jrriskassessment

The United States has not followed a coherent set of guidelines on the development and use of risk and needs assessment, and most states and counties have not tested their instruments for accuracy and fairness across race, ethnicity, and gender. In partnership with BJA, the CSG Justice Center worked with a group of 26 national experts, including researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, to develop a set of 13 practical guidelines and a suite of practical resources that advise criminal justice agencies on the use of post-conviction risk and needs assessments.

CSG Justice Center staff conducted a site visit with the Massachusetts Probation Service (MPS) in Boston, MA, from October 30â€"31 to conduct focus groups with interagency staff. The meetings on 10/30 occured at 55 Green St. in Clinton, MA 01510. During the focus groups, CSG Justice Center staff provided an extensive overview of the National Guidelines project and MPS’s TA application request to all focus group participants.

CSG Justice Center staff conducted a site visit with the NJ DOC in Trenton, NJ. During the in-person meeting, CSG Justice Center staff and NJ DOC staff discussed the WRNA validation and implementation, discussed education for community stakeholders and criminal justice partners, emphasized the importance of the examination of race and ethnicity, and identified current roadblocks and challengesâ€"both internal and external.

On September 11, 2023, CSG Justice Center staff conducted a site visit with MN DOC, MACCAC, MACPO, and Minnesota Tribal Nations, and Dr. Desmarais attended via zoom. During the in-person meeting, CSG Justice Center staff provided an extensive overview of the National Guidelines project and an in-depth analysis of the three agencies’ self-assessment tool results, and began discussing the goals, objectives, and challenges of the MN team’s TA strategy.

This presentation provided an extensive overview of the National Guidelines project, an in-depth analysis of the three agency’s application for Technical Assistance (TA) and the self-assessment tool results, and discussed the goals, objectives, and challenges of the MN team’s TA strategy.Â
Presentation delivered to MN Corrections stakeholders on September 11, 2023, describing the 13 guidelines, TA site status updates, and questions. BJA approved the presentation on September 5, 2023.

The United States has not followed a coherent set of guidelines on the development and use of risk and needs assessment, and most states and counties have not tested their tools for accuracy and fairness across race, ethnicity, and gender. With support from BJA, the CSG Justice Center developed an advisory group of 28 national experts in the field to create a set of 13 specific guidelines and a suite of practical materials that are aimed at different audiences, including criminal justice practitioners and leaders and legislators.

CSG Justice Center staff conducted a site visit with the Massachusetts Probation Service (MPS) in Boston, MA. During the in-person meeting, CSG Justice Center staff provided an extensive overview of the National Guidelines project, provided an in-depth analysis of the agency’s self-assessment tool results, and began discussing the goals, objectives, and challenges of their TA plan. In concluding the site visit, CSG Justice Center staff provided the stakeholders with action items and determined the next steps to focus on during the continuation of the TA process.

7/5: Call with Allen Godfrey (Director of Field Services, Minnesota Department of Corrections) to continue establishing objectives for TA and working group recommendations.
7/6: Call with Brian Mirasolo (Deputy Commissioner, Field Services, Massachusetts Probation Service) to finalize working group recommendations and upcoming site visit details and logistics.

In December, CSG Justice Center staff continued to socialize the guidelines and engage key partners in the field, provide technical assistance (TA) to selected states, further brainstorm outreach strategies, apply new changes to language for TA requests, review self-assessment tool submissions, develop and update presentations for APPA virtual and in-person conference sessions, and identify project next steps.?

In November, CSG Justice Center staff continued to socialize the guidelines and engage key partners in the field, provide technical assistance (TA) to selected states, further brainstorm outreach strategies, update language for TA requests, review self-assessment tool submissions, develop a one-pager for a BJA-funded event, and identify project next steps.?