The ultimate goal for corrections and probation is to create lasting and meaningful behavior changes to justice-involved individuals that are more effective than punitive sanctions in preventing recidivism. One of the approaches to affect such outcomes is by adopting a trauma-informed and responsive approach to the supervision of probation and parole clients. This webinar explores how the Parole and Probation Department of Jackson County Oregon implemented this as well as lessons learned in the process.
This session’s instructor is Tira Hubbard. She is currently the Deputy Director of the Adult Parole and Probation Department of Jackson County. Tira has 27 years of experience in person-centered services and is an active member of the American Parole and Probation Association and Board Member of the Association of Justice-Involved Females and Organizations.
Specifics of her discussion include:
- The presence of trauma in the parole and probation settings and the shift in approach the field has been going through over the last few years.
- The link between trauma and criminality, and how changing belief systems is the key to intervention.
- Understanding trauma, how it affects people’s outcomes, the types of trauma, and the diversity of its effects and people’s experience and response.
- Acute trauma: What it is and its different sources that people in general, particularly those that are justice-involved tend to be impacted by.
- The nuances of the different sources of acute trauma, studies and statistics that demonstrate its impact on people, and how these could manifest in terms of symptomatology, coping mechanisms, and outcomes.
- Secondary/cumulative/stacking trauma and the different demographics that tend to experience this such as:
- Segments of the population who experienced systemic oppression and discrimination which then manifests as historical/inter-generational trauma.
- People working with individuals with trauma and exposed to details of traumatic events such as those working in the criminal justice profession.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Who develops it, how it develops, and the intersection of PTSD with mental illness and justice-involved individuals.
- The concept of universal precaution – what it means and what it looks like in real-life client interactions.
- Steps that probation entities can put into place to shift into being a truly trauma-informed and trauma-responsive space.
- Reviewing policy and protocols particularly the intake process, outcomes measures and arrest policy, and incorporating positive reinforcement throughout.
- Looking at the environment of the facility and offices itself to evoke a more welcoming and warm vibe, and provide accommodations to clients’ needs, preferences, and potential triggers.
- Facilitating communication and interaction that is wary of signs of trauma, builds capacity for self-regulation, fosters trust, and sets appropriate expectations.
- Services, responses, and skills that serve as means towards building self-regulation.
- Trauma-informed and trauma-responsive education and resources worth looking into for the probation setting.
- Help yourself so you can help others: The value in starting with working with the staff’s trauma first – be it secondary or acute – before asking them to work with clients’ traumatic experiences.
Questions from the webinar attendees are about:
- Recommended training and resources.
- Pioneering the trauma-informed and responsive approach from the frontlines.
- Risk assessment tools used.
- Managers’ and supervisors’ role in keeping their staff’s trauma levels in check.
- Working as a supervisor with a client with a similar/same trauma as you do.
Other Webinars with this Speaker
- Nov 10: The Changing Face of Probation: How to Shift to a Trauma-Informed Agency (this webinar)
- March 7, 2023: The Changing Face of Probation: Recipes for Resilience to Survive Corrections Fatigue
- Aug 1, 2023: The Changing Face of Probation: Supervising Justice-Involved Women: The Pathway In and Out of the System
Audience Comments
- “So much meat in this 1hour session. Even simply repeating this session would be beneficial. Loved the tangible takeaways for improving our work environment to be more trauma-informed but most importantly trauma-responsive.” — Alicia
- “Just the full look into Trauma not just with clients but with us as workers as well. The signs of trauma we all ignore or brush off because of our jobs.” — Brenda
- “How much trauma impacts an individuals day to day life and way of thinking/processing information.” — Chelsi
- “Getting a better understanding when dealing with my caseload, Since I am our agency’s Domestic Violence Officer.” — Nicole
- “The presentation opened my mind to considering a welcoming, inviting environment to clients as a first impression and as a way to immediately provide a sense of calm and safety to the client before they’ve even had a chance to speak to someone.” — Sarah
- “Great presenter, very knowledgeable. Things take time and working together is key. Also, subtle things can go a long way.” — Jeri
- “Being aware that supervising trauma-related probationers can be a substantial trigger for those team members that have also experienced past trauma.”– Terry
- “Talking about trauma is very important regarding wellness.” — Thomas
