16Jul

Celebrating Pretrial, Probation, and Parole Supervision Week

July 16-22 is Pretrial, Probation, and Parole Supervision (PPPS) Week! Now in its 23rd year, PPPS Week celebrates and honors the achievements of community corrections professionals nationwide.

Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) joins the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) in saluting the dedication and commitment of the individuals in CSOSA’s Office of Community Supervision & Intervention Services and Office of Behavioral Interventions, as well as the supervision professionals of our sister agency, Pretrial Services Agency for the District of Columbia (PSA).

This year’s PPPS Week theme, Stronger Together, acknowledges that success is achieved through unity. When supervision agencies, criminal justice organizations, and community partners align, our collective goals become more attainable. Together we can positively impact public safety and help justice-involved individuals reach their full potential.

CSOSA supervision staff do important, challenging work. They make meaningful, human connections with supervisees. They use evidence-based practices to develop individualized supervision plans for the best possible outcomes. They ensure supervisees have access to appropriate community-based services. CSOSA staff see potential and capacity for change in all individuals. Their hard work and perseverance transform lives and ultimately make the District a safer place to live, work, and visit.

To learn more about PPPS Week, visit APPA’s website.

08May

It's Public Service Recognition Week!

You can access a PDF version of the letter here.

10Jan

Community Resource Days and Resource Fairs: Connecting Supervisees to Critical Services

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.

18Jul

Celebrating PPPS Week 2022

The third week of July marks Pretrial, Probation, and Parole Supervision (PPPS) Week! For more than 20 years, the American Probation and Parole Association has called on the nation to honor the community corrections professionals who help keep our communities safe places to live, work, and visit.

The theme for PPPS Week is Restoring Trust, Creating Hope. CSOSA Director Richard S. Tischner said, “The work our supervision staff does is transformative—helping people under supervision make positive choices and change the trajectory of their lives. We must often rise to meet the challenges of dealing with difficult situations and circumstances to strive for change that is not guaranteed, may only come bit by bit, and might come without accolades. Still, we press on—holding ourselves and others accountable and working together to advance our critical public safety mission.”

This week especially, we thank the hardworking community supervision professionals in CSOSA’s Office of Community Supervision & Intervention Services and CSOSA’s Office of Behavioral Interventions for the fundamental role they play in changing the lives of people under supervision and advancing public safety in the District. We also celebrate the important work of the pretrial supervision professionals of our sister agency, the Pretrial Services Agency for the District of Columbia. Our gratitude also extends to all staff at supervision agencies, especially the dedicated public servants at CSOSA and PSA, for making it possible for our community supervision professionals to provide effective and efficient service to the people under our jurisdiction and the community as a whole.

Read our news release for more information about how CSOSA is commemorating PPPS Week in the District.

03Feb

CSOSA Launches Hire One Jobs Campaign

CSOSA is launching the “Hire One” campaign to directly connect area employers with a pool of talented justice-involved people who are ready, able, and eager to work.

In our decades of supervising people on probation, parole, and supervised release in the District of Columbia, CSOSA has found that gainful employment is a cornerstone of stability and growth. However, too often, those who have been involved in the justice system find that their past transgressions continue to be obstacles to their progress. Second Chance hiring provides an opportunity to move toward a brighter future. That’s why CSOSA is asking area employers to pledge to “Hire One” of its referrals.

“Hire One,” an expansion of CSOSA’s job placement efforts, aims to pair employers with an untapped and under-utilized pool of talent. Businesses that have hired people under CSOSA supervision report that these employees are among the most dedicated, hardworking, and loyal in their workforce. Employers interested in joining the program can contact Vocational Development Coordinator Tony Lewis at tony.lewis@csosa.gov.

In coming weeks, CSOSA will unveil a series of videos that answer the question “Why Hire One?” Stay tuned to hear answers directly from businesses that have already partnered with us.

See Related: Hire One Featured Story

27Mar

Victim Services Program Overview

In 2001, the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia (CSOSA) launched the Victim Services Program (VSP) to serve residents of the District of Columbia who have been victims of domestic violence, sexual offenses, traffic or alcohol-related crimes, or property crimes. VSP is committed to responding to victims of crime with compassion, understanding, and respect.

VSP works with Community Supervision Officers (CSOs) to decrease the incidence of recidivism and re-victimization. VSP also partners with victim service agencies to identify crime victims, provide education on victim rights, and deliver orientation and technical assistance to victims and the community. Additionally, VSP connects victims with resources to address the effect of victimization.

31Jul

Entrepreneurship Opportunities for Justice-Involved Individuals

Mounting research indicates that there are significant benefits for our communities in helping men and women that have been involved in the criminal justice system find employment. Unfortunately, some employers remain reticent to hiring someone who is or has been involved in the justice system, as evidenced by the need for laws such as Ban the Box, which, among other things, makes it illegal for an employer to inquire about criminal history prior to making a conditional offer of employment.

In the District’s highly competitive and saturated job market, gainful employment remains an intractable challenge. For some, it is further compounded by the additional challenges posed by their history of involvement with the justice system. In order to realize gains in public safety, it is imperative to remove barriers that can empower these individuals to take control of their destinies. One such mechanism for empowerment in the employment sector is entrepreneurship which provides a promising approach to address unemployment for men and women with criminal histories.

Check our latest episode of DC Public Safety to learn more about this important topic.