NCJ Number
111972
Date Published
1988
Length
47 pages
Annotation
This validation of the Iowa Risk Assessment Scale on a 1982 release cohort of Colorado inmates concludes that the scale has no empirical or practical value as a tool for estimating the risk of Colorado prisoners.
Abstract
The Iowa Risk Assessment Scale was developed as a tool to be used in selecting inmates for early parole under the Iowa Emergency Release Act. The scale uses six major indicators of risk: prior violence, 'street' time, criminal history, current offense, escape, and substance abuse. The scale's validation in Colorado was based on a 1982 sample of approximately 700 inmates released from four Colorado jurisdictions. Data were collected from Department of Corrections case files. Outcome variables were the number of recidivism events, date of the first recidivism event, and the seriousnes of the recidivism event. Frequencies for the six major indicators were compared for the Colorado and Iowa samples, and bivariate analysis examined the relationship between predictors and outcome variables. The scale was not predictive of risk for this cohort. Problems identified were a low base rate outcome measure, missing data problems, and computational complexity. 14-item bibliography and Iowa Risk Assessment Scale.