Intake Risk Screening Tool Usage, Agreement, and Changes in Court Intake Practices

• In Event: Risk Screening, Intake Decision-making and Reoffending in Juvenile Courts: Findings from a Rural State

Abstract

For this research project, six sites were recruited to participate in a pilot study in which they were asked to use an intake risk screening (IRS) instrument on all CINS/status and delinquent referrals. IRS scores and offense severity were used to create an intake recommendation matrix. At the conclusion of the 13-month pilot period, researchers examined utilization rates and compared intake decision practices in two ways, (1) a two-year pre-pilot compared to the pilot period and (2) recommendations suggested by the intake risk screening tool compared to the intake decision ultimately made by the court. Results show wide variation in utilization rates and increased use of diversion and decreased use of formal petition during the pilot (though not necessarily on par with the intake risk screening tool recommendations). Given the predictive validity of the instrument has been confirmed, successful implementation of the instrument in the future must identify barriers to utilization and agreement with the instrument’s recommendations.

Author

• Sheena K. Gardner, Social Science Research Center, Mississippi State University