Risk-Need-Responsivity Meets Mental Health: Implementation Challenges in Probation Case Planning

• Published in: Criminal justice and behavior Vol. 48; no. 9; pp. 1187 - 1207
• Main Authors: Vincent, Gina M., Perrault, Rachael T., Drawbridge, Dara C., Landry, Gretchen O., Grisso, Thomas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.09.2021; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Clinical assessment; Evaluation; Feasibility; Fidelity; Health needs; Health services; Interrater reliability; Juvenile justice; Medical referrals; Medical screening; Mental health; Mental health services; Needs assessment; Parole & probation; Planning; Predictive validity; Probation; Probation officers; Probation service; Psychological assessment; Risk assessment; Tests; Youth; risk/needs assessment; risk-need-responsivity; mental health; juvenile justice; SAVRY
• ISSN: 0093-8548; 1552-3594
• DOI: 10.1177/00938548211008491

This study examined the feasibility of and fidelity to risk/needs assessment, mental health screening, and risk-need-responsivity (RNR)-based case planning within juvenile probation in two states. The researcher-guided implementation effort included the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-2 (MAYSI-2), Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY), and policies to prioritize criminogenic needs while using mental health services only when warranted. Data from 53 probation officers (POs) and 553 youths indicated three of five offices had high fidelity to administration and case planning policies. The interrater reliability (n = 85; intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC][A, 1] = .92 [Northern state] and .80 [Southern state]) and predictive validity (n = 455; Exp[B] = 1.83) of SAVRY risk ratings were significant. There was an overreliance on mental health services; 48% of youth received these referrals when only 20% screened as having mental health needs. Barriers to fidelity to RNR practices in some offices included assessments not being conducted before disposition, lack of service availability, and limited buy-in from a few stakeholders.