This episode of Justice Speaks continues our series of conversations with leaders who are advancing community supervision across the nation. In this episode, we speak with Cobi Tittle, Director of the Tarrant County Community Supervision and Corrections Department in Texas and President of the National Association of Probation Executives (NAPE). This episode is sponsored by Reconnect.

Ms. Tittle shares how her journey through the ranks of community supervision shaped her belief that probation is not just about compliance, it’s about creating change. Overseeing one of the largest probation departments in Texas, she discusses the evolving mission of community supervision, the challenges of leading a complex organization, and the importance of data-driven leadership. The conversation also explores NAPE’s commitment to professional development for probation executives and the future of technology in enhancing supervision outcomes.

In the episode, Tittle describes her professional journey, from her early days in the field to her current leadership position, emphasizing how each step deepened her belief that probation is not merely a mechanism of control but a critical component of public safety. She distinguishes between pretrial supervision, where the focus is ensuring court compliance while maintaining liberty, and probation supervision, where rehabilitation and behavior change take center stage.

Ms. Tittle’s career in community supervision reflects a deep commitment to both accountability and rehabilitation. As the director of the third-largest probation department in Texas, she oversees a staff of more than 400 who manage roughly 22,000 individuals under supervision. Her department operates across both pretrial and post-conviction settings, balancing the presumption of innocence with the need for structured support and supervision once individuals are adjudicated.

As President of NAPE, Ms. Tittle has turned her attention to supporting probation executives nationwide through leadership development and peer collaboration. She explains that NAPE’s mission is to strengthen community supervision agencies by equipping their leaders with tools, data, and training to make evidence-based decisions.

Under her leadership, NAPE has expanded its partnership which  underscores her broader philosophy: that effective leadership in probation begins with understanding people, both those being supervised and those doing the supervising.

She also discusses NAPE’s growing emphasis on data literacy, noting that sound leadership depends on the ability to interpret and act on empirical evidence. For her, leadership is not about hierarchy but about modeling integrity, empathy, and accountability.

Throughout the discussion, Ms. Tittle returns repeatedly to the idea that probation officers are the justice system’s most direct link to community transformation. She frames their role as a delicate balance between enforcement and engagement, explaining that officers must hold individuals accountable while also motivating them to make lasting change.

She highlights the importance of hiring officers with both integrity and relatability, people who can build trust while maintaining professional boundaries. According to Tittle, one of the biggest challenges facing the field is over-supervision, placing excessive demands on low-risk individuals, which research shows can actually increase the likelihood of reoffending. Her department has invested heavily in risk-needs assessments and differential supervision models to ensure that resources are aligned with actual risk levels.

Looking ahead, Ms. Tittle expresses cautious optimism about the role of technology in probation. She acknowledges that innovations like artificial intelligence and predictive analytics hold promise for improving efficiency and outcomes but warns that technology must always serve the human element; not replace it.

Probation, she argues, succeeds when officers understand the story behind the data. Tools can enhance decision-making, but meaningful change still happens through relationships. She envisions a future where technology supports officers’ ability to spend more time in the field, connecting with clients, families, and communities rather than sitting behind desks managing paperwork.

The conversation also explores broader issues of criminal justice reform, where she advocates returning to probation’s original purpose; rehabilitation. She calls for increased investment in community supervision as a cost-effective alternative to incarceration, pointing out that properly funded probation departments can reduce recidivism, strengthen families, and enhance community safety.

Finally, Ms. Tittle also reflects on her own trailblazing path as the first female deputy director and later director in her department’s history, noting the importance of representation and mentorship within leadership. Her success, she says, is not only personal but symbolic of a broader shift toward inclusivity and innovation within the justice system.

We wish to thank Ms. Cobi Tittle for joining us on Justice Speaks and for sharing her experience and perspective on the changing landscape of community supervision. We also wish to thank Reconnect for sponsoring this episode of Justice Speaks.

The post Advancing Community Supervision: A Conversation with Cobi Tittle appeared first on Justice Speakers Institute.