The Future of Probation in New York State: A Shared Vision
State Director Robert Maccarone welcomed nearly 250 probation officers to the 12th Annual NYS Probation Officers Association Summer Conference, held at the Crowne Plaza in Albany, August 2nd through 4th. In opening this year’s Conference, Director Maccarone stated there were three reasons why he considered the opportunity to speak directly with probation officers so important. He told the probation officers in attendance that morning that they represented nearly 3,200 probation officers statewide, that they were all leaders in their respective communities and that it was important for them to participate in shaping the future of probation in New York State. Further, that conferences and forums like that morning’s plenary, were important because they allowed probation leaders to place the Shared Vision in the public domain or record to ensure that it continued.
Director Maccarone told the probation officers they were “sentinels” in their communities or guardians of public safety and that their hard work resulted in continued lowered recidivism or re-arrests and that they were part of the law enforcement community working each day to make New York State the safest of all the large states. He noted that probation practice was changing and that research was helping to shape that change. He referenced research cited by the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) "Tools of the Trade - A Guide to Incorporating Science into Practice," (http://www.nicic.org/pubs/2004/020095.pdf.)
Director Maccarone stressed the importance of each supervising agency adopting behavioral management techniques as a goal of each organization--actions that the staff must take to achieve offender-related and organizational outcomes. "Probation works when we identify the highest risk cases, identify the ‘criminogenic' needs, address those needs and build effective interventions”. CLICK FOR COMPLETE PLENARY.