NCJ Number
166758
Journal
Forum Volume: 8 Issue: 2 Dated: (May 1996) Pages: 18-21
Date Published
1996
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This evaluation of the implementation of Canada's Millhaven Institution's sex offender assessment service describes the assessment service components that respond to the six main recommendations that prompted the system's creation and examine the preliminary impressions of the service held by various "stakeholder groups" in Ontario.
Abstract
Under Millhaven's assessment, sex offenders are categorized according to their current prison term, any previous prison term, and current sex-related offense. A narrative format is used to obtain information about offender psycho-social histories. These case histories are important for designing appropriate treatment, estimating risk, and developing individualized risk management and relapse prevention programs. Official documents are used to produce a detailed description of the offender's entire record of sex offenses. Three scales are used to evaluate each offender for risk of recidivism: General Statistical Information on Recidivism Scale, the Level of Service Inventory (Revised), and the Psychopathy Checklist (Revised). This preliminary evaluation of the assessment service yielded positive results. The five stakeholder groups rated all of its services as much improved over the sex-offender assessment service previously used. Some improvements are recommended, however. The duplication of effort in the criminal profile reports and the criminal histories is being addressed through a project to combine these two areas of responsibility. The computerized tracking and information system has also now been expanded to all institutions and two district offices. With some minor changes, this assessment system could serve as a model that other regions may wish to implement. 1 table, 2 figures, and 7 footnotes