--- title: Transportation Resources description: "\tTransportation Resources – the evidence is promising\r\n\r\n\r\nSummary of the Evidence\r\n\r\n•\tTransportation resources (reliable transportation to meet supervision requirements provided by the officer/supervision agency to the client) are an evidence-informed practice.\r\no\tClients without access to transportation are less likely to be able to access treatment and obtain employment, and they may be more likely to abscond.\r\n•\tProviding clients with transportation resources can help build and/or maintain the officer-client relationship.\r\n\r\n\r\nWhat Are Transportation Resources?\r\n•\tTransportation resources are resources provided by the officer/supervision agency to the client to help them access transportation.\r\n•\tTransportation can be public (e.g., bus, metro) or private (e.g., Uber, Lyft, taxi).\r\n•\tResources can come in the form of vouchers, fare passes, or even officers calling a taxi or Uber for the client.\r\n\r\nHow Are Transportation Resources Used?\r\n•\tTransportation resources are usually provided in two ways:\r\no\tas an incentive for clients who comply with the conditions of supervision (for example, some programs provide clients with bus passes for every negative drug test the client provides showing they have not used drugs recently)\r\no\ton a scheduled basis to help clients comply with supervision conditions and get where they need to go (for example, the officer may provide the client with bus passes to help them get to work, a treatment center, or the supervision agency office)\r\n\r\nHow Can They Be Used to Monitor Compliance?\r\n•\tTransportation resources are intended to help the client and should not be used to monitor compliance.\r\n\r\nHow Can They Be Used as a Supervision Tool?\r\n•\tTransportation resources help the client find employment, attend treatment, meet with the supervision officer, and otherwise get where they need to go.\r\no\tThis can help clients remain in compliance with supervision conditions (e.g., attending treatment) and complete the supervision process.\r\no\tSome evidence suggests that clients without access to transportation may be less likely to come to the supervision office for scheduled visits, making them more likely to abscond.\r\n\r\nWhat Are the Costs of Transportation Resources?\r\n•\tTransportation resources can be expensive depending on the price of transportation in the area and the frequency with which they are given to the client.\r\no\tResources for public transportation may be less expensive than those for private transportation.\r\n\r\nWhat Do Supervision Staff Think About Transportation Resources?\r\n•\tSupervision staff report that transportation resources are\r\no\tsometimes appropriate for all low-risk clients and\r\no\talways appropriate for all medium- and high-risk clients, except for those who have committed intimate partner violence, for whom they are sometimes appropriate.\r\n\r\nCompliance Level\r\n•\tSupervision staff report that practical incentives like transportation vouchers are\r\no\tsometimes appropriate for low-risk clients in low, moderate, or high compliance with the conditions of supervision and\r\no\talways appropriate for medium- and high-risk clients in low, moderate, or high compliance with the conditions of supervision.\r\n\r\nWhat Should You Expect When Using Transportation Resources?\r\nClient Outcomes\r\n•\tEvidence indicates that access to reliable transportation is essential for clients to succeed on supervision.\r\no\tTransportation to and from the supervision office is necessary for clients to attend regular check-ins with the officer.\r\n\tClients without access to this may be more likely to abscond.\r\no\tTransportation to and from treatment (mandated or voluntary) is necessary for clients to maintain physical health, mental health, and overcome issues like drug addiction.\r\no\tTransportation to and from a place of employment is necessary to obtain and maintain a job.\r\n\tSome employers will not hire individuals who do not have access to reliable transportation to work.\r\no\tTransportation is empowering since it allows clients to move around freely. This can build self-efficacy and lead clients to feel more in control of the direction of their lives.\r\n•\tProviding clients with transportation resources can help them improve their lives, comply with supervision requirements, and experience self-efficacy.\r\n•\tProviding clients with transportation resources may help establish the officer as a helper in the eyes of their client, building their working alliance.\r\n\r\nAre Transportation Resources an Evidence-Based Practice?\r\n•\tTransportation resources are an evidence-informed practice.\r\no\tStudies have not specifically looked at whether officer-provided transportation resources are beneficial.\r\no\tResearch has established that many people on supervision have difficulty accessing reliable transportation, and clients without access to reliable transportation experience worse supervision and personal outcomes than those with access.\r\n\r\nWhat Do People Formerly Involved in the Criminal Legal System Think About Transportation Resources?\r\n•\tPeople with lived experience in the criminal legal system (the “criminal justice” or “legal” system is referred to as the criminal legal system in this document) report that transportation resources are sometimes appropriate for all low-, medium-, and high-risk clients.\r\n\r\nCommunication That Strengthens the Officer-Client Relationship (Messaging)\r\n•\tOfficers should ask clients which locations pose transportation challenges.\r\no\tOfficers should work with clients to identify what kinds of transportation resources would be most helpful in reaching these locations.\r\n•\tIn addition to their practical benefits to the client, officers should use transportation resources to build the officer-client relationship.\r\no\tOfficers should take the opportunity to establish themselves as helpers when providing transportation resources.\r\no\tOfficers should be clear that they want the client to succeed on supervision and point out that providing transportation resources is one way the officer can help with this.\r\n \r\nSpecial Considerations When Using Transportation Resources with Subpopulations\r\n\r\nGang-Involved\tIn some cases, clients with gang-involvement may have difficulty obtaining employment if they are known as a gang member. In these cases, clients may need transportation resources to find employment elsewhere.\r\nGeneral Violence\tClients with a history of general violence may be likely to be mandated to attend anger management classes. They may need transportation resources to attend these classes, especially if the classes are not offered widely in the area.\r\nIntimate Partner Violence\tClients with a history of IPV may be likely to be mandated to attend specialized treatment programming. They may need transportation resources to attend treatment sessions, especially if the programming is not offered in the area.\r\nSerious Mental Illness\tMany clients with serious mental illness do not have driver’s licenses and may experience greater difficulty obtaining transportation than other clients.\r\nSubstance Use Disorder\tClients with substance use disorder may be especially in need of transportation resources if their license has been suspended or revoked. They may also need transportation resources to attend substance use treatment." url: "https://www.gmuace.org/appropriateness-statement-package/additional-components/transportation-resources/" updated: "2023-06-09" category: Additional Components tags: - Additional Components - Client Resources - Promising Practices --- # Transportation Resources ***Transportation Resources – the evidence is promising*** Summary of the Evidence - Transportation resources (reliable transportation to meet supervision requirements provided by the officer/supervision agency to the client) are an evidence-informed practice. - Clients without access to transportation are less likely to be able to access treatment and obtain employment, and they may be more likely to abscond. - Providing clients with transportation resources can help build and/or maintain the officer-client relationship.   What Are Transportation Resources? How Are Transportation Resources Used? What Do Supervision Staff Think About Transportation Resources? What Should You Expect When Using Transportation Resources? Special Considerations When Using Transportation Resources with Subpopulations   **Similar Topics** ## [Incentives](https://www.gmuace.org/appropriateness-statement-package/motivation-techniques/incentives/) ## [House Arrest](https://www.gmuace.org/appropriateness-statement-package/compliance-based-practices/house-arrest/) ## [Phone-Based Monitoring](https://www.gmuace.org/appropriateness-statement-package/compliance-based-practices/phone-based-monitoring/)