Staff characteristics that affect the way in which staff and inmates interact include interpersonal sensitivity, awareness of social rules, empathy, and verbal skills. Structured, cognitive behavioral treatment seems to be more effective in working with offenders than nonbehavioral, relationship-oriented approaches. Responsivity factors that are prevalent within inmate populations include poor social skills, inadequate problem-solving skills, concrete-oriented thinking, and poor verbal skills. Many responsivity factors found among offenders also function as risk factors; for example, a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder or psychopathy integrates questions of risk, criminogenic needs, and responsivity. 1 figure, 1 table, and 8 notes