Knowledge of Implementation Process and Support for OYAS

• In Event: Implementation of a Statewide Risk and Needs Assessment Instrument: Views from the Field

Abstract

A fundamental understanding of the purpose of risk and needs assessment and a given tool is important in ensuring the integrity of its implementation. Many staff are first exposed to the purpose and utility of a tool during the initial stages of implementation. An agency may conduct focus groups or provide overview training to encourage staff buy-in prior to the official launch of an assessment system. Participation in the initial implementation process and/or an ability to explain the objective of an assessment system may inform practitioners’ understanding of its uses and objectives. This paper will explore how knowledge of the implementation process translates to support for the OYAS. Staff with knowledge of the implementation process should be able to identify the onset of the assessment roll-out, resources introduced to ease the implementation process, and whether and how buy-in was achieved among staff. Practical and policy implications for juvenile justice agencies will be identified.

Authors

• Carrie Sullivan, University of Cincinnati

• Melissa Lugo, University of Cincinnati

• Gina N. Gibbs, University of Cincinnati

• Christopher Sullivan, University of Cincinnati