Risks Assessments in Developing Country Settings: Challenges and Prospects

• In Event: Comparative and Cross-National Comparisons in Policing and Corrections

Abstract

Risk assessments are important to determine the criminogenic factors that lead to offending and to identify appropriate program intervention to be administered to correctional clients. A risk assessment tool, based on the Big 8 factors, was developed for probationers in the Philippines and was pilot implemented in eight probation sites for two years. In all, 640 participants were tracked to determine whether they were rearrested, tested positive for drugs, and revoked for probation while they were in the program. Results suggest that, overall, the risk assessment tool was predictive of the any negative outcomes though some of the factors, such as anti-social personality and crimininal cognitions, were not. The study suggests for the improvement of the weak indicators by integrating Filipino cultural and social realities.

Author

• Raymund E. Narag, Southern Illinois University Carbondale