Operational challenges and impacts during the COVID-19 pandemic: A focus group study of U.S. community corrections agencies

Abstract

This study examines how the COVID-19 pandemic shaped the daily work of frontline community corrections staff from pretrial, probation, parole board, and parole agencies. In collaboration with the National Institute of Corrections (NIC), we conducted six focus groups with a broad range of community corrections staff (N=47). Three major themes emerged following analysis of the focus group data, including (1) strains in staffing capacity; (2) challenges of working from home; and (3) barriers to client management. After identifying these themes, bounded rationality became a meaningful lens through which to understand the data. Results underscore a need to further reductions in the community corrections population, expansions in staff recruitment and retention efforts, and emergency response planning. This is particularly true as we look toward the future of the U.S. correctional system and strategies being developed and implemented to reduce institutional populations.

Jennifer Tostlebe

Assistant Professor

My research focuses on criminological theory and empirical tests of it within institutional corrections and prisoner reentry, system responses to incarcerated and previously incarcerated individuals, and the intersection between individual differences and social influences.

Abigail Hayes

Ph.D. Student

My research focuses on the issues and operations of correctional institutions, violence in carceral spaces, and the reentry process of formerly incarcerated individuals.