Smart Supervision Grant Evaluation

Project Goals

Multnomah County’s Department of Community Justice (DCJ) recognizes the significant link between trauma and the experiences of young adults involved in the criminal justice system. To better serve this population, DCJ applied for the Smart Supervision Grant to integrate the department’s evidence-based case management models with emerging best practices in adolescent brain development, trauma-informed practice, and equity/culturally competent services.

The Smart Supervision Project involved extensive training and skill building opportunities to support officers in addressing the developmental needs of young adults on supervision. Staff received significant training by subject-matter experts and coaches on how to implement best practices into their fieldwork. Participating staff regularly videotaped their casework with consented participants, and received timely 1:1 feedback to continuously improve their services.

Research and Planning Activities

RAP served as the project evaluator and analyzed the outcomes of the SMART Supervision grant including participation and recidivism rates. RAP was responsible for conducting focus groups with clients between the ages of 15 to 25 before and after the implementation of services to identify the main impacts and challenges of the grant. RAP also collected pre-post training measures to evaluate training effectiveness and staff readiness.