Examining the Relationship Between Probation Officers and Probationers with Serious Mental Illnesses in Specialized Probation Interventions

Background: Persons with serious mental illnesses (SMI) make up an estimated 14% of the US criminal justice population, and roughly 500,000 persons with SMI are presently on probation. As a consequence, specialized interventions, such as Mental Health Court (MHC) and mental health probation, have emerged as models for redirecting this population from incarceration to the community where they can receive mental health services. Within these interventions, probation officers have a dual role to ensure public safety and provide rehabilitative services. Probation officers are the first line of supervisory contact, essentially serving a gatekeeper function to prevent persons with SMI from sinking deeper into the criminal justice system.

Recent research suggests that probation officers are most effective when they demonstrate a firm but fair relationship with probationers. The quality of this relationship has been linked to reduced recidivism and successful probation completion for persons with SMI. However, most of this research relies on survey instruments and has not included in-depth examination of the complex relationships between probationers with SMI and probation officers. It is important to understand how probationers perceive the complicated relationship with probation officers and to what extent these relationships help or hinder their success.

Method: 98 semi-structured interviews were conducted with probationers with SMI in three different probation programs – Mental Health Court (n=31), specialized mental health probation (n=36), and standard probation (n=31). Sample characteristics include: Black (72.4%), White (9.2%), Latino (10.2%), Male (58%); average age (37.55) and average prior arrests (24.37). Participants discussed their experiences and interactions with probation officers and the attitudes they perceived officers had toward them. Data were analyzed using Schatzman’s grounded dimensional analysis, focusing on relationship characteristics in the context of specialized probation interventions.    

Results:Findings reveal that 1. Probationers in MHC experienced caring from probation staff in often unexpected ways that validated them as human beings and demonstrated concern for their well-being and mental health. Conversely, those in standard probation framed caring in the context of friendly interactions and respect, but not addressing their mental health concerns. 2. MHC probationers characterized the support from probation officers as “helpful” and comprehensive —from motivation and encouragement to help with mental health services and securing housing, employment, and other resources. Specialized mental health probationers also identified support for accessing and staying in treatment, but generally framed support around being encouraged to remain crime-free.  The quality of the probationer/probation officer relationship emerged as a critical factor in success or failure on community supervision.  Caring and supportive relationships promoted motivation, engagement in services and advances in the recovery process for probationers with SMI.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that relational support and caring exhibited by probation officers are key factors for specialized probation interventions to successfully divert probationers with SMI from incarceration. Specialized probation officers compared to standard officers facilitate therapeutic outcomes by enacting a set of dynamics that humanize the probationers with SMI and address their complex needs. Specialized probation interventions would benefit from officer training on strategies to further promote a therapeutic alliance and relationship.