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Beyond Risk and Needs Assessments

NCJ Number
248113
Author(s)
Winnie Ore; Chris Baird
Date Published
March 2014
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This paper describes a comprehensive approach to offender assessment that was developed by the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) in order to identify offenders at high risk of reoffending; the offender's needs that underlie his/her criminal behavior; and treatment methods that reflect the offender's learning style, motivation, capacities, and circumstances.
Abstract
This assessment instrument was originally embedded in the Client Management Classification (CMC) system and Strategies for Juvenile Supervision (SIS) assessment and supervision systems. It is currently embedded in the Correctional Assessment and Intervention System (CMS) and Juvenile Assessment and Intervention System (JAIS). These components of CAIS and JAIS were developed by psychologists with input from both line workers and research staff. Evaluation outcomes from six separate studies have shown that this methodology significantly reduces recidivism for both probationers and parolees, and it also reduces infractions in institutional settings. This paper summarizes results from these studies, which were conducted by different research teams in various jurisdictions over a 25-year period. The NCCD is committed to making this assessment system accessible to as many agencies as possible. It has streamlined training, designed cost-effective computer applications, and it provides technical-assistance support at a low cost. 3 tables, 2 figures, and 8 references