“I wasn’t a bad kid, but I made some bad choices that landed me in some terrible spots,” says Antoine Johnson. Those choices led to substance abuse, criminal activity, and ultimately incarceration.

Separated from his parents, Mr. Johnson began experimenting with alcohol and illicit substances at age 12. At age 16, he was caught in a stolen vehicle. Like many who have been in the juvenile justice system, Mr. Johnson became involved in the adult justice system.

After successfully completing CSOSA supervision, Mr. Johnson joined the agency as a Credible Messenger. The Credible Messenger program grants qualified individuals who go through the job application process and are accepted, the opportunity to work for CSOSA for a six-month term. Credible Messengers positions are open to those who have completed a period of probation, parole, or supervised release.

Credible Messengers use their prior life experiences to provide support to people under supervision—assisting current supervisees in articulating their goals and navigating systems to obtain services in the community. In turn, Credible Messengers receive valuable work experience that increases their employability and marketability for future career opportunities.

Watch the video to learn more about Mr. Johnson’s story and experience.

July 17, 2023:

CSOS Celebrates Pretrial, Probation, and Parole Week [PDF]

July 16-22 is Pretrial, Probation, and Parole Supervision (PPPS) Week! Now in its 23rd year, PPPS Week celebrates and honors the achievements of community corrections professionals nationwide.

Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) joins the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) in saluting the dedication and commitment of the individuals in CSOSA’s Office of Community Supervision & Intervention Services and Office of Behavioral Interventions, as well as the supervision professionals of our sister agency, Pretrial Services Agency for the District of Columbia (PSA).

This year’s PPPS Week theme, Stronger Together, acknowledges that success is achieved through unity.  When supervision agencies, criminal justice organizations, and community partners align, our collective goals become more attainable. Together we can positively impact public safety and help justice-involved individuals reach their full potential.

CSOSA supervision staff do important, challenging work. They make meaningful, human connections with supervisees. They use evidence-based practices to develop individualized supervision plans for the best possible outcomes. They ensure supervisees have access to appropriate community-based services. CSOSA staff see potential and capacity for change in all individuals. Their hard work and perseverance transform lives and ultimately make the District a safer place to live, work, and visit.

To learn more about PPPS Week, visit APPA’s website.

Data is integral to providing evidence-informed and evidence-based community supervision to the people under our jurisdiction. Data informs our decision making and helps us track our progress towards our strategic goals.

We enhance public safety and reduce recidivism in the District of Columbia, help integrate the people we supervise into the community, promote accountability for ourselves and our supervisees, and support the fair administration of justice.

Take a closer look at our latest infographic with fiscal year 2022 supervision data to learn more about the agency, the demographics of our supervised population, the stabilization needs of those we supervise, and some of the ways we hold the people we supervise accountable.

For a more detailed look at our FY2022 data, visit our Reports page to read our FY2024 Congressional Budget Justification and its accompanying documents.

You can access a PDF version of the letter here.

April 26, 2023:

CSOSA Recognizes National Crime Victims’ Rights Week– News Release [PDF]

April 5, 2023:

CSOSA Celebrates Second Chance Month — News Release [PDF]

Tarisha Settles found herself moving in and out of the criminal justice system, a cycle fueled by her substance abuse. Like many justice-involved women throughout the nation, Ms. Settles is a mother. Although the vast majority of people involved in the criminal justice system are men, Ms. Settles was among the rising tide of women who have been incarcerated or subject to community supervision since the 1980s. Despite the 14-fold increase in the number of justice-involved women over the past four decades, much of the programming and interventions in the field remain focus towards men. Women are often left to navigate a system that was not built with them in mind and unprepared to address all their needs.

In September 2010, CSOSA launched our women’s teams to provide gender-responsive supervision services and address the challenges facing women under supervision. In furtherance of our mission, CSOSA’s approach to community supervision requires us to consider the whole person when creating and implementing an individualized supervision plan. Our community supervision officers consider a person’s criminogenic and stabilization needs. Our programming is designed to address a person’s criminogenic needs, which are directly related to criminality, such as substance use, anti-social associations and attitudes, and lack of achievement. We build strong relationships with other agencies and community partners to address the stabilization needs of the people we supervise. Stabilization needs are the non-criminogenic factors that may hinder the effectiveness of supervision programming if left unaddressed, such as unstable housing, untreated mental health issues, unemployment, and lack of education. Although some of these needs are common among many justice-involved individuals, some are more specific to women involved in the criminal justice system or present differently than in their male counterparts.

According to the Council of State Governments Justice Center, “[g]ender-responsive and trauma-informed policies, practices, and programs recognize that women have distinct histories, pathways to offending, and experiences in the criminal justice system. These approaches address issues that may contribute to women’s involvement in the justice system, such as domestic violence, abuse, and victimization; family and relationships; trauma; and poverty, mental illnesses, and substance use disorders.”

Ms. Settles experienced supervision before and after our gender-responsive approach was implemented. Watch the video to learn more about her story and experience.

CSOSA believes strategic partnerships with public and private entities—including local organizations, city government, criminal justice agencies, the faith community, and individual citizens—are critical to facilitating successful reintegration. The agency is committed to ensuring individuals under its supervision have meaningful access to the services that will help them reach their full potential.

This access begins before release from incarceration. In conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), CSOSA’s Office of Intergovernmental and Public Affairs (OLIPA) holds quarterly Community Resource Day Videoconferences to help DC inmates prepare for release.

The videoconferences are broadcast to BOP facilities across the country. Participants, who are 60 to 90 days from release, hear presentations from DC organizations, law enforcement, and government agencies on the services available to them as returning citizens. They are provided the opportunity to ask questions and learn more from CSOSA and its community partners. Most importantly, participants receive a booklet containing local contacts and up-to-date program information to assist them in transitioning from incarceration to their return home in the District.

Once an individual begins CSOSA supervision, one meaningful way they are connected to the community is through resource fairs. Community Supervision Officers (CSOs) use resource fairs to educate supervisees on the services available to them through community partners. The fairs also help supervisees connect with potential mentors and employers, build relationships, and establish a support system.

At these in-person events, supervisees have the opportunity to engage directly with CSOSA community partners. Those partners in attendance typically provide services related to housing, education, employment, life skills, and mental health. However, like the supervision program itself, CSOSA resource fairs are tailored to address the current needs of the supervised population. CSOs, with assistance from OLIPA, may organize a resource fair that’s broad in scope or one focused on a specific topic.

CSOSA strives to be a model community supervision agency that is recognized for positively impacting individuals under its supervision and for improving public safety. In fiscal year 2021, 75% of CSOSA supervisees successfully completed their supervision. A key contributor to this success is the work of CSOSA community partners, who help supervisees create stability and connections to their community in conjunction with the dedication, guidance, coaching, and perseverance of CSOSA staff who work daily with supervisees.

On November 15, 2022, CSOSA issued our Agency Financial Report (AFR) for fiscal year 2022. We are pleased to report that the FY 2022 financial audit resulted in a positive, unmodified audit opinion with zero material control issues, significant control deficiencies, or compliance issues identified in the audit report. These findings are consistent with the FY 2021 financial audit and an improvement from the FY 2020 financial audit.

The AFR is CSOSA’s principal report to the President, Congress, and the American people on our management of the funds with which we have been entrusted and we believe it clearly demonstrates our commitment to the effective stewardship of the public’s money.

Each year CSOSA is required to issue an AFR detailing financial and performance data for CSOSA’s two component programs: the Community Supervision Program (CSP) and the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA), an independent entity within CSOSA. CSP supervises adults on probation, parole, and supervised release as well as individuals subject to Civil Protection Orders or Deferred Sentencing Agreements. PSA supervises adults awaiting trial.

In the AFR, we provide general information about our financials, operations, challenges, and plans in a readable, non-technical format. Major contents of the CSOSA AFR are the agency’s audited financial statements with footnotes, auditor reports, select high-level performance information, and numerous management control and system assurances.

The fidelity of the reported data is evidenced by CSOSA having received unmodified opinions from our independent auditors since the agency’s inception. An unmodified audit opinion affirms that CSOSA’s financial statements were presented fairly in all material respects and in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.

We remain committed to managing CSOSA’s resources in a transparent and accountable fashion as we carry out a mission that improves the lives of everyone who visits, works, and resides in the District of Columbia.