NCJ Number
189221
Journal
Forum on Corrections Research Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2001 Pages: 14-17
Date Published
January 2001
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article reviews the principles of classification for effective correctional treatment as developed by Andrews and Bonta and examines some key elements of the assessment and intervention process in Canadian corrections.
Abstract
A wealth of literature has shown that actuarial prediction tools consistently outperform prediction methods that rely exclusively on clinical assessments. Andrews and Bonta argue, however, that correctional staff should use actuarial information provided by the application of the risk, need, and responsivity principles in an informed and sensitive way. Although they are efficient, empirical tools are still subject to error. Carefully using professional judgment to override objective results in exceptional cases can improve the accuracy of assessments; this principle applies to all situations where clinical and objective assessments are used jointly. The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) recognizes the need for a structured approach to offender assessment and intervention. The critical function of the correctional plan is to link these two activities. The CSC does this through offender intake assessment, the rating of risk level based on static factors, the identification and analysis of dynamic factors, the rating of reintegration potential, and the development of a written correctional plan for each offender. The correctional plan is a strategic map that defines the best professional opinion on how the agency intends to manage the offender's sentence and what expectations the agency has for the offender. It includes long-term, time-referenced goals, program requirements and their sequence, offender-specific supervision techniques, and behavioral indicators related to the offender's crime cycle. The correctional plan is the foundation upon which release is predicted and often the basis upon which discretionary release is supported or denied. The CSC has made considerable progress in incorporating static and dynamic risk assessment into the development of correctional plans in a manner that respects proven risk and need principles. 18 notes