Incentives for Supervision Compliance

Agency Authority

A handful of states have also directed state agencies or supervision boards to create a grid or matrix of incentives for compliance.

Nebraska’s division of parole supervision highlights the use of a standardized matrix of responses for violations as well as prosocial behaviors. The matrix permits parole officers to “support prosocial behavior by issuing rewards that are meaningful to the individual.” When a person on parole displays prosocial behaviors, their supervision officer can recognize that with graduated positive responses which acknowledge “both smaller positive changes as well as larger achievements such as the completion of case planning objectives and attaining goals.”
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Alaska’s statute requires the establishment of “an administrative sanction and incentive program to facilitate a swift and effective response to a probationer’s compliance with or violation of the conditions of probation.” (§ 33.05.020) The commissioner is directed to adopt regulations which include a list of incentives for complying with conditions, as well as positive behavior that goes beyond those conditions.

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Montana’s Department of Corrections, responsible for oversight of adult probation and parole in the state, has an incentives and interventions grid. Examples of available incentives include:

• Verbal recognition
• Letter of recognition
• Requesting modification of conditions, such as waiving supervision fee
• Reduced supervision fees
• Permissions to travel in-state
• Ability to skip a face-to-face appointment with a supervision officer