Risk Assessment for Offender

Applying LS/CMI in Hong Kong

SRACP experience

by C.F. Li (SRACP)

Overview

1. Introduction of Service / Case Management Inventory

RNR principles General Risk / Need Factors (Central Eight Criminogenic

Needs ) Specific Risk / Need Factors Other Client Issues (Social, Health & Mental Health) Special Responsivity Considerations

2. SRACP Experiences

Applying LS/CMI to Offender Rehabilitation Services

- Training

- Preparations

- ImplementationPreliminary findings of 1000 + assessmentsFeedback from Users

Introduction to LS/CMI

History of Offender Risk Assessment

1st generation : Clinical Assessment

2nd generation : Static Risk Assessment

3rd generation : Integrated Risk and Need

4th generation : Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (LS/CMI) by Andrews, Bonta, & Wormith (2004)

Some Features of LS/CMI :

1. Easy to complete and score

2. Can be used in all forensic settings (e.g. prisons, probation, aftercare rehabilitation)

3. Can be used in different disciplines and officials, (e.g. correctional officers, probation offers, psychologists, social workers, psychiatrist, criminologists, etc.)

4. Has a complete case management system

5. Has a very large normative sample (Over 130,000 of adult offenders from North America)

6. Excellent reliability and validity

RNR Principles

RiskNeedResponsivity

Risk Principle

The level of service should vary with level of risk High risk cases have high probability for recidivism, and

vice versa Over treatment may actually increase risk of recidivism (e.g.

through increased association with high risk offenders) Match level of treatment to level of risk i.e. Devote time, energy and resources to risky cases Higher risk level, more services with higher intensity

Need Principle

Target treatment interventions toward reducing major dynamic risk factors and/or enhancing major protective / strength factors

i.e. Match service interventions to criminogenic needs Beginning with higher risk / need factors Stress on more intrinsic risk / needs

Responsivity Principle

Match treatment mode to offender characteristics

2 types of Responsivity General Responsivity – refer to general approaches, e.g.

Behavioural model, Cognitive Behavioural techniques

Specific Responsivity – refers to personal characteristics, e.g. personality, ability, motivation, age, gender, race, language, various barriers, etc

Tailor treatment to the individual abilities, style, culture and personality

Section 1 : General Risk / Need Factors

Central Eight 43 items for 8 subcomponents Score and Profile Total score indicate probability of recidivism from Very Low

Risk to Very High Risk Provide direction and priority of intervention Strength / Protective factors of the Offender

Score and Profile

Central Eight – criminogenic needs

1. Criminal History

2. Education / Employment

3. Family / Marital

4. Leisure / recreation

5. Companions

6. Alcohol / Drug Problem

7. Pro criminal Attitude / Orientation

8. Antisocial Pattern

Section 1.1 - Criminal History

The best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour Includes:

- Frequency of behaviour

- Onset under 16 years old at first arrest or charge

- Seriousness – any incarceration

- Behaviour during treatment

Section 1.2 - Education / Employment

Involvement and commitment to the social institutions of education and employment

Frequent job changes Never employed for over 12 months continuously Achievement in school Suspension or expulsion

Section 1.3 - Family / Marital

As interpersonal sources of reward for prosocial behavior and costs for criminal behavior

Models, supports Satisfaction, rewarding familial / marital relationships

Section 1.4 - Leisure / Recreation

Substantial free time outside of work and school How does individual occupy his/her free time? Organized, structured activities Good use of time? Prosocial activities

Section 1.5 - Companions

Friends – spends time with, opinions valued, provide help when needed, etc

Acquaintance – not close friends Influence attitude, behaviour Models of behaviour One of single best predictors of criminal behaviour

Section 1.6 - Alcohol / Drug Problem

One of the most common criminogenic need areas targeted by treatment programs

Interferes with prosocial behaviour and interactions, relationships with others

Focus on the abuse (rather than substance related offences) Focus on current use (Status)

Section 1.7 - Procriminal Attitude / Orientation

What and how a person thinks and feels about violating laws or alternatives

Attitudes supportive of crime (e.g. usefulness of crime) Negative attitudes towards convention (alternatives to crime) Attitude towards sentence / offence Attitude towards supervision / treatment

Section 1.8 - Antisocial Pattern

General personality and behavioural patterns Diversity and early onset of antisocial behaviour Assaultative or violent behaviour Escapes, breach of probation / release conditions Pattern of generalize trouble

Section 2 – 5

Section 2 : Specific Risk / Needs

Section 3 : Prison Experience – Institutional Factors

Section 4 : Other Client Issues

Section 5 : Special Responsivity Considerations

No score is assigned to these sections Used in case management planning and in consideration

of override decisions

Section 2 ： Specific Risk / Need Factors

2.1 : Personal Problems with Criminogenic Potential

- Diagnosis of psychopathy or other personality disorder

- Emotion (Anger) management deficits

- Problem solving / self management skill deficits

- Poor social skills

2.2 : History of Perpetration

- History of sexual / physical assault

- Other violence

- Other antisocial behaviour

Section 3 ： Prison Experience – Institutional Factors

Items mainly for Corrections officials

3.1 : History of Incarceration

- previous classification, current security needs, misconducts

3.2 : Barriers to release

- notoriety of offence, lack of community support

Section 4 : Other Client Issues

Social, Health & Mental Health

Noncriminogenic needs

- Physical disability, learning disability, homeless, financial problem, mental disorder, depression, suicide attempts, victim of family violence, etc

Factors contribute to overall well being of offender May not reduce risk level

Section 5 : Special Responsivity Considerations

Responsivity factors reflect differences in learning styles and /

or personal interests Factors are not to be interpreted as risk, need, or problematic

characteristics

- Cultural issues, gender- specific issues, ethnicity issues, low intelligence, communication barriers, mental disorder, antisocial personality, etc

The best treatment program may be completely ineffective if it is delivered in wrong style / direction

Section 6 : Risk Summary and Override

Examples of override Low score in section 1, but crime was a serious one, may

increase risk level High score in section 1, but has many strengths, may decrease

risk level

Policy based decision

- some jurisdictions / criminal justice agencies may have internal policies that certain types of offenders must be declared a particular risk level, e.g. sexual offenders

Section 7 : Risk / Need Profile

Section 8 : Program / Placement Decision

Institutional Offenders Community Offenders Aftercare / Rehabilitation recommendation Presentence Report

Section 9 - 11 : Case Management Protocol

Built-in case management protocol to the assessment Intervention and goals are based on result of sections 1-5

Section 9 : Identify program targets and develop of case plan Section 10 : Monitor intervention and record progress Section 11 : Summarize results, Discharge summary

Section 9 : Case Management Plan

9.2.1 Criminogennic Needs

CriminogenicNeeds

Goal Intervention Time Frame

1. Alcohol abuse Abstinence of alcohol

Attend alcoholic treatment program

12 months

2. Leisure / Recreation

Participate in structured activities

Join a football team

6 months

3.

4.

Section 9 : Case Management Plan

9.2.2. Other client Non-Criminogennic Needs Requiring Attention

Other Needs Goal Intervention Time Frame

1. Victim of family violence

Accept personal history

Victim counselling 12 months

2.

3.

Section 9 : Case Management Plan

9.2.3. Special Responsivity Considerations

Responsivity Issue Proposed Approach to Address Issue

1. Lack of Motivation Motivational interviewing

2. Denial / minimization Challenge client by reviewing history on many fronts (drinking, relationships, family, marital)

Section 10 : Progress Record

10.1. Criminogenic Needs

Section 10 : Progress Record

10.2. Other Client Non-Criminogenic Needs

Section 11 : Discharge Summary

Applying LS/CMI

SRACP Experience

Training

Social workers attended training conducted by Professor Stephen Wormith in November 2009

10 social workers qualified as trainers and 27 as qualified users

Second batch training in March, 2010 by SRACP trainer 15 more social workers (and 1 CP) qualified as users

Preparation and Implementation

Working group formed Test run in April – June 2010 Quality Assurance Exercise Revision of current Workflow and Procedure Full implementation in July 2010 Evaluate and collect feedback from LS/CMI users in March,

2011

Observation / Preliminary Findings

Until March 31, 2011, 1092 assessments conducted successfully

Scored from 2 to 37 Average score = 22.58 (High Risk)

Overall Risk / Need Level

Nearly 60% of cases are High risk or above

Very Low Risk Low Medium High Very High

Less than 1 % 5% 27% 49% 18%

Most Concerned Criminogenic factors

(High risk / need level or above)

1. Leisure and Recreation (82.5%)

2. Employment and Education (77.7%)

3. Companions (59.5%)

4. Alcohol / Drug Problem (36.9%)

Feedbacks from Social Worker

Helps to understand needs of client Helps to prioritize client’s needs Helps to formulate intervention plan Helps to Evaluate client’s rehabilitation progress Common language to communicate with colleagues

Future Works

ValidationTranslation of Chinese VersionTreatment program development

~ The End ~

Thank You