges. Their rehabilitation journey requires more than a one-size-fits-all solution—it demands a trauma-informed approach that recognizes their lived experiences to encourage healing. A trauma-informed approach, when thoughtfully applied, can help build safer, more empowering environments where incarcerated women are given...
Education is a cornerstone of rehabilitation, especially for justice-involved individuals who are striving to rebuild their lives. In reshaping the outlook for justice-involved individuals, the “right educational environment can encourage critical reflection and inspire inmates to move away from criminal activity (Behan, as cited in 1).” That said, recent critiques...
In correctional facilities, user-friendly software design is a necessity. It plays a pivotal role in ensuring that staff and justice-involved individuals can effectively use the technology, enhancing overall efficiency and promoting inclusivity. This article explores the importance of creating interfaces that are easy to navigate and the role of accessibility guidelines...
Justice-involved women face unique challenges that extend beyond the general difficulties of imprisonment. Many women are primary caregivers to children, grappling with the emotional toll of separation from their families. Additionally, justice-involved women often have higher rates of past trauma, including domestic violence and sexual abuse, which can complicate their...
In the evolving landscape of criminology, the concept of desistance—the process by which individuals cease and abstain from criminal behavior—is gaining prominence. Public safety organizations are shifting from a predominant focus on factors that increase risk to a focus on factors that also reduce risk. This shift recognizes the complexities...
There has been a paradigm shift towards a person-centric approach to rehabilitating and reintegrating individuals within correctional facilities and probation. This approach focuses on recognizing the intrinsic value of every individual involved in the criminal justice process. The foundation of this perspective lies in acknowledging a person’s dignity and potential...
The escalating issue of mental health challenges among correctional staff has become a pressing concern within the criminal justice system. As custodians of order and safety in correctional facilities, these professionals deal with an array of stressors, from the ever-present potential for violence to the emotional toll of managing justice-involved...
Pedro das Neves is the CEO of IPS Innovative Prison Systems, a research and consulting firm specializing in justice and correctional services. He is the Executive Director of ICJS Innovative Criminal Justice Inc., a Canadian firm that focuses on advisory, design, integration, and delivery of innovative organizational...
If the COVID-19 pandemic taught criminal justice professionals anything, it was that the criminal justice system was not immune to the sweeping effects of the pandemic. The pandemic brought various challenges to those who are incarcerated, on probation, or on parole within North America. Correctional and probation/parole officers saw an...
