As an administrator, you want to provide staff who work in correctional institutions the tools that will aid them in their day-to-day interactions with clients. The BITS tools do just that. They were developed with the staff, the environment, and the clientele in mind, and they are effective and impactful. Thank you, CGP!
- Corrections Administrator, State Prison System
Carey Group Publishing has designed high quality intervention tools to address criminogenic needs. The BITS (and the Carey Guides) give staff an organized, effective, and measurable intervention that rebuilds lives and enhances public safety.
- Community Corrections Administrator, Large Private Provider
Using the BITS and Carey Guide Tools in group reporting sessions creates an opportunity for clients to open up, think in new ways, and learn from each other. These tools help the “lightbulb” go on for individuals, which leads them to think about their situation in a new, productive way.
- Training Coordinator, State Probation & Parole Agency
The Brief Intervention ToolS (BITS) were created to help corrections professionals effectively address key skill deficits with adult or juvenile offenders in short, structured interventions. The tools can be used as a supplement to the Carey Guides; they are also useful to practitioners who do not yet have the training or comfort level to follow the longer term case management strategies that the Guides support. They are, therefore, designed for all corrections professionals.
BITS are different from the Carey Guides in that they are
Short: Each tool is only one page (front and back).
Situational: The tools are designed to be used when a spontaneous "teachable moment" arises. They can also be used to target problematic behavior patterns.
Versatile: The tools focus on six key skill deficits that underlie a variety of manifested behaviors.
User-friendly: Each tool is designed to be straightforward for the corrections professional and to include only a few steps for the offender, to ensure that the lesson is digestible and easy to remember.
Few in number: Sometimes less is more. BITS includes just six tools. This makes it easier for the corrections professional to select the right tool in the right circumstance.
"Plug and play": The tools were designed so that corrections professionals can use them immediately. No manuals to read, no training classes to attend.
BITS Toolkit Versatility
BITS address six offender skill deficits that were identified through a series of interviews with corrections professionals. These six skill areas were identified as the most versatile (useful under many circumstances) and therefore the most important to teach offenders. The following table illustrates the versatile nature of the six Brief Intervention ToolS by demonstrating how different tools could be appropriately used for a common case scenario.
Case Example
Decision Making
Overcoming Automatic Responses
Overcoming Thinking Traps
Problem Solving
Thinking Traps
Who I Spend Time With
Absconding
x
x
x
x
Dirty UA
x
x
x
x
x
x
Failure to keep appointment
x
x
x
x
x
Fighting at park
x
x
x
x
x
x
Shoplifting
x
x
x
x
x
Features of the Electronic BITS
The electronic BITS (available through an agencywide license only) allow users to:
Read content from their desks
Print unlimited copies of the tools in color or black and white, right from their desks
Receive, at no additional cost, any future revisions to existing BITS
Receive, at no additional cost, ongoing maintenance and support for Carey Group Publishing’s Digital Library
Access an agency-based “dashboard” reflecting BITS use by agency staff
Produce user- and agency-based management reports on BITS use.
IMPORTANT NOTES FOR ELECTRONIC BITS PURCHASERS:
Carey Group Publishing’s Digital Library requires that your browser allow JavaScript and cookies and have Flash installed.
Google Chrome is the recommended browser for Carey Group Publishing’s Digital Library.
Digital Library Tour
Take a video tour of the Digital Library, the platform that houses the electronic Carey Guides and electronic BITS.
