Risk tells us who, but not what or how: An empirical classification of the complexity of criminogenic needs to inform correctional programming

• In Event: Dynamic Needs in Correctional Populations: Expanding Horizons

Abstract

“One of the few facts agreed upon in the field of corrections is that offenders are not all alike” (Warren, 1971; 239). This rather basic statement epitomizes one of the biggest challenges facing corrections today: the challenge of sorting out heterogeneity to match clients to rehabilitative programming to maximize treatment outcomes, reduce recidivism, and improve cost-effectiveness. The current study utilized latent class analysis (LCA) to identify common profiles of criminogenic needs in a sample of 17,252 community-supervised individuals from one state. The purpose of this research was to simplify the complexity of offender need profiles to inform treatment placement matching strategies and inform the content of correctional interventions. The LCA analyses revealed four classes of dynamic needs. Conditional item probabilities were examined to label the four classes. Finally, the relationship between latent class membership and three separate recidivism outcomes was assessed. Consistent with study hypotheses, individuals in latent classes characterized by more complex criminogenic needs and destabilizers were more likely to experience further criminal justice involvement. The study findings highlight the importance of moving beyond static risk in determining what works for whom.

Authors

• Michael Caudy, George Mason University

• Faye Taxman, George Mason University