Evidence-based assessment tools proven to promote positive change for everyone in Pennsylvania.
Assessment instruments are a key tool in helping justice systems improve decision-making and outcomes, at every touchpoint, because they provide data-driven predictions of the likelihood of certain behaviors.
Utilizing evidence-based assessments, justice professionals are better able to:
● Determine how much and what type of intervention a person requires
● Manage available resources and identify services offered to improve outcomes
● Counteract bias (race, gender, or other individual factors) and promote fairness
● Ensure positive change is possible for everyone in Pennsylvania
Risk, need, and specialized assessments each have their purpose in guiding justice professionals, promoting public safety, supporting victims of crimes, and improving outcomes for individuals involved in the justice system.
Reassessments, at regular intervals and when a person’s situation changes, are equally important to initial assessments. Reassessments can guide supervision and program adjustments as well as help determine whether current interventions are effectively leading to behavior change and positive outcomes.
Webinar: "Improving our efficiency and effectiveness through the use of risk/needs assessments"
Assessment webinar: The Pennsylvania Partnership for Criminal Justice Improvement (PPCJI) in conjunction with the County Chief Adult Probation and Parole Officers Association is pleased to invite you to join a webinar entitled: "Improving our efficiency and effectiveness through the use of risk/needs assessments"
Date/Time: February 28, 2023, from 12:00 p.m -1:00 p.m.
Description: Risk assessments can provide a road map for jurisdictions in developing strategies to increase community safety. These tools can aid in moving away from a “one size fits all” model of supervision to a tailored individualized approach. Risk assessments, when done with fidelity, provide a framework to determine appropriate “dosage of supervision” as well as specific tools and interventions to decrease recidivism.
Pre-Registration is not required. You can simply join the webinar by using the Zoom link below. Please share this information with your staff and other county stakeholders who may benefit from joining this webinar. This webinar will be recorded and posted on the Chiefs Association's website along with other EBP Stakeholder resources.
Positive change requires ongoing evidenced-based approaches. Inter-rater reliability—the practice of measuring how consistently different raters (practitioners) score the same individual using an assessment instrument—allows agencies to monitor for deviations in scoring and provide opportunities for correction.
Inter-rater reliability is a tool that has been proven effective in science, statistics, and medical fields for years. With proper training and implementation, an inter-rater reliability study is an effective tool for justice professionals because it enhances the ability to consistently predict the likelihood of future behaviors, efficiently deploy resources based on needs, and improve outcomes for people involved in the justice system.
To learn more about inter-rater reliability and how you can incorporate it into your justice reform efforts, review the Inter-rater Reliability of Risk and Needs Instruments.
Statewide Assessment Standardization
Routine and effective use of actuarial assessments can be enhanced by adopting and implementing one evidence-based assessment instrument, utilized statewide, that is widely recognized as effective and user-friendly.
The Evidence Based Practices Committee of the County Chief Adult Probation and Parole Officers Association of Pennsylvania (CCAPPOAP) strongly encourages all counties to consider adopting the ORAS.
Probation and parole advantages to a universal, statewide assessment tool include:
● Lower assessment use costs
● Greater consistency and less duplication
● Improved data comparison
● Conversion to a universal case plan
The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency is conducting a validation study, which will further support the statewide use of ORAS. There are no costs to use the ORAS; however, there are one-time training costs to ensure staff use the tool to fidelity.
Positive change is possible in Pennsylvania through “the routine and effective use of actuarial assessments for purposes of pretrial and post-conviction placement and supervision, and programming.” —Evidence Based Practices Committee
Avert Racial Bias and Focus on Needs
Statistically and historically, Black Americans experience disparities in arrests, specifically, drug arrests. Prior drug arrests and criminal history are predictors utilized in assessments to determine risk, which automatically puts Black Americans and other people of color at a disadvantage.
Recognizing there are ‘baked-in’ disparities in some of the risk assessment tools we use, because of the significantly higher arrest rates of people of color, justice professionals have a responsibility to use assessments to augment, not replace, decision making. Additionally, justice professionals should simultaneously focus on needs assessments and responsivity when determining meaningful and feasible interventions and services that will change the behavior of someone who is assessed to have a greater likelihood to reoffend.
Recently, Pennsylvania justice professionals participated in a web discussion focused on racial bias in assessment tools and shared tips for avoiding, reducing, and offsetting that bias to improve outcomes for all individuals who interact with the justice system.
Positive change is possible for everyone in Pennsylvania. We look forward to continuing to enhance your EBP knowledge and invite you to submit education/resource requests to askppcji@gmail.com.
