From risk assessment to risk management: Matching interventions to adolescent offenders' strengths and vulnerabilities

Abstract

Though considerable research has examined the validity of risk assessment tools in predicting adverse outcomes in justice-involved adolescents, the extent to which risk assessments are translated into risk management strategies and, importantly, the association between this link and adverse outcomes has gone largely unexamined. To address these shortcomings, the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model was used to examine associations between identified strengths and vulnerabilities, interventions, and institutional outcomes for justice-involved youth. Data were collected from risk assessments completed using the Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability: Adolescent Version (START:AV) for 120 adolescent offenders (96 boys and 24 girls). Interventions and outcomes were extracted from institutional records. Mixed evidence of adherence to RNR principles was found. Accordant to the risk principle, adolescent offenders judged to have more strengths had more strength-based interventions in their service plans, though adolescent offenders with more vulnerabilities did not have more interventions targeting their vulnerabilities. With respect to the need and responsivity principles, vulnerabilities and strengths identified as particularly relevant to the individual youth's risk of adverse outcomes were addressed in the service plans about half and a quarter of the time, respectively. Greater adherence to the risk and need principles was found to predict significantly the likelihood of externalizing outcomes. Findings suggest some gaps between risk assessment and risk management and highlight the potential usefulness of strength-based approaches to intervention.

Are adolescent risk assessment tools sensitive to change? A framework and examination of the SAVRY and the YLS/CMI.

“…Indeed, interventions for adolescent offenders are often unavailable or poor in quality , and many youth do not receive treatments that address their criminogenic needs Singh et al, 2014). Consistent with this possibility, we did not find any significant associations between the treatment youth received and change, suggesting that treatments did not significantly impact risk.…”

“…Risk assessment tools for violence and offending have gained widespread use (Singh et al, 2014). Considerable research has shown that these tools can predict subsequent convictions with moderate effect sizes (Skeem & Monahan, 2011;Yang, Wong, & Coid, 2010).…”

Applying the Risk-Needs-Responsivity (RNR) Model to Juvenile Justice

“…To date, only one empirical study has examined the full RNR model in a juvenile justice setting, with similar findings to the aforementioned meta-analysis (Singh et al, 2014). This study assessed the degree to which the number of interventions specified in treatment plans correlated to risk level, the degree to which treatment plans addressed the specific needs identified using a risk-assessment tool, and the degree to which individual strengths were matched to planned interventions (Singh et al, 2014).…”

“…This study assessed the degree to which the number of interventions specified in treatment plans correlated to risk level, the degree to which treatment plans addressed the specific needs identified using a risk-assessment tool, and the degree to which individual strengths were matched to planned interventions (Singh et al, 2014). Results revealed that the three RNR principles were inconsistently implemented, but also that adherence to need and responsivity principles-and not to the risk principle-was related to positive outcomes (Singh et al, 2014).…”

Counseling psychologists and correctional settings: Opportunities between profession and setting

“…Such use of RNR that not only targets needs, but also builds on strengths, is consistent with counseling psychology's emphasis on strengths. In addition, recent research has found strengths-based approaches with RNR to be effective (Singh et al, 2014).…”