Needs assessment: risk, desistance and engagement
In our latest Academic Insights paper, Kevin Wong and Rachel Horan consider the potential for improvements to assessment processes. The possibilities from integrating Risk-Needs-Responsivity and desistance principles are highlighted, while stressing that it is essential for such integration to provide additionality and avoid dilution (which should be subject to testing). Attention is then given to the role that assessment can play in building positive relationships and facilitating effective engagement.
"It matters how each agency undertakes assessment and engagement. The assessment process, which occurs at the start or soon after an individual’s involvement with an agency, serves a purpose that goes beyond just finding out what support an individual may require and what risks need to be considered. In the ‘it takes two to tango’ process of engagement, it offers an opportunity for co-production, the demonstration of care, and the starting point for building a relationship."
The paper can be accessed via the link below.
Former prison officer, hostage negotiator, investment banker & business owner, fighting retirement.
3 年Probation and offender management need proper resources, following the disastrous efforts of the last few years to cut funding/corners. Unless you take this seriously we will never address the core issues of re-offending and giving those people a chance who want support and help to change.
Prison consultant and expert witness
3 年Interesting and thought provoking piece of work. It doesn’t however tackle a crucial issue at a time when probation resources will be under great pressure. Complex assessment systems like OASys are very time consuming to complete. Initial assessments and regular reviews to keep the assessment up to date uses up a high proportion of the available staff time. This risks leaving very limited spare resource both for specific interventions, and for making the sort of helpful relationships required to support desistance. A medical analogy would be spending so much of the NHS’s money on a thorough and comprehensive process of diagnosis that there was not enough left to fund the treatments required. If resources for Probation remain in short supply there may be a good case for adopting a less time consuming assessment process than OASys
Always moving forward
3 年Alongside 'engagement' I'd like to see 'connecting', something just as important. Coincidentally, similar to what LinkedIn is all about. We first connect with people, then we engage.
Because everybody deserves access to the help they need.
3 年Robin Moore we built the Make Time Count Today platform in collaboration with London CRC. I think it would suport the efforts you describe here. Would be good to discuss
Already forwarding this article to others in my networks Robin Moore. Navigating the intersection between the RNR framework and the Desistance paradigm will be the challenge for 21st century Change Agents. My thanks!