NCJ Number
98521
Date Published
1982
Length
44 pages
Annotation
This manual describes the instruments and procedures of South Carolina's system for classifying probationers and parolees, and provides detailed instructions for administering the assessment and reassessment scales.
Abstract
South Carolina's classification process has four scales: Assessment of Client Risk, Assessment of Client Needs, Reassessment of Client Risk, and Reassessment of Client Needs. The Assessment of Client Risk focuses on 11 items found to be highly related to a client's adjustment to supervision: address change, time employed, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, age at first adjudication, number of prior probation/parole periods, number of prior probation/parole revocations, number of prior convictions, the nature of prior offenses, and conviction for assaultive offenses within the last 5 years. The Assessment of Client Needs also focuses on 11 items related to a client's adjustment to supervision; they include academic/vocational skills, employment, financial management, marital/family relationships, companions, emotional stability, alcohol usage, other drug usage, mental ability, health, and sexual behavior. For each of these scale items, this manual provides guidelines for problem identification, treatment approach, when to make a referral, and resources. The reassessment scales are essentially the same as the assessment forms with certain alterations that focus on the period since the last assessment. After providing detailed instructions for administering the scales, the manual discusses scoring and supervision classification. The appendix contains assessment/reassessment forms, a flow chart of the classification process, county codes, and a list of referral resources.