NCJ Number
247285
Date Published
June 2012
Length
35 pages
Annotation
This is a performance assessment of the Montana Pre-Adjudicatory Risk Assessment Instrument (RAI), which has been used as a pilot in Cascade, Hill, Missoula, and Yellowstone counties since 2009 as a tool in decisions regarding whether or not a juvenile poses a public safety risk if released prior to disposition.
Abstract
Assessment results show that the RAI is being administered impartially and in a manner that is culturally and racially sensitive. Results also show that the RAI is a suitable tool for detaining only those who are a high-risk threat to public safety. When compared to juveniles who were released by an override decision (decision to release a juvenile rated high-risk by the RAI), the RAI validated sample yielded a lower failure rate of new misdemeanor and felony citations and failures to appear for the initial court hearing. Recommendations are offered in four categories: scoring associated with the RAI, improvement in the process associated with the administration of the RAI, improvement in the data that are collected and used in assessing the performance of the RAI, and research issues that should be addressed in future assessment of the RAI. Site visits for each of the four counties involved collecting the scores for each of the seven components of the RAI, the total RAI score, and the date when the RAI was administered. The data were collected so that demographic information and information that pertained to the prior and subsequent criminal history could be matched to the juvenile. Also, focus groups involved interviews with juvenile justice system practitioners, with attention to issues related to the RAI. 6 tables, 1 figure, 15 references, and appended Montana RAI