Choosing Among Assessment Instruments
Administrators in jail, prison, and community corrections settings often want to improve their assessments of particular issues, such as housing or family relationships, but do not have the time or resources to research instruments that are available for this purpose.
This tool provides a list of risk and needs assessment instruments commonly used in jails, prisons, and community corrections settings. The CSG Justice Center compiled this list based on the Report of the Re-Entry Policy Council and the advice of experts in the field. It is by no means exhaustive. The tool aims to serve as a resource for administrators, researchers, counselors, case workers, and other service providers to inform treatment and programming decisions in these settings.
Users of this list can search by type of issue, title of instrument, or search through the whole list alphabetically. For each instrument, users will find a description of what types of issues the instrument is used to assess as well as its history, cost, and length of administration. Information about whether the instrument has been validated with criminal justice populations and whether it is used for screening or assessment is provided wherever possible. Each description includes contact information for the instrument’s publisher.
When choosing among assessment instruments, users of this tool should aim to use instruments that assess static and dynamic risk factors for recidivism; have been validated by research; can be normed to the local population; are low in cost; and that staff can be easily trained to use reliably to inform treatment and programming decisions.