Risk/Needs Assessment

Within the Criminal Justice System

History of Risk/Needs Assessments in Criminal Justice

• 1840’s Boston shoemaker-John Augustus (Father of Probation)

• “Object of the law is to reform criminals and prevent crime, and not to punish maliciously or from a spirit of revenge.”

• Gathered background information about an offender’s life and criminal history.

History (cont.)

• If determined worthy, would provide bail money out of his own pocket (Risk).

• Would assist in finding employment and housing (Needs).

• Appear at sentencing with a detailed report to the Judge on the person’s performance.

• Make recommendations for sentence.

Presentence reports

• Probation developed and was tasked with completing presentence reports for the Court.

• Information included: offense details, prior criminal history, personal and family data, offender characteristics, an assessment and recommendation for sentence.

• Useful information, but not a validated risk/needs assessment.

Modern Risk/Needs assessment

• Development of actuarial risk assessment scales (1980’s)

• Better at predicting criminal behavior than professional judgment.

• Evidence based practices: Risk-Need- Responsivity (Andrews & Bonta 1990’s)

Risk Principle

• Identify high risk offenders using a valid/reliable actuarial based instrument.

• Target higher risk offenders for more intensive treatment, services, and supervision.

• Avoid including lower risk offenders in high intensity programs; may increase their risk for failure.

Risk Assessment

• Use actuarial methods to assess dynamic and static risk factors.

• Dynamic risk factors should be linked to an individualized case plan.

• Risk assessments should be used as an ongoing measure of success and failure.

Needs Principle

• Identify and target crimogenic needs (dynamic risk factors)

• Attitudes, values, beliefs (Cognitions)• Peer associations• Personality• Education/Employment• Substance abuse

Responsivity

• Best rehabilitative interventions based on Cognitive Behavioral model

• Manualized programs (i.e.: MRT, T4C, etc.)• Skills Training• Homework requiring application of new skills• Individualized• Collaborative relationship

Assessment Time Frames

• Pretrial Risk Assessment: determine risk of flight or harm on release.

• Presentence Risk Assessment: determine appropriate conditions of probation/ supervised release.

• Post Conviction Risk Assessment: identify crimogenic needs to develop individualized case plan.

Supervision Tracks based on Risk/Needs assessment

High Need/High Risk•Court status calendar•Substance abuse treatment•Cognitive Behavioral Programs•Focus consequences on treatment and supervision

High Need/Low Risk•Noncompliance calendar•Substance abuse treatment•Cognitive Behavioral Programs•Focus consequences on treatment

Low Need/High Risk•Court status calendar•Cognitive Behavioral Programs•Focus on consequences on abstinence and supervision

Marlowe, D. B. (2009)

Low Need/Low Risk•Noncompliance calendar•Prevention services•Focus consequences on abstinence