NCJ Number
58333
Date Published
1978
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF A SYSTEM FOR DIFFERENTIATING AMONG OFFENDERS ACCORDING TO THEIR RISK OF RECIDIVISM AND POTENTIAL DANGEROUSNESS TO OTHERS IS SET FORTH, AND A PROTOTYPE SYSTEM IS DESCRIBED.
Abstract
RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMISSION ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE STANDARDS AND GOALS INDICATING THE NEED FOR A CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM ON WHICH TO BASE A POLICY OF DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION ARE NOTED. THE POTENTIAL PURPOSES AND PARAMETERS OF A CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM BASED ON RISK AND LEVELS OF SUPERVISION ARE EXPLORED. THE PRINCIPAL CHARACTERISTICS, COMPONENTS, AND CRITICAL PREDICTOR VARIABLES OF SUCH A SYSTEM ARE CONSIDERED, WITH REFERENCE TO RESEARCH FINDINGS REGARDING THE VALIDITY OF CLASSIFICATION AIDS AND THE PREDICTIVE VALUE OF OFFENDER CHARACTERISTICS. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM ARE OUTLINED, AND SYSTEM QUALITIES ESSENTIAL TO EVALUATION (CLEAR OBJECTIVES, MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE CLASSIFICATION CATEGORIES, COMPREHENSIVENESS, ETC.) ARE NOTED. A PROTOTYPE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM--THE INTAKE SERVICE CENTER CONCEPT, DEVELOPED IN CONJUNCTION WITH CORRECTIONAL PLANNING EFFORTS IN HAWAII--IS DESCRIBED. THE AUTHORITY AND FUNCTIONS OF INTAKE SERVICE CENTERS, WHICH ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SYSTEMATIC COORDINATION OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM (INCLUDING INTAKE, DIVERSION, REFERRAL, AND MONITORING) ARE SUMMARIZED. EXAMPLES OF MODIFIED INTAKE SERVICE CENTERS ARE CITED. THE IMPORTANCE OF DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY AND FLEXIBILITY IN IMPLEMENTING RISK AND SUPERVISION CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS SUCH AS THE INTAKE SERVICE CENTER IS EMPHASIZED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)