Drug Courts, Sex Offenders, and Returning Citizens: Developing Specialized Components of the RNR Simulation Tools

• In Event: Risk Assessment in Correctional Populations

Abstract

The RNR Simulation Tools are web-based tools that distill complex research on treatment matching for offenders into streamlined questions and recommendations. The RNR Program Tool examines program content, quality, and dosage. The Assess an Individual Tool makes recommendations for treatment based on risk level, criminogenic needs, and stabilizing/destabilizing factors. We have recently developed a series of enhancements to these tools in order to be more responsive to special programs and populations, including sex offenders, specialized courts, and reentry programs. In this paper we will describe the methods we undertook to develop these enhancements.

In order to develop these specialized tools we first conducted a literature search on the effective practices in each category and conducted observations of sex offender and reentry programs. We mapped the existing questions in the Program Tool and Assess an Individual Tool to these effective practices and developed additional questions as needed. We also developed a matrix comparing current tool output to output/feedback that is most appropriate for each program type and used it to develop feedback reports that are specific to the specialized program types. Once we had drafted both the new questions and specialized feedback, we piloted the tools on programs in each category.

Authors

• Stephanie Ainsworth Maass, George Mason University

• Amy Murphy, George Mason University

• Catherine Salzinger, George Mason University

• Faye Taxman, George Mason University