RNR on the Left Coast: A Research-Practitioner Partnership in Santa Cruz County

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract

In order to address the influx of new and higher-risk probationers that Assembly Bill-109 (AB-109) brought to the Santa Cruz County Probation Department (SCPD), the department contracted with the Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence (ACE!) to become an early adopter of ACE!’s Risk-Needs-Responsivity suite of tools. The tools consist of three linkable portals that provide decision support at the offender, program, and system level. The RNR Simulation Tools assist justice agencies in determining what programming is most effective in reducing recidivism and improving offender outcomes within their population. The tools are also designed to guide resource allocation and help criminal justice agencies identify service provision gaps, with the objective of making a significant impact on recidivism at a system level. SCPD elected to use the RNR Program Tool for Adults, which assess program targets, capacity, and quality, and Assess Jurisdiction's Capacity, which identifies treatment needs and availability.

In this panel, an SCPD representative will report on the goals and accomplishments; a treatment provider will report his experience with the Program Tool; and an ACE! representative will report on our data findings.

Sub Unit

• Area IV. Criminal Justice Policy and Practice / 42. Community Corrections

Individual Presentations

• Introduction to the Risk-Needs-Responsivity Simulation Tools - Heather Toronjo, George Mason University; Amy Murphy, George Mason University; Faye Taxman, George Mason University; Michael Caudy, George Mason University; Avinash S. Bhati, Maxarth

• Santa Cruz Probation Department: Reform at the System Level - Andrew Davis, Santa Cruz County Probation Department; Amy Murphy, George Mason University; Faye Taxman, George Mason University

• RNR from the Treatment Provider Perspective - Marissa Kiss, George Mason University; Amy Murphy, George Mason University; Faye Taxman, George Mason University

Chair

• Amy Murphy, George Mason University

Discussant

• Faye Taxman, George Mason University