Deportment, or “the process of developing a trusting relationship with” the probationer, should be a focus of the probation office. Deportment occurs where the probationer believes that the state, in the form of the probation officer, is acting fairly. In such an environment, the probationer must “own” the conduct. Reinforcement is a necessary ingredient in supervision technique. With this, rewards are distributed for positive, incremental changes while negative behaviors are reinforced through swift and certain sanctions.
