>> Sreenivasan: THERE ARE

APPROXIMATELY 4.5 MILLION

AMERICANS ON PROBATION OR

PAROLE.

THAT'’’S NEARLY FOUR TIMES WHAT IT

WAS IN 1980.

BUT HOW EFFECTIVE IS THE SYSTEM

AT KEEPING PEOPLE FROM

REOFFENDING AND ENDING UP BACK

BEHIND BARS?

FOR THE PAST DECADE, ARIZONA'’’S

ADULT PROBATION DEPARTMENT HAD

BEEN QUIETLY CHANGING THE WAY IT

DOES BUSINESS, ENGAGING WITH

OFFENDERS IN SURPRISING WAYS.

AND THE APPROACHES ARE YIELDING

RESULTS.

NEWSHOUR WEEKEND'’’S CHRISTOPHER

BOOKER REPORTS.

>> ( \LAUGHS \)

>> Reporter: WATCHING DOUGLAS

MINKNER WITH HIS SEVEN-MONTH-OLD

SON MAKES IT HARD TO PICTURE HIS

PAST.

>> ARE YOU READY FOR SOME MORE?

I STARTED SMOKING HEAVY IN

SEVENTH GRADE.

I MEAN, EVERY SINGLE DAY, I WAS

GOING TO CLASS HIGH.

>> Reporter: THE SON OF A POLICE

OFFICER, MINKNER HAS A LONG

TRACK RECORD WITH ADDICTION.

HIS DRUG USE STARTED WITH

MARIJUANA IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL,

THEN CAME ECSTASY AND COCAINE AS

A HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMAN, AND

FINALLY CRYSTAL METHAMPHETAMINE

AND HEROIN.

>> I JUST DIDN'’’T WANT TO STOP.

I WANTED TO DO THAT EVERY SINGLE

DAY OF MY LIFE.

THAT'’’S WHERE MY TROUBLE BEGAN.

>> Reporter: AND THE TROUBLE WAS

CRIMINAL, INCLUDING BREAKING-

AND-ENTERING, BURGLARY AND

NARCOTICS POSSESSION.

RACKING UP NINE FELONIES BY THE

TIME HE WAS 20, HE SPENT MOST OF

HIS DAYS EITHER BEHIND BARS OR

ON PROBATION.

>> BACK WHEN I WAS YOUNGER ON

PROBATION, WHEN I WAS IN HIGH

SCHOOL, IT WAS JUST ES...

ESSENTIALLY, "DID HE TEST TODAY?

DID HE COLLECT... TEST CLEAN?

DID HE DO HIS COMMUNITY

SERVICE?"

THAT'’’S IT.

AND IT WAS ALMOST JUST LIKE A...

A NAGGING PARENT, WHERE SOMEBODY

WAS JUST LIKE, "HEY, YOU KNOW

WHAT YOU'’’RE SUPPOSED TO BE

DOING.

WHY AREN'’’T YOU DOING IT?

OKAY, YOU'’’RE NOT GOING TO DO IT?

JAIL."

>> HOW ARE YOU DOING?

THAT'’’S OKAY!

>> Reporter: BUT RECENTLY,

THINGS HAVE IMPROVED.

HE JUST CELEBRATED ONE YEAR

SOBER.

THE PERSON HE CREDITS IS HIS

PROBATION OFFICER, KELLI WATSON.

>> ADDICTION IS DIFFICULT TO

DEAL WITH.

IF YOU LOCK THEM AWAY, THEY MAY

BE SOBER FOR THE AMOUNT OF TIME

THEY'’’RE LOCKED AWAY.

BUT AS SOON AS THEY GET OUT,

THEY COME RIGHT BACK TO WHERE

THEY ARE.

NOW, I TRY AND FIND A GOOD

BALANCE BETWEEN HOLDING THEM

ACCOUNTABLE BUT ALSO

UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'’’RE ALL

HUMAN BEINGS.

>> Reporter: BECAUSE ARIZONA

CONSIDERS MINKNER A HIGH-RISK

INDIVIDUAL, WATSON SUPERVISES

HIM UNDER WHAT THE STATE CALLS

INTENSIVE PROBATION SUPERVISION,

OR I.P.S.

IT'’’S PART OF AN INNOVATIVE

OVERHAUL OF THE SYSTEM THAT

INVOLVES FITTING THE RIGHT KIND

OF PROBATION TO THE RIGHT

PERSON.

>> YOU CAN STOP THERE, DOUGLAS.

ALL ARE ZEROS, SO THANKS SO

MUCH.

NEGATIVE FOR ALCOHOL.

>> OBVIOUSLY, PROBATION ISN'’’T

SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO BE

ON.

IT'’’S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU

ENJOY BEING ON.

>> Reporter: I.P.S. MEANS

MINKNER LIVES UNDER HOUSE

ARREST.

WATSON MUST APPROVE EVERY HOUR

OF HIS DAY.

THAT INCLUDES TREATMENT, GROUP

THERAPY, HIS WORK SCHEDULE, EVEN

TIME JUST WATCHING HIS SON.

IF HE RUNS OUT OF DIAPERS AND

NEEDS TO GO TO THE STORE, HE

MUST ASK WATSON FOR PERMISSION.

HAD YOU BEEN ON PROBATION IN THE

WAY YOU'’’RE ON PROBATION NOW AS A

YOUNG PERSON, YOUR PATH MAY HAVE

GONE IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

110%, IN MY OPINION.

I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE HELP

THAT I NEEDED.

I WOULD'’’VE HAD A POSITIVE

RELATIONSHIP WITH AN ACTUAL

PUBLIC FIGURE THAT IS WANTING TO

MAKE A CHANGE AND A DIFFERENCE

IN PEOPLES'’’ LIVES.

AND WHO KNOWS WHERE THAT WOULD

HAVE ACTUALLY LED ME?

ONE YEAR SOBER.

>> THAT'’’S A HUGE MOMENT.

THAT'’’S A LONG TIME, DOUGLAS.

>> IT'’’S THE LONGEST I'’’VE PULLED

IN ALL 26 YEARS OF THIS LIFE OF

MINE.

( \LAUGHS \)

PLUS, HAVING YOU GUYS ON MY

SIDE, AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, DOING THESE CHECK-INS

AT FIRST, I'’’VE GOT TO ADMIT,

THEY WERE REALLY KIND OF LIKE A

PAIN.

LIKE, "AH, HERE THEY ARE AGAIN

AT MY DOOR!"

BUT, I MEAN, IT'’’S... IT'S

DIFFERENT NOW.

>> Reporter: HOW DO YOU VIEW

KELLY?

WHO IS SHE TO YOU?

>> SO, KELLY, TO ME, I WOULD

HONESTLY SAY, IS SOMEBODY THAT I

CAN GO TO IF I NEED HELP, IF I'’’M

STRUGGLING AND SHE HAS THE

RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO GIVE TO

ME SO I CAN GET MY PROBLEM

RESOLVED.

>> Reporter: THE NATURE OF THE

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MINKNER AND

OFFICER WATSON IS NOT

ACCIDENTAL.

RATHER, IT'’’S A REFLECTION OF A

RADICAL RETOOLING OF ARIZONA'’’S

ADULT PROBATION DEPARTMENT THAT

WAS ROLLED OUT STATEWIDE IN

2008.

BETWEEN 2008 AND 2016, THERE WAS

A 29% DECLINE IN PROBATION

VIOLATIONS AND A 21% DECLINE IN

ARRESTS OF PEOPLE ON PROBATION.

THAT TRANSLATES TO FEWER PEOPLE

BEHIND BARS.

AND BECAUSE IT COSTS JUST OVER

$66 PER DAY TO KEEP SOMEONE IN

PRISON, AND LESS THAN $22 A DAY

TO PUT THEM ON PROBATION,

ARIZONA SAYS IT HAS SAVED MORE

THAN $461 MILLION SINCE 2009.

>> THE EASIEST WAY TO EXPLAIN IT

IS, WE WEREN'’’T BEING VERY

SUCCESSFUL.

>> Reporter: BARBARA BRODERICK

HAS BEEN SPEARHEADING ARIZONA'’’S

CHANGES IN ADULT PROBATION SINCE

2004.

>> PEOPLE WEREN'’’T CHANGING, THEY

WEREN'’’T SUCCEEDING, THEY WERE

FAILING AT A GREAT RATE.

AND SITTING DOWN WITH OFFICERS,

PEOPLE WERE GETTING KIND OF...

"WE'’’RE HITTING OUR HEAD AGAINST

THE WALL.

WHAT CAN WE DO DIFFERENTLY THAT

WOULD REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE

IN PEOPLE'’’S LIVES?"

>> Reporter: THEY BEGAN, SAYS

BRODERICK, BY PERSONALIZING

THEIR DEALINGS WITH EACH

PROBATIONER...

>> IF I DIDN'T APOLOGIZE, SHE'’’D

STILL BE UPSET ABOUT IT.

>> Reporter: ...LEARNING THE

DETAILS OF THEIR LIVES AND THE

PATTERNS OF THEIR NEGATIVE

BEHAVIOR.

>> I'’’M NOT UPSET WITH HER.

I'’’M UPSET WITH SITUATIONS AT

WORK.

>> GOOD, GOOD ONE.

I LIKE THAT ONE.

>> Reporter: THE DEPARTMENT

WORKS TO CHANGE THOSE PATTERNS

BY PROVIDING CLASSES THAT HELP

THEM CREATE GOALS AND LEARN

COPING SKILLS.

>> WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

DID YOU USE... TAKE OTHERS'

FEELINGS INTO ACCOUNT BEFORE I

DO SOMETHING.

>> Reporter: THE IDEA IS TO GET

TO THE BOTTOM OF WHAT IS DRIVING

THE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.

THEY ALSO REDUCED THE NUMBER OF

CASES FOR OFFICERS LIKE KELLI

WATSON, SO THEY CAN SPEND MORE

TIME WITH OFFENDERS ON I.P.S.

>> HEY!

>> THE SORTING OF PEOPLE REALLY

GAVE US THE ABILITY TO BASICALLY

SPEND MORE TIME WITH THE MORE

DIFFICULT... THE MEDIUM TO HIGH-

RISK INDIVIDUALS, AND LESS TIME

WITH THE LOW-RISK INDIVIDUALS.

>> WHAT HAPPENS TOMORROW IF THE

SAME NEGATIVE FEEDBACK STARTS

COMING BACK IN?

WHAT THEN?

>> I PICK UP THE PHONE, AND I

CALL YOU.

>> Reporter: SCOTT GIBSON IS

WHAT'’’S CALLED A STANDARD

PROBATION OFFICER.

THAT MEANS THE MAJORITY OF

OFFENDERS HE OVERSEES ARE LOWER-

RISK THAN OFFICER WATSON'S, AND

HE SEES MORE OF THEM.

THAT DOESN'’’T MEAN THEY AREN'’’T

REQUIRED TO CHECK IN WITH HIM

ONCE A MONTH, ATTEND GROUP

THERAPY AND PERFORM COMMUNITY

SERVICE.

AND LIKE WATSON, GIBSON'’’S BEEN

SPECIALLY TRAINED TO KNOW THE

DETAILS OF EACH OF THEIR

STORIES.

>> IF BUILDING A... A RAPPORT

WITH SOMEBODY AND LETTING THEM

KNOW THAT YOU'’’RE REALLY TRYING

TO HELP THEM IS WHAT WORKS,

THEN... THEN THAT'S HUGE.

>> Reporter: BUT ARIZONA IS NOT

JUST TRYING TO CHANGE THE WAY

OFFENDERS THINK AND ACT; IT'’’S

TRYING TO DO THE SAME WITH

PROBATION OFFICERS.

THE OFFICERS MEET REGULARLY TO

DISCUSS WHAT'’’S WORKING WITH

THEIR CASES, WHAT'’’S NOT AND HOW

THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO IMPROVE

OUTCOMES.

>> SO, THESE TWO TYPES OF

INTERVENTIONS ARE THE MOST

EFFECTIVE IN CHANGING OFFENDER

BEHAVIOR OVER THE LONG-TERM.

IF THIS IS WHAT WORKS, THIS IS

WHAT WE'’’VE BEEN SHOWN TO WORK,

WHY NOT DO IT?

>> Reporter: BUT WHAT HAPPENS

WITH THE TOUGHEST OF CASES?

KRISTIN PATRICK IS A THREE-TIME

FELON...

>> HI, KRISTEN.

>> Reporter: ...A CRYSTAL METH

ADDICT WHO RELAPSED JUST SIX

WEEKS AGO WHILE UNDER OFFICER

KELLI WATSON'’’S SUPERVISION.

>> LET'’’S JUST DO A NORMAL

WALKTHROUGH.

>> Reporter: IN ARIZONA, A STATE

THAT HAS MANDATORY MINIMUM

SENTENCES, THAT HAS

TRADITIONALLY PUT A PERSON RIGHT

BACK IN JAIL.

>> ALL RIGHT, LET'’’S DO A QUICK

BREATHALIZER, IF YOU DON'’’T MIND.

>> I'’’VE NEVER NOT BEEN ARRESTED

FOR SCREWING UP.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

IT'’’S KIND OF LIKE CLOCKWORK FOR

ME.

SO, I JUST EXPECTED THAT.

I WAS BLOWN AWAY WHEN SHE WALKED

AWAY AND I WASN'’’T IN THE BACK OF

HER CAR OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW.

AND THEN, I SAT THERE ALL NIGHT,

THINKING, "SHOULD I RUN?

SHOULD I RUN?"

BUT I DIDN'’’T.

>> Reporter: WHY DID YOU DECIDE

NOT TO RUN?

>> BECAUSE OF THE WAY KELLY

HANDLED IT.

I'’’VE DONE THIS SO MANY TIMES.

LIKE, WHY CAN'’’T I JUST GET IT

RIGHT?

AND IT'’’S SO FRUSTRATING.

AND I WAS JUST, LIKE, "BUT SHE

DIDN'T SAY I'’’M GOING TO JAIL."

THAT'’’S MY MAIN GOAL RIGHT NOW,

IS TO STAY OUT OF JAIL, LIKE, SO

I CAN BE A PART OF MY KIDS'’’

LIVES REGARDLESS OF WHAT THAT

LOOKS LIKE.

AND BECAUSE SHE DIDN'’’T ARREST

ME, I DID THE THINKING TOOL THAT

SHE'’’S STARTED TO PUSH ON ME.

>> IN THIS SITUATION, WHAT'’’S

SOMETHING... WHAT'S A NEW

THOUGHT YOU COULD HAVE HAD?

>> DON'’’T REACH OUT ENOUGH.

AND I NEED TO... I NEED TO START

DOING THAT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY

WHAT I'’’VE DONE IN THE PAST ISN'’’T

WORKING.

>> WRITE IT DOWN.

THAT'’’S GOOD.

( \LAUGHS \)

>> I'’’VE DONE SEVERAL OF THESE

ACTIVITIES, AND I'’’VE ACTUALLY

CAUGHT MYSELF IN THE MIDDLE OF,

LIKE, IMPLEMENTING IT.

SO, I KNOW THAT IT'’’S WORKING.

>> I HOPE SHE FEELS THAT I DO

HAVE HER BEST INTEREST IN MIND

AND THAT I'’’M NOT HERE TO LOCK

HER UP AND... AND THROW AWAY THE

KEY.

AND AS LONG AS SHE'’’S WILLING TO

WORK ON HERSELF, I'’’M WILLING TO

WORK WITH HER, TOO.