Risk-Needs-Assessment

Criminal history is a well-established predictor of future offending, yet recidivism risk declines with time. Research has struggled to reconcile this tension as criminal history is often treated as a static indicator of risk, while desistance is commonly inferred rather than directly modeled. Using a five-state population of criminal charges spanning forty years (N = 16,594,838; person-year observations = 746,396,524), we model recidivism prediction decay following a prior charge.

Using data from 131,899 assessments conducted in Minnesota between 2012 and 2022, along with qualitative input from probation staff across 43 agencies, this study evaluated the LS/CMI’s usability, reliability, predictive validity, and functionality.

The Risk-Needs-Responsivity (RNR) model posits separating lower from higher-risk individuals to avoid risk contamination.

Validation of Nebraska’s juvenile detention screening instrument: the Nebraska Intake Risk Assessment Instrument (RAI).

Using 111,731 reentrants assessed via the Static Risk Offender Needs Guide–Revised (STRONG-R), we redesigned the needs assessment and establish construct validity via exploratory, confirmatory, multi-group confirmatory factor analysis, correlation, receiver operating characteristics, and regression techniques.

Risk-needs assessments (RNAs) assist correctional staff in assigning supervision and programming.

Risk-needs assessments (RNAs) are an evidence-based practice used by practitioners to assign supervision and programming.

Used to reduce detention, bail/bond, and jail, pretrial risk assessments (PRAs) applications have expanded in the last decade.

Personal, behavioral, and environmental risk factors are correlated to varying degrees with each other and with the overall likelihood of violent reinjury.

In the assessment world, risk determines “who” to treat and needs determine “what” (Bonta & Andrews, 2016).