Texas CSO Certification Study Guide

Evidence-based practices are:

-are approaches empirically researched and proven to have measurable, positive outcomes

Interventions are considered effective when they what:

-reduce risk and recidivism

Evidence based practices emphasize the use of what:

-validated assessment tool and treatments

TRAS will help make decisions regarding what:

-how to most effectively supervise the probationers

Does punishment alone reduce recidivism:

-no evidence has been found that punishment alone reduces recidivism

Prosocial behaviors are:

-law abiding behaviors

-concern for others rights, feeling, and welfare

-behaving in a way intended to help other people

Antisocial behaviors are:

-law breaking behaviors

-disregard for rules, laws, and authority

4 principles of effective intervention:

-Risk principle

-Need principle

-Responsivity principle

-Professional discretion

The Risk Principle states that:

-supervision and treatment resources should be prioritized for probationers who are at higher risk to re-offend

Treatment effects have what effect of high and low risk probationers:

-strongest on high risk probationers

-can be harmful to low risk probationers

Low risk probationers are often able to what:

-self-correct

Offense type is or is not predictive of risk:

offense type is not predictive of risk

Risk does or does not determine how dangerous a probationer is:

does not determine how dangerous a probationer is

The risk principle focuses on what:

-who to target for intervention

Using the risk principle, CSO's have a systematic approach to prioritize supervision and treatment resources on which probationers:

-probationers higher risk to re-offend

Accurate assessment is what:

-drives effective correctional programs and evidence-based decision-making

Good assessments meet the what:

-risk and needs principle

Assessments allow:

-reduced bias

-assist in decision making

-target dynamic risk factors

-measure change

Dynamic factor are:

-factors that can change

Static factors are:

-factors that can't change

An "agent of change" is who:

-someone who provokes or precipitates significant change or action in an individual

7 Stages of Change:

-Pre-contemplation

-Contemplation

-Determination

-Action

-Maintenance

-Relapse

-Permanent exit

Pre-contemplation stage of change:

stage where a person is not even contemplating making a change

Contemplation stage of change:

stage where a person is generally ambivalent- weighing pros and cons

Determination stage of change:

stage where person makes a firm decision to change- planning takes place in this stage

Action stage of change:

stage where a person begins their plan- difficult because person misses comfort of past habits while developing new habits

Maintenance stage of change:

stage where new habits have been established- in crisis old habits may occur

Relapse stage of change:

stage where continues old behaviors

Permanent exit stage of change:

stage where old habits are no longer tempting- even during crisis situations

Need principle focuses on what:

-criminogenic needs to target

The need principle states that interventions must be what:

-focused

In community supervision, "dosage" means:

-applying the appropriate intensity and duration of treatment based on the probationer's risk level and criminogenic needs

The needs principle states that interventions must:

-target the needs that are related to the probationers law breaking behavior

Risk management:

-determines risk

-applies corresponding sanctions, supervision, and restrictions

-may produce change, but is generally short-term

Risk reduction:

-determines risk and identify criminogenic needs

-utilizes effective interventions and treatment

-produces long-term change

Primary Risk Factors often exist:

-on their own, independent of other factors

Secondary Risk Factors typically:

-stem from primary risk factors

-are rooted in the behaviors associated with primary risk factors

Primary Risk Factors include:

-antisocial attitudes

-antisocial peers

-antisocial personality

-history of antisocial behavior

Secondary Risk Factors include:

-lack of prosocial family support

-lack of prosocial leisure activities

-lack of education/employment

-drug abuse/addiction

Antisocial attitudes include:

-crime is a way of life

-a distrust of authority

-pro-criminal values, beliefs, cognitive-emotional state

#1 probationer risk factor:

-antisocial attitudes

Criminogenic needs are dynamic attributes of probationers that are directly linked to their:

-criminal behavior

The responsivity principle illustrates what:

barriers must be removed to initiate positive behavior change

Examples of Responsivity Issues include:

-mental health issues

-physical health issues

-literacy levels

-childcare issues

-housing issues

-medication compliance issues

-language barriers

-transportation issues

-cultural issues

Professional Discretion is:

-a process in which an assessor may override the final TRAS supervision level

Professional Discretion is also known as a/an:

-override

Professional Discretion/Override should occur no more than what percent of the time:

-no more than 10% of the time

You can only override a probationer's what when completing a TRAS assessment:

-probationer's supervision level

2 areas you are not allowed to override in the TRAS assessment:

-individual items in the assessment

-overall TRAS score

4 reasons that may constitute an override:

-gaps in the information provided

-significant barriers in completing assessment

-specialized areas needing assessment

-probationer risk must match your professional judgment

An assessment interview gathers information needed to determine what:

-probationer's risk level and criminogenic needs

Issues assessment interview should address probationer's:

-criminogenic needs areas

-magnitude of each need area

-barriers to meeting needs

-risk factors

-strengths

-resources

4 steps to preparing for assessment interview:

-review case file

-review interview guide

-review collateral information

-review scoring guide

3 parts of assessment interview:

-introduction

-body

-termination

4 purposes of the introduction to the assessment interview:

-state the purpose of the interview

-state the expectations if the interview

-clarify roles of the interview participants

-explain confidentiality

3 components of effective interview termination:

-clear statement indicating the interview is about to end and offers probationer an opportunity to add comments or tie up loose ends

-concise summary of what has been accomplished during interview

-discussion of what follows

When conducting an interview, you should be talking no more than what percent of the time:

-33% of the time

When conducting an interview, you should be listening at least what percent of the time:

-66% of the time

10 guidelines for asking interview questions:

-know the objective of the question

-use open-ended questions

-avoid rapid-fire questions

-avoid double-barrelled questions

-keep questions simple and brief

-probe when necessary

-be positive

-don't ask 'why'

-questions should be relevant to supervision

-avoid judgmental or biased questions

Listening during an interview:

-establishes rapport

-discovers criminogenic needs

-prioritizes problem areas

-helps to 'read' the probationer

9 tips for effective interviewing:

-maintain eye contact

-minimize distractions

-respond appropriately

-focus on what is said

-ask clarifying questions

-keep an open mind

-engage in the interview

-let the probationer complete his/her thought

-take notes

7 conditions in which information obtained in the interview must be verified:

-vague or conflicting information

-addresses critical need area

-concerns critical risk factor

-verification required by law

-decision or referral needed

-you doubt validity of information

6 actions that should be taken when a probationer objects to a question:

-ask the reason for the objection

-determine if the question is necessary

-explain the importance of the question

-determine if the question can be answered by collateral information

-rephrase the question or ask later in the interview

-suspend that question and document refusal

CJAD standards require that the initial TRAS assessment be completed within how many day of placement:

-90 days of placement be on supervision

The felony TRAS tool can be used for:

-both felony and misdemeanor cases

The misdemeanor TRAS can be used only for:

-misdemeanor cases

Reassessment must be done using the same or different TRAS tool:

-reassessment must be done using the same TRAS tool that was used for the initial assessment

TRAS screeners are used to filter out what kind of probationer:

-low-risk probationers

3 TRAS trailers:

-alcohol

-drug

-mental health

The TRAS interview guide may or may not be modified:

-the TRAS interview guide may be modified to include additional questions or change the wording of questions where appropriate

7 TRAS felony domains:

-criminal history

-education, employment, financial situation

-family and social support

-neighborhood

-substance abuse

-peer associations

-criminal attitudes and behavioral patterns

TRAS reassessment must take place how often:

-every 12 months

-when there's significant change- positive or negative

The purpose of TRAS reassessment is:

-to measure progress or lack thereof

The TRAS scoring guide can or cannot be modified:

-the TRAS scoring guide cannot be modified

6 factors to consider when case planning:

-TRAS results

-prioritize targets for change

-develop goals/objectives based on highest criminogenic needs and domains

-remove barriers by addressing responsivity issues

-track ongoing progress

-reassess and modify when necessary

5 reasons case planning is important:

-provide structure

-document interventions and progress

-provide concrete expectations

-guide decision making

-maintain focus on criminogenic needs

4 components of case plan:

-proplem/need

-goals

-objectives

-techniques

The "problem" component of a case plan is identified as the domain(s) the probationer scored:

-highest in on the TRAS

5 considerations for prioritizing a probationer's needs:

-most risky attitudes, values, and beliefs should be addressed first

-best interest of the probationer, family and society

-satisfies court order

-appropriate referrals and dosage

-less difficult problem areas can be used as motivation for completing the more complex areas

Goals in a case plan are:

-long-term outcomes the probationer will move toward achieving

When setting case plan goals, there should be:

-one for each TRAS "problem" component

Objectives in a case plan are:

-short term goals that the probationer can achieve that will help him move toward long-term goals

Progress is measured by how the probationer is:

-applying the skills learned to his daily life

SMART goals/objectives:

-Specific, 5 W's?

-Measurable, quantity, time, quality?

-Achievable, feasible, realistic?

-Relevant, targeting criminogenic needs?

-Time-bound, measuring progress?

Techniques in a case plan are:

-methods the CSO will use to help probationer make changes and complete objectives/goals

3 primary techniques used by CSOs:

-face-to-face

-referrals

- supervision

To maintain efficient case management you must discuss and document the following areas at each office visit:

-conditions of supervision

-court order

-assessments

-case plan

4 key points to making the case plan more effective with initiating positive behavioral changes:

-provide the probationer with copy of case plan

-routine case plan check-in at each office visit

-hold probationer accountable to case plan

-revise case plan as need arises

5 benefits of TRAS reassessment:

-indicates progress or lack thereof

-indicates new criminogenic needs

-provides opportunity to give praise

-provides opportunity to assess supervision techniques

-provides opportunity to evaluate if overall goal of risk reduction is occurring

Direct supervision:

-minimum of 1 face to face contact every 90 days

AND

-probationer resides or works within jurisdiction

OR

-probationer resides or works within adjoining jurisdiction, if both departments agree/reciprocate

CJAD provides funding to CSCD's based on what:

-the number of directly supervised cases

9 tasks that reflect direct supervision:

-orientation/intake

-assessment

-case plan

-reassessment

-supervision contacts

-documentation

-violations, progressive sanctions

-intrastate transfers

-transporting probationers

Problem-violations approach to supervision:

-helping probationer identify problems

-managing risk by holding probationer accountable

3 components of the problem-solving approach:

-information gathering

-assessment

-action planning

4 factors to consider when dealing with probationer who had not shown progress:

-was he unable to do what was expected?

-was he unwilling to do what was expected?

-are there new problem areas?

-has a violation occurred?

Conducting a case plan check at each office visit is:

-essential to reducing risk

6 interviewing traps:

-premature focus trap, jumping to conclusions without information

-labeling trap, evokes resistance

-question/answer trap, communicates superiority

-confrontational/denial trap, equals universal denial

-expert trap, puts probationer in passive role

-blaming trap, focuses on fault

Directive Supervision approach:

-CSO's investment of time greater

-high-risk probationer

Non-Directive Supervision approach:

-encourages Independence and responsibility

- best for isolated, situational offenders

Cooperative Supervision approach:

-provides support, but encourages independence and responsibility

-let time invested