These FAQs address the newly released Advancing Fairness and Transparency: National Guidelines for Post-Conviction Risk and Needs Assessment designed to set practical benchmarks for agencies to support the success of people who are incarcerated, on probation, or on parole.
Criminal justice agencies in all 50 states, territories, and the District of Columbia use risk and needs assessments. To set practical benchmarks, and address current inconsistencies across jurisdictions, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance and The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center under the Public Safety Risk Assessment Project have released the Advancing Fairness and Transparency: National Guidelines for Post-Conviction Risk and Needs Assessment. These FAQs, intended for legislators’, details why these guidelines are needed, what the guidelines are do, and the benefits of the guidelines. In addition, this resource provides a listing of resource for policymakers to learn more about accuracy, fairness, transparency, and effective communication, and the use of risk and needs assessments designed to support the success of people who are incarcerated, on probation, or on parole.