---
title: Types of Contacts
description: "\tIn-Person/Face-to-Face Contacts – Evidence-based when used to deliver evidence-based interventions\r\n\tTelephone Contacts – The evidence is promising\r\n\tKiosk Reporting – The evidence is promising\r\n\r\n\r\nSummary of the Evidence\r\n\r\n•\tWhile in-person/face-to-face contacts by themselves are not evidence-based practices, they can be used to deliver evidence-based interventions (e.g., motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioral interventions).\r\no\tRemote contacts are promising but more research is needed.\r\n•\tContacts are an important way for officers to interact with and supervise clients.\r\no\tThey provide opportunities to build rapport with clients and monitor their compliance with supervision conditions.\r\n•\tThree types of contacts are most used: (1) in-person/face-to-face contacts, (2) telephone contacts, and (3) kiosk reporting.\r\n\r\n\r\nWhat Are the Types of Contacts?\r\n•\tThere are three types of contacts typically used in community supervision:\r\no\tIn-person/face-to-face contacts require the client to visit the probation office to meet with their PO.\r\no\tTelephone contacts require the client to contact the PO, respond to calls/messages from the PO, or use an automated smartphone application to check in.\r\no\tKiosk reporting requires the client to visit a kiosk (often located in courthouses, probation offices, or police stations) to check in.\r\n\r\nHow Are They Used?\r\n•\tContacts are used to check in on clients, ensure they are in compliance with supervision conditions, discuss issues they are experiencing, work on cognitive-behavioral interventions, collect probation fees, and more.\r\no\tDuring contacts, clients often answer standard questions about their activities and compliance with supervision conditions.\r\no\tRemote contacts like telephone or kiosk reporting may have the client use a biometric identification process (like a handprint of fingerprint scan) to confirm their identity.\r\n•\tKiosks may have a space for clients to pay probation fees.\r\n\r\nHow Can They Be Used to Monitor Compliance?\r\n•\tAll types of contacts require clients to report on their progress in meeting the conditions of supervision. This allows officers to determine if the client is complying with the conditions.\r\n\r\nHow Can They Be Used as a Supervision Tool?\r\n•\tIn-person/face-to-face contacts allow officers to determine if clients are complying with the conditions of their supervision (like obtaining employment or attending treatment).\r\no\tIn-person/face-to-face contacts also help officers build rapport with clients through regular interaction.\r\n•\tTelephone contacts allow officers to speak with their clients, but they do not provide the same opportunity for face-to-face interaction.\r\no\tRegular telephone contacts can help officers to establish rapport through repeated (sometimes unscheduled) check-ins.\r\no\tTelephone contacts can reinforce the officer-client relationship by showing that the officer is invested in the client’s wellbeing.\r\n•\tKiosk reporting helps officers monitor client compliance with supervision conditions, but it does not provide an opportunity for officers to build rapport with the client.\r\n\r\nWhat Are the Costs of Different Types of Contacts?\r\n•\tIn-person/face-to-face contacts are time- and resource-intensive as they require officers to spend time meeting with clients.\r\n•\tTelephone contacts require less time and resources than face-to-face contacts since officers can perform them quickly.\r\n•\tKiosk reporting costs vary widely from department to department. They may require substantial up-front costs to set up. But because they do not require officers to contact clients directly, they can be less time- and resource-intensive than face-to-face contacts.\r\n\r\nWhat Do Supervision Staff Think About Types of Contacts?\r\n•\tFor low-risk clients:\r\no\tIn-person/face-to-face contacts are sometimes appropriate for all clients.\r\no\tTelephone contacts are sometimes appropriate for all clients.\r\no\tKiosk reporting is sometimes appropriate for all clients, except those with a SUD and several additional criminogenic needs.\r\n•\tFor medium- and high-risk clients:\r\no\tIn-person/face-to-face contacts are always appropriate for all clients.\r\no\tTelephone contacts are sometimes appropriate for all clients.\r\no\tKiosk reporting is never appropriate for all clients except for those convicted of intimate partner violence (IPV) and those with severe mental illness (SMI), for whom it is sometimes appropriate.\r\n\r\nWhat Should You Expect When Using Types of Contacts?\r\nClient Outcomes\r\n•\tContacts help build rapport between officer and client, which is an evidence-based way to promote client compliance with supervision conditions.\r\n•\tContacts help officers determine client compliance and serve as an accountability check.\r\n•\tContacts can help clients improve the quality of their life by encouraging and holding them accountable, which can help reduce drug use and stress.\r\n\r\nWhich Contacts Are Evidence-Based Practices?\r\n•\tWhile in-person/face-to-face contacts by themselves are not an evidence-based practice, they involve a wide variety of activities, some of which (e.g., motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioral interventions) are evidence-based practices.\r\no\tAdditionally, the rapport that can be built between officer and client during in-person contacts has been shown to lead to improved supervision outcomes and increase client compliance.\r\n•\tThe research evidence for telephone contacts is promising, but more studies are needed to establish it as an evidence-based practice.\r\no\tRecent evaluations show that telephone contacts are effective in reducing client drug use and stress.\r\no\tOther evaluations have found that officers are not able to build rapport with clients as effectively with telephone contacts as with face-to-face contacts.\r\n•\tKiosk reporting is not an evidence-based practice due to lack of studies, although preliminary evidence is promising.\r\no\tEvaluations find that clients assigned to kiosk reporting are not rearrested or sanctioned more than clients assigned to face-to-face contacts.\r\no\tKiosk reporting shifts resources away from low-risk clients and toward medium- and high-risk clients.\r\n•\tOverall, evidence indicates that remote contacts (telephone contacts and kiosk reporting) are cost-effective and do not lead to higher client recidivism/violation, but they may increase racial bias in supervision outcomes.\r\no\tBlack clients are less likely to be assigned to remote contacts than White clients. \r\no\tWhen assigned to remote contacts, Black clients are more likely to receive technical violations than White clients for similar behaviors.\r\n\r\nWhat Do People Formerly Involved in the Criminal Legal System Think About Types of Contacts (the “criminal justice” or “legal” system is referred to as the criminal legal system in this document)?\r\n•\tFor low-risk clients:\r\no\tIn-person/face-to-face contacts are never appropriate for gang-involved clients or those convicted of IPV. They are sometimes appropriate for all other clients.\r\no\tTelephone contacts are sometimes appropriate for all clients.\r\no\tKiosk reporting is never appropriate for clients convicted of IPV and those with an SUD and one, two, or three additional criminogenic needs.\r\n•\tFor medium- and high-risk clients:\r\no\tIn-person/face-to-face contacts are sometimes appropriate for all clients.\r\no\tTelephone contacts are sometimes appropriate for all clients.\r\no\tKiosk reporting is sometimes appropriate for all clients.\r\n\r\nCommunication That Strengthens the Officer-Client Relationship (Messaging)\r\n•\tOfficers should be aware that contacts can severely disrupt a client’s life and schedule.\r\no\tIn-person/face-to-face contacts require clients to visit the probation office, which may be located far from their home or workplace.\r\no\tTelephone contacts (especially when unscheduled) may require the client to drop what they are doing to respond to the officer.\r\no\tKiosk reporting requires clients to visit a kiosk, usually located at probation offices, police stations, and courthouses. These locations can require the client to travel far out of their way.\r\n•\tOfficers should acknowledge that contacts can interfere with a client’s personal and professional life, and that they may make it more difficult for them to comply with the conditions of supervision.\r\no\tOfficers should work with clients to schedule contacts at times that will minimally disrupt the client’s schedule.\r\no\tIf the client lives far from the probation office or kiosk locations, officers should use face-to-face contacts and kiosk reporting only when necessary.\r\n\tOfficers should consider using telephone contacts more often in these cases.\r\n•\tOfficers should make it clear that contacts are not just a way to monitor client compliance; they are a way to check in with clients and make sure they are doing alright.\r\n•\tOfficers should use face-to-face and telephone contacts as an opportunity to interact with the client and build rapport.\r\n\r\nSpecial Considerations Using Different Types of Contacts with Subpopulations\r\n\r\nGang-Involved\tSame as the general population\r\nGeneral Violence\tSame as the general population\r\nIntimate Partner Violence\tIf the officer can ensure that clients convicted of intimate partner violence do not have inappropriate contact with their victim(s), there are no significant concerns with kiosk reporting or telephone contacts.\r\nSerious Mental Illness\tSome clients with serious mental illness may experience periodic psychosis or other conditions that make it difficult for them to check in using technology (e.g., kiosk reporting).\r\nSubstance Use Disorder\tMany officers are concerned that clients with substance use disorder will have greater ability to use narcotics if they do not meet face-to-face. When feasible, kiosk or telephone contacts should be mixed with face-to-face contacts for these clients."
url: "https://www.gmuace.org/appropriateness-statement-package/contacts/types-of-contacts/"
updated: "2023-06-14"
category: Contacts
tags:
  - Contacts
  - Working Alliance
---

# Types of Contacts

***In-Person/Face-to-Face Contacts – Evidence-based when used to deliver evidence-based interventions******Telephone Contacts – The evidence is promising
 Kiosk Reporting – The evidence is promising***

 

Summary of the Evidence

- While in-person/face-to-face contacts by themselves are not evidence-based practices, they can be used to deliver evidence-based interventions (e.g., motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioral interventions).
  - Remote contacts are promising but more research is needed.
- Contacts are an important way for officers to interact with and supervise clients.
  - They provide opportunities to build rapport with clients and monitor their compliance with supervision conditions.
- Three types of contacts are most used: (1) in-person/face-to-face contacts, (2) telephone contacts, and (3) kiosk reporting.

 

What Are the Types of Contacts?

How Are They Used?

What Do Supervision Staff Think About Types of Contacts?

What Should You Expect When Using Types of Contacts?

Special Considerations Using Different Types of Contacts with Subpopulations

 

**Similar Topics**

## [Frequency of Contact](https://www.gmuace.org/appropriateness-statement-package/contacts/frequency-of-contact/)

## [Prosocial Modeling](https://www.gmuace.org/appropriateness-statement-package/motivation-techniques/prosocial-modeling/)

## [Section III: Building the Working Alliance](https://www.gmuace.org/appropriateness-statement-package/introduction/section-iii-building-the-working-alliance/)