Karianne Wolfer has served as the Director of Correctional Practices for the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (ND DOCR) since 2008. Wolfer’s professional goal is to help people in prison become better neighbors rather than making them better prisoners. She holds a Master of Arts Degree in Forensic Psychology and contracts with correctional agencies across the country. She interprets, trains, and implements the ‘what works’ principles of reducing recidivism to all levels of correctional staff from directors to counselors, probation officers to correctional officers and every position in between. The objective is to make rehabilitation the focal point of the DOCR, rather than being the second string to punishment.
Having recently had the opportunity learn about more humane and effective approaches to rehabilitation while in Norway, Ms. Wolfer strives to implement the universal concepts of respect and humanity at the ND DOCR and any correctional agency who will let her in the door. Her experience includes training and implementing Motivational Interviewing, Core Correctional Practices, Cognitive Behavioral Interventions, behavior modification programs, Effective Practices in Community Supervision, gender responsive curriculum development, the redesigning of restrictive housing units, and evidence based treatment programs. She also evaluates correctional program effectiveness from prison settings to community corrections and thoroughly enjoys working directly with both the people who work in and live in/report to correctional facilities on a daily basis.