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Abstract: 

This article discusses the urgent necessity for national guidelines regarding post-conviction criminogenic risk and needs assessments in response to concerns regarding their accuracy, fairness, transparency, and communication, with particular emphasis on systemic biases within the United States criminal justice system. The lack of comprehensive guidance for criminal justice agencies and the limited information provided to individuals being assessed accentuate the need for standardized protocols. Funded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), The Council of State Governments Justice Center developed Advancing Fairness and Transparency: National Guidelines for Post-Conviction Risk and Needs Assessment, which addresses these gaps with clear, concrete direction. These guidelines provide criminal justice agencies with the necessary tools to ensure predictive accuracy and promote fairness, transparency, and effective communication in using risk and needs assessment instruments. By aligning with evidence-based practices, the guidelines promote the ongoing evaluation, validation, and refinement of assessment instruments, as well as strategies to mitigate disparities in assessment outcomes for members of groups defined by race, ethnicity, and gender, or by other characteristics such as mental illness. A comprehensive self-assessment tool provides states with actionable results. Findings demonstrate a clear imperative for state agencies to adopt these guidelines to enhance evidence-based decision making and improve recidivism outcomes. Risk and needs assessments play a vital role in enhancing decision making. Rather than discarding these instruments, state agencies should focus on continuous improvement through adopting the national guidelines to ensure accuracy and fairness for all individuals in the criminal justice system.

Keywords: Post-conviction criminogenic risk and needs assessment, systemic biases, evidence-based practices, national guidelines

Affiliations:  1: Council of State Governments Justice Center.