National Parole Resource Center (NPRC)

Overview

The National Parole Resource Center (NPRC) was funded by the Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance, and operated from 2009 to 2019. For decades prior to the inception of NPRC, paroling authorities operated with limited support in terms of research, training, and technical assistance. CEPP created the NPRC in response to this gap and in recognition of the critical role that paroling authorities play in the U.S. justice system. 

Our Approach

The goal of NPRC was to provide paroling authorities with the information and tools required to adequately respond to the behavior of people on supervision in a way that maximized their success in the community and minimized the likelihood of future violations. 

The project was aimed at ensuring the appropriate use of tools and resources to support reductions in recidivism, increase the success of people under community supervision, increase victim satisfaction with the system, and reduce justice system costs.

NPRC worked with parole boards and agencies to: 

• Promote collaboration between parole authorities and community and other agency partners to ensure release readiness, including providing housing, employment, and other supports in the community 
• Manage more effectively the timing and appropriate conditions of release for adults and youth under parole supervision (and discourage the use of unnecessary “overconditioning,” particularly for people assessed as low risk) 
• Implement for people at medium to high risk the use of effective, targeted risk reduction programming prior to and after release 
• Formalize the use of positive reinforcement and incentives to support prosocial behavior

NPRC accomplished its work by providing specialized training at local and national events, delivering targeted technical assistance to dozens of paroling authorities and their staff, administering a comprehensive website, and creating a substantial library of parole-related resources.

The Impact

Over its 10-year history, NPRC helped parole boards adopt evidence-based approaches to parole decision making in many ways:

• NPRC’s “10 Practice Targets for Parole Excellence” created a framework for boards to ensure their practices align with best practices. The practice targets are in use by many paroling authorities nationwide. 
• Assistance was delivered to 45 states in support of parole decision-making improvements, including:
  • Georgia, Nebraska, and Rhode Island validated or incorporated risk assessment information into their decision-making or advanced release decision-making guidelines. 
  • Pennsylvania and Texas boards with authority over parole supervision and revocation decision making, amended revocation policies, or implemented structured responses to supervision violations. 
  • Kentucky, Utah, and Wyoming developed strategic plans to guide improvements over multiple years. 
  • “Learning Collaborative” sites in Minnesota, North Carolina, and Vermont began using validated risk assessment tools to guide decisions, developing or revising decision-making guidelines, forging relationships with key justice system partners, and ensuring that resources are targeted to the criminogenic needs of people at a higher risk of recidivism. They also began focusing on reducing revocations by limiting conditions and responding to violations in a more structured way. 
• Training was delivered to hundreds of parole board members and staff on topics such as effective parole interviewing techniques, managing special populations, and effective condition setting, among others.
• A comprehensive library of more than 20 resources on specialized parole topics was created.
• NPRC administered a website that served as a national clearinghouse for information about parole-related issues. 

NPRC helped advance paroling authorities’ knowledge about evidence-supported practices in parole decision making and led to improved results in jurisdictions where assistance was provided.