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Offender Risk Assessment The Assessment Essay

(Van Voorhis, 2004) the presence of a dynamic risk factor tells us what we can do to reduce the offender's risk. For example, if an offender presents with the dynamic risk factor of unemployment, efforts can be made to assist him in finding employment. Bonta (August 2002) discusses the need to continue to utilize the more accurate and reliable actuarial approaches to risk management in order to assess risk factors and determine criminogenic needs. He relays his professional dismay that correctional psychologists are using specific tests in their work that cannot be considered actuarial measures, meaning they are not "structured, quantitative, and empirically linked to a relevant criterion." (Bonta, August 2002) Van Voorhis et. al. (January 28, 2008) discusses the issues of developing gender-appropriate risk assessments for female offenders. They state that the current instruments are based on standards that were originally developed for men and then applied to women with absolutely no concern for whether or not they were valid or appropriate. This is a factor that also needs to be considered in the development and utilization of risk-needs assessments.

Bonta (2002) goes on to report the three actuarial risk scales that accurately predict recidivism:...

He reiterates the way to determine whether or not these particular assessments are working is to have different correctional staff administer them on separate occasions to the same offenders and see if the results are consistent; a consistency level of 80% or more indicates a valid instrument. Another method of determining validity is to monitor specific offenders to check their predictive scores with recidivism. If the offenders who are being assessed as medium or maximum risk are not re-offending, we know that the instrument used to assess them was not valid.
Bibliography

Bonta, James. (August 2002) Offender Risk Assessment: Guidelines for Selection and Use. Criminal Justice and Behavior. Vol. 29, No. 4, pp. 355-279.

Van Voorhis, Patricia. (2004) an Overview of Offender Classification Systems. Correctional counseling and Rehabilitation. 5th Edition, Chapter 7.

Van Voorhis, P., Salisbury, E., Wright, E., and Bauman, a. (January 28, 2008) Achieving Accurate Pictures of Risk and Identifying Gender Responsive Needs: Two New Assessments for Women Offenders. Criminal Justice Research…

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Bibliography

Bonta, James. (August 2002) Offender Risk Assessment: Guidelines for Selection and Use. Criminal Justice and Behavior. Vol. 29, No. 4, pp. 355-279.

Van Voorhis, Patricia. (2004) an Overview of Offender Classification Systems. Correctional counseling and Rehabilitation. 5th Edition, Chapter 7.

Van Voorhis, P., Salisbury, E., Wright, E., and Bauman, a. (January 28, 2008) Achieving Accurate Pictures of Risk and Identifying Gender Responsive Needs: Two New Assessments for Women Offenders. Criminal Justice Research Center. Cincinnati, OH: University of Cincinnati.
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