NCJ Number
209394
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2002 Pages: 3-13
Date Published
January 2002
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study assessed whether the Self-Appraisal Questionnaire (SAQ) can be a reliable classification tools for offenders.
Abstract
Classification systems are an important component of correctional systems; these classification systems help provide clues about recidivism risk, security risk, and offender treatment needs. The SAQ has demonstrated it can be reliably used for the prediction of violent and nonviolent recidivism; the current study assessed whether the SAQ could also be reliably used to classify offenders to different security levels, to determine offenders’ programmatic needs, and to predict offenders’ institutional adjustment. Participants were 303 offenders incarcerated throughout Ontario, Canada who volunteered to complete the SAQ. Also examined were the Offender Intake Assessment (OIA) and the Custody Rating Scale (CRS) for each participant. Results of statistical analyses indicated that the scores on the SAQ were correlated with the CRS, as well as with the risk and needs components of the OIA and the institutional adjustment measures. Thus, the SAQ can be reliably used to classify offenders to different levels of security, to assign them to appropriate programs, and to predict their adjustment to prison. Future research should focus on cross-validating the SAQ on subtypes of offenders, over time, and in different settings. Tables, references