While the Branch continued research and
evaluation on breach and incarceration trates
associated with conditional sentences,”® the
Community Corrections Division restructured
existing staffing and program resources.
Changes in electronic monitoring, for example,
enabled the Branch to apply this resource to
higher-risk offenders.

A new client supervisor position (probation
officer 14) was created to focus on the
supervision of low-risk and bail cases. For
medium and high-risk offenders, probation
officers remained the primary case managers
and client supervisors provided secondary case
management. The introduction of this position
ensured that probation officers supervised
smaller caseloads, which consisted solely of
high and medium-tisk cases.

New technology was proposed to address
issues related to workload and operational
efficiency. For bail clients, the Branch initiated
an automated reporting system (ARS) pilot
project for low-risk offenders in 1996.

Concurrently, a manual check-in system (MCI)
was piloted. As part of a Northern Region case
management pilot, voice verification technology
was also tested as a supervision strategy.”
Neither ARS nor voice recognition proved
cost-effective.

Online training

The development of distance education and
online training increased flexibility in training
new recruits as well as providing advanced
training. A new training model was developed
by Senior Management Committee to improve
recruitment and save money.

To apply for probation officer and probation
officer 14 positions, candidates were required to
complete four online prerequisite courses.
Once an individual was hired, the Branch
funded the remaining training, which occurred
in the hiring office. The training curriculum for
the probation officer 14 position was accredited
and recognized when a candidate applied to be
a probation officer.

Family Justice Services Division

An alternative dispute resolution policy was
introduced in May 1995, followed in 1996 by
the premier’s announcement of the
government’s focus on alternate dispute
resolution, The objective of the policy was to
provide dispute resolution options” throughout
the justice system.

Several changes followed this policy decision:

» In 1996, the Ministry of Attorney General
opened the Dispute Resolution Office;

» In 1997, family justice services were directed
towards resolving family disputes outside the
traditional court system;

38 Management Report No. 2000:02, Corrections Branch, p. 11.

39 Technology that enables enforcement of court ordered monitoring conditions without face-to-face contact
between client and supervisor. Refer to ADM Directive 2000:05, July 19, 2000.

40 Including mediation, arbitration, neutral evaluations, mini-trials and litigation.

The Era of Directing Change (1997-2001)

259