Offender Risk Management Model Community Forum Teal Maedel Psychologist Vancouver Parole RCMP Behavioural Sciences Group

Overview  The Correctional Service of Canada is recognized as the world leader in empirically based ways to effectively identify and manage offender risk.  Offenders do not return to the community without extensive consideration of how their risk can be managed.  Long term community safety is best achieved through appropriate interventions, controls and supervision; fostering of good support systems for offenders (family, volunteers, community agencies etc) and criminal justice agencies working in partnership and cooperation.

Community Release

Risk Assessment & Risk Management  Risk factors  Behavioural Progression  Actuarial assessment  Structured Clinical Judgment  Team approach

Criminogenic Risk Factors  The proximal cause to offending is the decision to commit an offence but static and dynamic risk factors or precursors to offending are crucial to know.  Static factors- largely fixed: (age, criminal history, past history of substance use).  Dynamic factors- changeable and changes affect risk. These are targets of treatment.  It is important to know strengths and protective factors

Dynamic Risk Factors  Risk Factor Any behaviour, feeling, thinking pattern, situation that increases the probability of an individual returning to former negative behaviour patterns Any behaviour, feeling, thinking pattern, situation that increases the probability of an individual returning to former negative behaviour patterns E.G.: risk factors for substance abuse: E.G.: risk factors for substance abuse: PeoplePeople PlacesPlaces MoodsMoods

Behavioural Progression: Knowledge is Crucial What is it? - crime cycle, offence path, behavioural progression - a sequence of thoughts, feelings, behaviours & situations that warn of an impending event/offence

Behavioural Progression / Crime Cycle  A crime does not just happen  There is a build up before the individual decides to act out  Thoughts, Feelings, Behaviours & Situations

Problem Thinking

Behavioural Progression (Crime Cycle) Example  Difficult life situation creates stress and plays on experience or memory (i.e.. Rejection)  Evokes strong feelings (Feel like a loser)  Cover those feelings of powerlessness with Anger  Try to avoid feelings (Alcohol/Drugs)  Push people away, or attempt to regain power and control  Ignore Curfew or other conditions  Thought or desire for control and power  Choose to dwell on the thoughts of material gain casing banks

Key Benefits to using a Behavioural Progression  Simple to use  Summarizes the problem succinctly  Assists in planning for community releases  Identifies areas of risk  Assists in planning interventions to reduce risk including appropriate conditions  Offenders can be taught to identify the patterns of behaviour and intervene appropriately.

Risk assessment  Actuarial Assessment: A prediction of behaviour based on purely statistical information A prediction of behaviour based on purely statistical information It is a probabilistic statement It is a probabilistic statement Includes numerous risk factors that are predictive of violence and they are weighted depending on their association Includes numerous risk factors that are predictive of violence and they are weighted depending on their association

Risk assessment  Structured clinical judgment Systematically looking at factors known to be related to re offence, especially violence or sexual assault Systematically looking at factors known to be related to re offence, especially violence or sexual assault Psychopathy Psychopathy

Risk assessment  Clinical judgment: open ended  Discuss: Thinking patterns/errors Thinking patterns/errors Mood stability Mood stability Ability to manage emotions Ability to manage emotions Stage of change/ motivation to move forward Stage of change/ motivation to move forward Willingness to reach out Willingness to reach out Management of mental health issues Management of mental health issues

Risk management  How does a risk assessment help to manage risk in the community?  Knowledge about Risk level Risk level Risk factors Risk factors Behavioural Progression/ Crime cycle Behavioural Progression/ Crime cycle Should help to decide what behaviours are concerning and prioritize interventions

Community Treatment  Programs that target high needs and risk  Target dynamic factors related to crime  Cognitive behavioural interventions  Community partnerships

Team Approach  RCMP BSG: surveillance  Police Intervention/ reporting  Parole officers, collaterals, programs staff, CRF staff, mental health teams.  High Risk Recognizance Advisory Program  Judiciary- 810 applications/ breaches  National Joint Committee of Senior Criminal Justice Officials  Information Sharing is Key

Additional Information on Risk Management/ Assessment  Websites  or   Bourgon, G & Armstrong, B (2005) Transferring the principles of effective treatment into a “real world” prison setting. Criminal Justice & Behaviour,  Hanson, R.K. (2005) Twenty years of progress in Violence Risk Assessment. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 20 92)  Hanson, R.K. (2007) The Accuracy of Recidivism Risk Assessments for Sexual Offenders: a meta- Analysis Public Safety& Emergency Preparedness Canada ISBN

Thoughts…..Questions Teal Maedel, Psychologist RCMP Behavioural Sciences Group