With overwhelming caseloads, probation officers may need risks and needs assessment tools as they provide an important data point in the effort to identify the risk factors for criminal recidivism, protective factors and needs and assign an appropriate level of supervision. Nowadays, there are a plethora of assessment tools, reflecting the diversity of offending and service users. There are general assessment tools and specialist ones (such as those for sexual offenders, domestic violence perpetrators, extremists, or for the various forms of mental illness and learning disability).

CEP gathered experts on the topic of assessment and brought a focus from different angles, and perspectives. CEP invited two European experts from Belgium and The Netherlands respectively, and had also a Special Guest from outside Europe, from New Zealand, sharing their experience about the Department of Corrections journey with risk assessment in New Zealand and the lessons they learnt along the way.

Presentations can be found below.

Presentations:

• Implementing evidence-based risk assessment and management strategies in Flemish probation and parole services: Opportunities and challenges. Dr Katarzyna Uzieblo  – Vrije University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium.
• Issues when using risk assessment tool in Probation. The Dutch experience. Dr Jacqueline Bosker – University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, Netherlands.
• Understanding Probation risk assessment tool outside Europe . The New Zealand experience. Ms Megan Stenswick and Ms Mandi Dodds – Special treatment unit, Department of Corrections, Rolleston, Canterbury, New Zealand.

Rewatch the webinar below:

Report

Click here to view the report.