Examining Probation Officer Views on the Links Between Probation and Health

By Kelly Lyn Mitchell , Erin Harbinson and  Lily Hanrath

  Executive Summary The study is a collaboration between the University of Minnesota, Robina Institute of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice, and Hennepin County, funded by a grant from the University of Minnesota's Driving Tomorrow Grand Challenges research initiative. The project used a mixed methods approach examining data on healthcare use and healthcare claims by people on probation, interviews with medical providers, a survey of probation officers, and a survey and interviews of people on probation. The Robina Institute led the survey of probation officers, which was aimed at learning about probation officer attitudes and beliefs about the links between probation and health, and how they saw their role with regard to the health of people on probation. This report summarizes the findings of the survey and suggests potential policy interventions that could be implemented to improve the health and probation outcomes of people on probation.  

Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Robina Institute of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice. 2021. 27p.