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Applying Risk/Need Assessment to Probation Practice and its Impact on the Recidivism of Young Offenders

NCJ Number
237397
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 38 Issue: 12 Dated: December 2011 Pages: 1177-1199
Author(s)
Duyen Luong; J. Stephen Wormith
Date Published
December 2011
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This study investigated whether risk/need assessment is linked to the case management of young offenders.
Abstract
Evaluating the extent to which case management practices are guided by risk/need assessment is important because the impact of the assessment process will not be realized if the instrument is not applied as fully intended. This study investigated whether risk/need assessment is linked to the case management of young offenders and whether adherence to the principles of risk, need, and responsivity, as part of the case management plan, is related to recidivism. Data were collected on a sample of 192 young offenders. The Level of Service Inventory-Saskatchewan Youth Edition (LSI-SK) total score and seven of the eight subscale scores were positively correlated with recidivism. Generally, the LSI-SK was used to inform supervision intensity and interventions toward criminogenic needs. Moreover, adherence to the need principle was associated with reductions in recidivism. Implications for case management and direction for future research are discussed. (Published Abstract)