ABSTRACT
As we enter into the twenty-first century, there is a growing demand in community corrections to implement evidence-based practices to reduce reoffending. After decades of get-tough policies and practices, probation and parole agencies have shown an interest in using the ‘what works’ body of research to enhance risk-reducing community supervision efforts. The ‘what works’ literature provides the principles of risk, need and responsivity (RNR) as guides for organisations attempting to design and implement effective community supervision (Andrews and Bonta 2006; see also Bonta and Andrews, this volume). However, the transfer of this body of knowledge to the field via the generation and implementation of evidence-based policies, practices and programmes has been difficult. Often referred to as the process of ‘technology transfer’, there is now a growing body of literature indicating that the effectiveness of these efforts diminishes when ‘what works’ knowledge is translated from well-controlled research projects to the ‘real world’ of everyday corrections (Andrews and Bonta 2006). The present challenge for researchers is to pay particular attention to the behaviour of those who are attempting to use the technology and provide answers to the following questions: What methods were used to transfer the technology to those in the field? Do such transfer processes result in staff using the new technology as it was intended to be used (that is quality use)? What factors are related to enhanced quality? Answers to such questions could provide invaluable information to those seeking to bring knowledge of ‘what works’ into community corrections.
