NCJ Number
241838
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 76 Issue: 3 Dated: December 2012 Pages: 11-21
Date Published
December 2012
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This article argues that "evidence-based practices in the field of corrections recognize the data points but has been missing the person."
Abstract
There is little doubt that evidence-based practice (EBP) has penetrated the professional practice of corrections, both in the community and institutionally. The research highlighted in this article demonstrates the futility of punishment by itself if long-term behavioral change is the goal; however, two general changes must be made before the field can realize the promise of EBP. First, practitioners should improve the quality of what they are currently doing under the EBP umbrella. Second, practitioners must add skills and practices to their professional resources. This article focuses on the details for implementing the second recommendation. This article calls for a re-examination of the case plan, its purpose, and its implementation. Case planning must become more individualized. Under current practice, case plans use existing/archival information from the offender's files, as well as current, relevant, and dynamic information based on actuarial risk/need assessment; however, too often the assessment process relies too much on only one comprehensive risk/need assessment, which may ignore the domain of "responsivity." Agencies should no longer be satisfied with the use of one comprehensive risk/need tool, but should instead treat that tool as a starting point in a "graduated assessment process." Specifically, processes should allow for additional valid assessment tools that delve deeper into specific criminogenic domains once they are identified by using the first global "triage" assessment. This additional assessment information lays the foundation for individualizing the case planning process. The case plan should become a "living document" that records and responds to offender change in the course of supervision and programming. This ongoing assessment of client progress will facilitate tailoring treatment and supervision to the progress or the ineffectiveness of current case plans. 87 references