As you build professional experience, your “gut” starts to guide your decision-making. Our keen instincts are built upon years of situation analysis. We track patterns, predict outcomes, and act accordingly. And while this powerful driver is important, it can also hinder progress in the field of community corrections. With anecdotal evidence at the helm, we can inadvertently miss opportunities to strengthen our programs and improve participant outcomes.
But if you want to find data to support new methodologies within your agency, you are likely out of luck. Publicly accessible data that points to successful community monitoring strategies is limited. On top of that, we know that each community faces unique circumstances, so what data is available from one community may not translate when applied to your participants. So, to test hypotheses and make changes that improve our program outcomes, what do we do?
Technology creates opportunities for data analysis like we’ve never had before
Technology can reduce the administrative burden that comes along with data collection and analysis – and it is more widely available for agencies than ever before. Using standard tools like smartphones, agencies can collect meaningful information, map patterns, and implement new policies that are evidence-backed based on work in your community.
In the early 2000s with much more primitive technology available at the time, researchers used data from the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles to identify strategies that could lead to more positive parole outcomes. Upon assessing available data, the analysis team was able to map typical behavior patterns and provide recommendations that could lead to increased rates of program graduation and supervision outcomes. They asked meaningful questions, sought answers through the data, and developed strategies based on the findings.
With technology, agencies with smaller capacities can effectively mirror this process while managing their caseloads. Technology simply uncovers the data that is already there. You are already sending messages to participants to remind them of upcoming court appearances – technology allows you to track how often they are opened. You are already having regular meetings with your program participants – technology allows you to track how often those meetings are attended.
Adding smartphone and agency administration tools to your programs doesn’t have to change what you do initially. It simply places reporting at your fingertips in a way that would not be possible otherwise.
Local data analysis can help address local challenges
Have you ever sat in a professional development session and thought, “These ideas are great, but they won’t work in my community.” You might be right – you know your community well and have trusted your gut (as we mentioned) to guide your agency down the right path. But thinking things won’t work isn’t a good reason not to try new tactics to strengthen your programs.
We understand – if you don’t have local data, it can feel risky to try new things. After all, testing a hypothesis in the field of community corrections can have serious consequences for the lives of the people you serve. But if you step out in good faith to implement tactics that are working in other communities and then can monitor progress using localized data, you can combine your gut instincts with new ideas to create progress forward.
Privacy and data analysis can coexist
An individual participant’s data helps create strategies for that individual. This process should only be entrusted to the case management team that supports that specific participant. But when it comes to making recommendations for your agency overall, aggregate data is what reigns supreme.
Using aggregate data removes individual participant information and allows people who do not have access to confidential user materials to review overall programmatic trends. This can allow for third-party analysis and idea generation, and can also bolster your claims when you present information to the public or other entities.
You can get started with AIR®
Corrisoft’s AIR® suite, including AIR® Supervisor, is beloved in part for its agency reporting functionality. Community monitoring professionals can access reports and critical information from the palm of their hands, making it easier to leverage data when making critical decisions. Not to mention that AIR® Supervisor streamlines administrative tasks, allowing professionals to focus their time and energy on connecting with participants. Switching to AIR® could help your agency make the data-informed decisions you’ve been wanting to make. Connect today.