April 26, 2023:

CSOSA Recognizes National Crime Victims’ Rights Week– News Release [PDF]

April 5, 2023:

CSOSA Celebrates Second Chance Month — News Release [PDF]

Tarisha Settles found herself moving in and out of the criminal justice system, a cycle fueled by her substance abuse. Like many justice-involved women throughout the nation, Ms. Settles is a mother. Although the vast majority of people involved in the criminal justice system are men, Ms. Settles was among the rising tide of women who have been incarcerated or subject to community supervision since the 1980s. Despite the 14-fold increase in the number of justice-involved women over the past four decades, much of the programming and interventions in the field remain focus towards men. Women are often left to navigate a system that was not built with them in mind and unprepared to address all their needs.

In September 2010, CSOSA launched our women’s teams to provide gender-responsive supervision services and address the challenges facing women under supervision. In furtherance of our mission, CSOSA’s approach to community supervision requires us to consider the whole person when creating and implementing an individualized supervision plan. Our community supervision officers consider a person’s criminogenic and stabilization needs. Our programming is designed to address a person’s criminogenic needs, which are directly related to criminality, such as substance use, anti-social associations and attitudes, and lack of achievement. We build strong relationships with other agencies and community partners to address the stabilization needs of the people we supervise. Stabilization needs are the non-criminogenic factors that may hinder the effectiveness of supervision programming if left unaddressed, such as unstable housing, untreated mental health issues, unemployment, and lack of education. Although some of these needs are common among many justice-involved individuals, some are more specific to women involved in the criminal justice system or present differently than in their male counterparts.

According to the Council of State Governments Justice Center, “[g]ender-responsive and trauma-informed policies, practices, and programs recognize that women have distinct histories, pathways to offending, and experiences in the criminal justice system. These approaches address issues that may contribute to women’s involvement in the justice system, such as domestic violence, abuse, and victimization; family and relationships; trauma; and poverty, mental illnesses, and substance use disorders.”

Ms. Settles experienced supervision before and after our gender-responsive approach was implemented. Watch the video to learn more about her story and experience.

CSOSA believes strategic partnerships with public and private entities—including local organizations, city government, criminal justice agencies, the faith community, and individual citizens—are critical to facilitating successful reintegration. The agency is committed to ensuring individuals under its supervision have meaningful access to the services that will help them reach their full potential.

This access begins before release from incarceration. In conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), CSOSA’s Office of Intergovernmental and Public Affairs (OLIPA) holds quarterly Community Resource Day Videoconferences to help DC inmates prepare for release.

The videoconferences are broadcast to BOP facilities across the country. Participants, who are 60 to 90 days from release, hear presentations from DC organizations, law enforcement, and government agencies on the services available to them as returning citizens. They are provided the opportunity to ask questions and learn more from CSOSA and its community partners. Most importantly, participants receive a booklet containing local contacts and up-to-date program information to assist them in transitioning from incarceration to their return home in the District.

Once an individual begins CSOSA supervision, one meaningful way they are connected to the community is through resource fairs. Community Supervision Officers (CSOs) use resource fairs to educate supervisees on the services available to them through community partners. The fairs also help supervisees connect with potential mentors and employers, build relationships, and establish a support system.

At these in-person events, supervisees have the opportunity to engage directly with CSOSA community partners. Those partners in attendance typically provide services related to housing, education, employment, life skills, and mental health. However, like the supervision program itself, CSOSA resource fairs are tailored to address the current needs of the supervised population. CSOs, with assistance from OLIPA, may organize a resource fair that’s broad in scope or one focused on a specific topic.

CSOSA strives to be a model community supervision agency that is recognized for positively impacting individuals under its supervision and for improving public safety. In fiscal year 2021, 75% of CSOSA supervisees successfully completed their supervision. A key contributor to this success is the work of CSOSA community partners, who help supervisees create stability and connections to their community in conjunction with the dedication, guidance, coaching, and perseverance of CSOSA staff who work daily with supervisees.