Measuring Parole Officer Competencies to Advance Core Correctional Practice

In three studies, the current research began to address the paucity of research in the area of parole officer characteristics, namely attitudes values, and competencies. To this end, the Parole Officer Competency Survey (POCS) was developed. In Study 1, the psychometric properties of the POCS were examined. Studies 2 and 3 assessed POCS and subscale scores in relations to two separate samples, one Canadian (N= 69), and one American (N = 94), with the intent of developing a normative competency profile. While findings did lead to the establishment of preliminary competency profiles, significant variability between survey scores and most sample demographic variables was not detected. Results from Study 1 demonstrated that the survey in its current form did not demonstrate adequate reliability and internal consistency, and could not be factor- analyzed, thus precluding further scale refinement through factor analysis. Despite limitations, findings did suggest promising directions for future research.