Corrections_Today_September_October_2021_Vol.83_No.5

nEWS&vIEWS

–– What have been the pandemic’s mental health effects on incar- cerated persons and correctional staff? –– How can correctional officers and staff lower their risk of infection? –– Can virtual visitation, telehealth and educational opportunities be expanded? Community corrections responses to COVID–19 The RAND report noted the pan- demic-driven reduction in jail and prison populations placed increased demands on community supervision agencies. Those agencies were al- ready under stress as they attempted to meet their regular obligations, such as responding to the needs of high-risk offenders, sex offenders and individuals requiring mental health or substance use treatment. Further complicating matters was the severe impact COVID–19 had on the service agency networks that supply much-needed programming to com- munity supervision. Workshop attendees described the many adjustments they made amid the uncertainty of the pan- demic, such as finding alternatives to incarceration where it was no longer a viable response to supervi- sion violations, reducing face-to-face contact between community super- vision officers and persons under supervision, adapting to the inability to conduct drug tests; and finding ways to adopt technology to assist with monitoring caseloads. During the pandemic, group treatment for mental health and substance use is- sues was severely limited. Fines and fees were often suspended, resulting

and supervision terms were halted for individuals considered low-risk. For mental health and substance abuse treatment, counseling sessions and medication distributions in some jurisdictions were moved outdoors. 10 Promising practices As resources and capabilities allow, community supervision agen- cies should consider continuing the use of telework because it provides flexibility to staff and conserves re - sources. Virtual supervision models and telehealth can also continue to reduce the burden on individuals under supervision. (Hybrid models may be most effective to build rela- tionships and reduce burden.) Virtual options also allow for a more “one size fits one” approach 11 in which interactions can be reduced when helpful and resources can be redi- rected to persons with the greatest needs.

in constraints on service providers and supervision agency budgets. And the “digital divide” 9 experienced by persons under supervision, who often cannot access the internet or other technology, was a recurring theme. Already stressed agencies were left to supply those resources, a task made even more difficult by the lack of housing stability during the pandemic. Community corrections agencies struggled to respond to the heightened demand for services they were less capable of providing. How did they adjust? To adjust to challenges brought on by COVID–19, community correc- tions agencies increased their use of virtual supervision. Greater reliance on technology allowed for more efficient contact between commu - nity corrections officers and persons under their supervision. Often the dosage of supervision was reduced

istock

14 — September/October 2021 Corrections Today