Thedisconnectbetweenassessmentandinterventionintheriskmanagementofcriminaloffenders.docVIP

The Disconnect Between Assessment and Intervention In the Risk Management of Criminal Offenders Authors: David DeMatteo, Elizabeth Hunt, Ashley Batastini, Casey LaDuke David DeMatteo, J.D., Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Email: dsd25@drexel.edu (Corresponding author) Elizabeth Hunt, B.S., Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Ashley Batastini, B.S., Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Casey LaDuke, B.A., Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Abstract: Although research suggests that risk/needs assessment and intervention models may be effective in reducing recidivism, there is emerging evidence that risk management interventions commonly used with various groups of offenders are not based on a proper assessment of offenders’ criminogenic needs. In this paper, we examine the apparent disconnect between assessment and treatment among various groups of offenders, including sex, juvenile, mentally ill, drug-involved, and female. As will be discussed, research in these areas suggests that interventions commonly used with these specific groups of offenders may not be targeting appropriate criminogenic needs, which may be attenuating the effectiveness of the provided interventions. Keywords: risk assessment, criminal offenders, risk management, recidivism, risk/needs interventions. Criminal recidivism remains a serious concern in the United States. Among offenders released from correctional institutions, more than 65% are re-arrested within three years (Langan Levin, 2002), and in 2007 alone 16% of those parolees deemed “at-risk” were re-incarcerated (Glaze Bonczar, 2009). The recidivism rates for specific types of offenders are even higher. Among drug-involved criminal offenders, for example, 95% return to drug use (Martin, Butzin, Saum, Inciardi, 1999) and 68% are rearrested (Langan L