Stepping Down from the Ivory Tower: Lessons Learned in Taking Theory to Practice

Brian Lovins, PhDAssistant Director

Harris County CSCD

Effectiveness of the QWERTY v DVORAK

Some dispute findings but most accept DVORAK 33% fewer errors Guinness Book of World Records

212 words a minute with DVORAK 30 times less stressful to hands Ergonomically superior Alternate hands 70% of the keys used are on one row

Why QWERTY over DVORAK?

QWERTY was more effective for typewriters

Why was it not adopted once technology advanced?

We already know what we are doing.

We have been doing this for so long.

It works the way we are doing it.

It is too expensive to change.

It will take too much to relearn what I am doing.

Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department Texas has 124 different probation departments Operated at the local level but funded at the

state level and probation fees (no local budgets)

Director is hired and retained through a majority judge vote

All staff work for the Director

Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department 3rd Largest Probation System in the Country

Operate 13 locations 3 Residential Programs Annual Budget of 65,000,000 50,000 offenders any given time 75,000 offenders on supervision annually Serves both Misdemeanor and Felony Population

900 Full Time Staff Approximately 450 Officers 200 Residential Staff 110 Supervisors 120 Fiscal, Human Resources, and Support Staff

Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department Operates under 37 Judges

22 Felony 15 Misdemeanor

Oversight Agency (Community Justice Assistance Division) Monitors funding and grant conditions Quality of services Provides technical support to agencies

I WAS WRONG—NEVER LISTEN TO ANYONE IN ACADEMIA

…JUST KIDDING…

There Are Some Things We Got Right

Risk Principle

Need Principle

Responsivity Principle

Fidelity Principle

BUT WE HAVE MISSED THE BOAT ON MANY AS WELL

Organizational Change

1. C - C = C

2. Leadership Matters

3. Common Goals

4. Communication is Essential

5. Given the opportunity, staff want clients to get better (at least most of them)

C – C = C

Context Matters

Most people don’t adopt new training unless you sell them on the why Harris County CSCD

Trained in Motivational Interviewing Level of Service Inventory EPICS Cognitive Skills Trauma Informed Care Therapeutic Communities

First Lesson Learned

People need a reason why we do the work we do

So what did we not do?

We did not bring in training

Changed a Few Things and Kept Many

Restructured our agency’s Human Resource Policy

Trained supervisors in core supervisory functions

Inserted infrastructure to allow for on-going communication, feedback, and support

Made Staff and Supervisors Meet Together

Established a supervision contract between supervisor and supervisee

Created a Supervision Log to document interactions

Mandated at least 30 minutes per month face-to-face contact

Discussed strengths, areas of growth, and next steps

Leadership Matters

All Staff Meeting

Met with all 900 staff (most of them)

Provided overview of RNR model

Discussed plans (broke the why rule for a reason)

Gave them a raise

Leadership Matters

Met with Staff in Small Groups and provided them with some core values of our agency Treat all people with respect and dignity Established a no cussing/yelling/threatening

policy Listened to staff’s concerns Addressed those quickly if possible

Leadership Matters

Established a New Mission and Vision Statement

Agency Mission Harris County CSCD is committed to using evidence-based

strategies to help individuals on community supervision eliminate future criminal behavior and become productive citizens, which in turn, creates a safer community with fewer victims.

Agency Vision To help people placed on supervision eliminate future criminal

behavior by Using interventions that are designed to effectively reduce

criminal behavior Using assessment to accurately identify and target criminal

risk and needs Recognizing the ability of individuals to change Treating all individuals with respect and dignity Creating an environment that encourages learning and

professional growth.

Taught Them How to Think Not What to Think

POSITIVE BEHAVIORINEFFECTIVE

BEHAVIORINAPPROPRIATE

UNETHICAL/CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR

Meeting expectations Timeliness of work Yelling at client Sexual conduct

Timeliness of work Poor documentation Yelling at colleague Unethical conduct

Quality of work Mistakes in workLying about

work/doing their job

New criminal behavior/charges

Taking care of client’s needs

Missing appointments/ Late appointments/

Late to tasks based on specific role

Disrespectful to clients

Failing to report harm to client

Recognizing issues/trends and

bringing to supervisor

Neglecting of job duties

Serious NegligenceFailing to take action

when client is danger to self/others

Problem solving issuesNegative comments

about clients and agency

Refusing a reasonable

request/ insubordination

Harassment

      Discrimination

      Retaliation

If positive behavior is identified: Do I want the behavior to continue?

Is this a new behavior or a demonstrated pattern of behavior?

If yes---provide a reinforcement. How can I reinforce it?

Select a reinforcement that would be rewarding to the individual staff person

Verbal praise 

Written praise Letter to house 

Good job card 

Coupon for jeans day

Supervisory praise

Praise Board Relief of Duty

Special assignment

Lunch w/ Supervisor or

Admin

Certificate of Appreciation

 

If unwanted behavior is demonstrated Do I want the behavior to discontinue?

Is the behavior ineffective, inappropriate or unethical/illegal?

Is the behavior a new behavior or a demonstrated pattern of behavior?

Decision Matrix for Supervision

  Ineffective Inappropriate Unethical/Illegal

First Time Supervision Supervision HR Contact

Few times Supervision HR Contact HR Contact

Pattern of behaviorPerformance

Improvement PlanHR Contact HR Contact

Common Goal

Established a Purpose for Our Agency

To Make a Difference in People’s Lives

To Help Each Person Get Better

Lines of Communication

Established several layers of communication Executive Team Meeting Strategic Communication Team Leadership Council

Monthly and Quarterly Staff Meetings Monthly Supervision Meetings

8

12

9

Seconds – 2014

Seconds – 2000

Seconds --

Transition not Change

First Time Ever…

Four Generations Working Together Traditionalists

Baby Boomers

Gen X

Gen Y

We Must Communicate Differently

Face-to-Face

Call

Email

Text

THANKS!

For any additional information please email me Brian.Lovins@csc.hctx.net